Chapter 32
The event is in the heart of the city, at one of the top five-star hotels. Politicians and royalty stay here, but when we pull up, there is a red carpet with security and cameras eagerly waiting to capture the arrivals.
“If I’m pictured with you, I will personally kill each and every person you love,” I warn them as the door opens.
I slide out first, ignoring the Sai brothers, and step up onto the pavement just before the red carpet begins.
I feel them hurry out behind me, and when I glance back, they have formed a triangle.
For a moment, I feel small, which is odd since I’m tall.
It’s not the first time I’ve noticed how they tower over me or how attractive they are, especially all dressed up, but part of me prefers the messy, just been fucked look, especially if blood and bruises are involved.
Their pretty faces look better with my marks.
Every single eye turns to us as we step from the car. I don’t know if it’s because the three Sai brothers are a force to be reckoned with or if it’s the fact that they look like movie stars, but I’m choosing to believe it’s because I look so damn good, not them.
They look flawless and untouchable. The power they exclude is sexy as hell, and they know it, which means I have to knock them down a peg.
I glance back, my meaning clear as I step up onto the carpet.
Kane simply snaps his fingers, and Dodge leans in. I watch as Kane whispers something, and their guards pour from the other SUVs, surrounding the paparazzi and snatching their cameras as Kane looks at me. “Is that better?”
A hand slides across my back, and I turn my head, expecting Zayn to have taken a liberty, but it’s Neo, which confuses me.
He looks down at me as I stumble. A knowing little smile tugs at his lips as the warmth of his palm burns through the fabric of my suit as he walks by my side.
I hear whispers and questions, but I ignore them as I keep my focus straight ahead.
“All their eyes are on us, but ours are on you,” he whispers in my ear. “I know you went to my brother the other night. Tonight, you’ll come to me.”
“Keep wishing,” I retort as we walk up the steps toward the grand entrance where security is tight.
“Not wishing, preparing. It’s going to happen. You can’t avoid us forever. You want me, Bexley,” he murmurs. “Just admit it.” He hands the invitation to a staff member on the right.
I scan the area, remembering my instincts while trying to ignore his cocky remarks.
All three have been handsy and flirtatious since Kane announced he wants to make me theirs, and they aren’t holding back.
Ignoring Neo and the feeling of his hand still burning into my skin, I eye the metal detectors and a security guard who heads my way.
“Miss, you must be searched,” he says idly as he starts to pat my arms.
“Easy there, handsy,” I tease as the guard pats me down.
“Fire him,” comes a sharp voice, and I turn my head, expecting Kane, but it’s Neo again. He takes my arm and tugs me from the man’s grip. “She is with us. Nobody touches her.”
A different man in a suit hurries over with an earpiece in. “Mr. Sai, it is so good to see all of you. We are happy you accepted our invitation. Any guest of yours is welcome. Let them through,” he barks at the guards, his voice turning from sickly sweet to angry in a blink
Rolling my eyes, I move away from them and walk through the metal detectors. They go off, and security looks at the man who stares at me. “Bra,” I say, “or it could be the three guns I’m carrying.”
His eyes widen as Kane chuckles and follows me through, setting it off as he takes my arm and leads me forward, ignoring everyone else.
There are groups of people in suits and dresses lingering about before the stairs.
They nurse drinks as they talk, but the area falls silent as they turn to us.
We head through the reception to a set of carpeted stairs, and Kane leads me up them and into a ballroom.
Diamond chandeliers sparkle as the lighting gives the space a club-like effect, but more high end.
There’s a large bar where bartenders are showing off, throwing drinks and earning cheers from guests.
Tables are placed throughout the entire floor below, with a small space for dancing and a screen naming a charity.
As soon as we walk down the stairs, every single person turns to look at us. “You sure know how to make an entrance,” I tease.
Kane leans closer, making me shiver. “They are all looking at you, wondering how I got to be so lucky to have you on my arm,” he flatters, and when we reach the bottom, he nods at a burly man watching me from the closest table.
“An Arabian prince. If you let him, he’d quickly make you his wife.
The man over there is running for the presidency next year.
That woman in blue is the head of the Supreme Court. ”
“Jesus, it’s like a room filled with all the types of people I hate, including you,” I note, and he laughs loudly, drawing shocked gazes his way.
“Mr. Sai.” A woman in a tight emerald dress hurries over, clutching a board.
Her eyes are wide with awe as she looks us over.
“We are so delighted to have you. We received your confirmation this morning and arranged your table and everything how you like it. Please, follow me.” Turning away, she wanders through the tables, swaying her hips deliberately, and when she glances back, she makes sure Kane is behind her, but she seems disappointed when he isn’t checking her out.
“Look at the woman’s ass, damn it. She must have worked hard on it. It’s a nice ass,” I tell him.
He gapes at me and stumbles. “You’re telling me to look at her?”
“Duh,” I reply. “It’s just offensive if you don’t. That ass is incredible.”
“I can’t win,” he grumbles as she stops by a booth higher than the others in the back. There are already two wine buckets there with chilled bottles protruding above the rim, and I grab one as I slide in, pop the cork, and start to pour it.
“Ah, the two bottles you requested,” she whispers, watching me. “We ensured it was the correct year you wanted. We had to scour the world for them. At five million a bottle—”
I spurt the wine across the table and look at the bottle and then the three brothers. “Five mil a bottle? What, is it going to marry me then fuck me until the day I die? Why the fuck would you spend five mil on wine that tastes the same as the one I buy for five dollars at Joe’s?”
“It doesn’t taste the same,” Zayn says as he slides in and grabs my glass, drinking from it. His eyes sparkle with mirth as he licks the wine from my skin where I spilled it. “Definitely worth the ten mil.”
“You’re all insane.” I top off my glass, and Neo laughs as he slides in on my other side, forcing Kane in last, opposite me.
“Yet you drink it,” Neo teases.
“It’s your money. If you want to waste it on stupid shit, then go right ahead.” I shrug as I down the glass and pour another, only to look up and find the green-dress hottie gaping. Glancing at the brothers then her, I offer her the glass. “You want to try it?”
Her hands automatically come up, and she actually steps back. “No, I couldn’t—”
“Ah, come on. I bet you’ve never tasted something so ridiculously expensive. Ignore them, they don’t care. It’s pocket change.” I pour her a glass and shove it into her unwilling hand. Lifting it carefully, she sips it and eyes it then me. “So?”
“It tastes like normal wine,” she admits, and we share a smile.
“By the way, congrats on your ass. Is it real?” I ask, and she nods shyly. “Damn, it’s incredible. What’s your secret?”
“Pilates,” she answers brightly. “You have an incredible body too. Do you work out?”
“Ah, yeah, I have to chase down idiots and kill them. It helps keep me fit.” Her eyes widen and her face pales, but she nods and tries to put her glass down.
Zayn chuckles at my side, his arm across the back of the booth as he plays with my hair. “Take it. If you don’t, she’ll be offended.”
Green-dress woman smiles but takes it and hurries away. “Pilates, huh? Who knew.”
“Your ass is amazing too, but I can double-check. Stand up—” I smack Zayn without looking and sip my wine, eyeing the room.
“So, how often do you get attacked at events like this? I can’t imagine much happens, other than spending money and rubbing shoulders with snobs,” I remark.
“You never know,” Kane answers idly, looking at his phone, but when I speak, his attention seems to zero in on me. “That’s why you’re here.”
I smirk. “Or you wanted arm candy.”
“More like I’m your arm candy,” he responds before Dodge appears. I leave him to his business.
A fit, middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair joins us, and Kane sighs.
Zayn sits up, and the transformation of his usually smirking face has my eyebrows rising.
It’s like a mask slides into place, his smile small and mocking, his eyes cold.
“Sarinto, didn’t expect to see you here. How’s your son doing?”
“You mean after you sued us for billions and ruined his life?” he retorts. “Good, we’ll bounce back. We always do.”
“I’m sure,” Zayn drawls, taking a sip of his wine. “You wouldn’t have lost if you spent more money on good lawyers and less on whores.”
Sarinto snarls, growing angry, as Zayn chuckles.
“I warned you not to insult me, but you did it anyway.” Zayn’s expression is ice cold.
“Now, move along before I decide ruining your company and his inheritance isn’t enough and I need a pound of flesh in retribution.
” Sarinto’s face pales, but he glares at Zayn before disappearing, and I whistle.
“You know, you’re cute when you get all angry and powerful,” I tease.
Zayn rips his jacket off, making my eyes widen as he reaches for his shirt. Life seems to seep back into him, his eyes crinkling in amusement as he flashes straight white teeth in a smile that makes me grin.
“What the fuck are you doing, brother?” Neo snaps.