Chapter 23
Evan
Imust have officially lost my god damn mind.
It’s the only possible explanation for why my lips are currently pressed to Anais Lauder’s, devouring her like she’s oxygen and I’m suffocating.
But I can’t stop.
Don’t want to stop…
And that’s a huge fucking problem.
The second I saw the prince – along with most of the men in the room – eyeing her like she was up for auction, I saw red.
Before I could question what I was doing, I was dragging her out of the ballroom and into this one.
Something inside me snapped the minute I blocked her exit.
The need to claim her, to make it clear she belongs to me.
And now, I’m spiraling. Crossing a line, I swore I never would.
But Christ… she tastes like sin.
And I’ve always been the biggest sinner of them all.
Ever since that night in the elevator, I’ve thought of nothing else but kissing her again.
Fuck. I really am screwed.
And not just because Anais has more of a hold on me than I’d like to admit.
But in a very real, very Harrison’s-gonna-fucking-kill-me way.
Anais pulls back just enough to speak, her breath fanning across my skin. “You’re kissing me,” she breathes, and it goes straight to my cock. “Not to distract me. Because you want to,” she whispers, her lilac eyes flashing with hope.
My head tilts, and I grit my teeth. Trust Anais to stop the best kiss of my life to point out the obvious.
“Well, not anymore I’m not.” I can’t help the bite in my tone.
Her expression turns smug. “I knew you liked me.”
Taking a step back, I slide my hands into my pockets. Amusement flickers inside me. Like her? I don’t know if that’s what I’d call it. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, Brat.” I drawl; my eyebrow cocked sardonically. “It was a kiss - mediocre at best, might I add. Not a fucking marriage proposal.”
Her gaze sharpens. A moment of silence passes between us.
And then she laughs. She fucking laughs like I haven’t just made the biggest mistake of my life, by encouraging her.
“You do. You like me,” she insists, her eyes twinkling.
“The cold and untouchable Evan Maxwell likes me.” She straightens to her full height.
Even in those heels she barely reaches my chin.
“A kiss from you may as well be a marriage proposal.” She smirks.
“You’re as cold as ice, Evan. I thawed you. That’s means something.”
I run a frustrated hand through my hair, never looking away from her. From the outside, I’m the picture of cool, calm and collected. But inside? I’m on the edge of something I can’t undo. I’m never usually reckless. If anything, I’m calculated. Every move I make well thought out.
Except this one.
“What it means,” I say coldly. “Is I’ve clearly gone too long without sex if I’m willingly kissing you.” My lips curl in disdain.
I hope the insult is enough to get her the hell away from me. I should’ve known better. Of course it doesn’t. If anything, she looks even more smug.
Jesus fucking Christ. I’m never going to live this down.
Or recover from it… that annoying voice who can also fuck off makes itself known.
Anais chuckles, rolling her eyes in an over exaggerated manner.
“Oh, please. You can deny it all you want, Evan.” She steps forward.
My muscles stiffen, as my heart thunders in my chest. Her scent infiltrates my senses, causing my brain to short circuit.
Against my better judgement, I inhale, breathing her in.
She reaches out, running a manicured finger along my tie.
My breath lodges in my throat. And when she peeks up at me with those lilac eyes, her long lashes fluttering against her high cheekbones, I’m five seconds away from ripping off her dress and burying my cock inside her.
“But I know better. You want me.” She tilts her head, staring as if she can see straight through me.
“And you can have me, Evan. All you have to do is stop fighting whatever this is.”
I stare at her, jaw clenched, lips parted, about to deny her again, when the door bursts open. Anais stumbles forward, crashing into my chest. Instinctively, I catch her.
Jameson steps in, pausing when he sees us. His gaze flicks to the woman in my arms. A smirk tugs at his mouth. “Ah, there you are. Your father’s looking for you.”
Clearing my throat, I steady Anais on her feet, release her and take a step back. I shoot Jameson a glare as he glances between us, far too amused for my liking.
“You okay, Anais?” he asks, his voice laced with amusement.
“I’m fine,” she says sweetly, turning to face him with a smile that I fucking hate, because it’s directed at my friend and not me. “Evan just wanted to discuss appropriate dress codes at these events.”
Jameson’s amused expression comes to me, before his gaze roams over her dress.
My jaw clenches, and I barely resist the urge to lunge at my friend.
“You look fine to me,” he says.
I shoot him a look that promises retribution.
“Thank you,” she whispers, her cheeks tinting pink.
My eyes narrow on the color staining her flawless face. That blush should only ever be for me.
Irrational? Yes.
Do I give a fuck? No.
“Right. We should get back.” My voice is once again detached, cold. I wrap my fingers around Anais’s elbow, dragging her past Jameson and back to the event.
After the showcase, I send Anais home with my father, sister and Bishop.
For the rest of the night, I stuck by her side like a stage five fucking creeper, silently warding off anyone who dared glance her way.
And now I’m alone at the hotel bar waiting for Jameson and scrolling through my phone.
“Hey,” says a soft, sultry voice. I glance up.
Blonde woman. Big tits, tiny waist, and lustful brown eyes.
Under normal circumstances, I’d probably let her suck my dick, but after Anais?
I feel nothing. “And you are?” she purrs, running a finger across her full bottom lip, in an attempt to entice me.
“Not interested,” I say coldly, eyes returning to my phone.
But of course, my disinterest doesn’t deter her. With more confidence than I thought possible for someone who’s just been rejected, she leans in, pressing her fake tits into my arm. “I can make it worth your while. I’m known for having the best mouth in the city,” she whispers.
I stand abruptly. She stumbles, half landing on my stool. I glare down at her, my lip curled in disgust, as I let my disdain leak onto my expression. “Who the fuck said you could touch me?” I hiss, my voice low, lethal. “Now get the fuck out of here before I have security remove you.”
“You can’t do that,” she bristles, outraged.
I laugh, ready to show her what the fuck I can do, when Jameson steps in behind her. “My friend may not have the authority that I do in my hotel, but if he asks for your removal, it will happen. Now you have three seconds to get your desperate ass out of here, or I’ll have security remove you.”
Blondie scowls, snatches up her purse and sashays out of here like she hasn’t just been humiliated.
Sighing, I turn to Jameson, “Thanks, man. She wouldn’t take the hint.”
Jameson claps a hand on my shoulder, squeezing. “Not a problem.” He signals the barman, ordering us both a scotch and we settle onto stools. He glances at me, and I know what he’s going to say before he even speaks. “So…what’s going on with you and Anais?”
“Nothing,” I lie.
He smirks. “Didn’t look like nothing,”
I grit my teeth, so hard, I’m surprised they don’t turn to dust. “It was nothing.”
Jameson sighs, taking a sip of his drink. “You can talk to me, Maxwell. I won’t judge.”
My irritation flares, and I swallow down the rest of my drink. “I don’t interfere with your life, and your insane obsession with finding Mon–”
“Don’t,” he warns, cutting me off, his voice as cold as ice.
Taking a breath, I collect myself. Everyone knows not to bring up Monroe. It was a low blow, but for fucks’ sake, I’m on edge right now. I need to take my frustrations out, and unfortunately for Jameson, who agreed to have a drink with me, he’s also involuntarily become my punching bag.
Running a hand across my jaw, I meet his cold, detached gaze. “I won’t apologize, because… well, I don’t apologize for shit. But I shouldn’t have brought her up. I know what she meant…” I frown, correcting myself. “Means to you.”
He nods tersely, the pain he tries so hard to hide bleeding out on his expression. “If I never find her… if she’s dead... She’ll still be the only woman I ever love.”
One look at his face, I know he means it. “Fuck. All these years and still nothing?”
He signals the barman again, ordering us another round. “Not a trace. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop looking.”
Needing to lighten the somber mood, I blurt. “I kissed Anais.”
Jameson huffs a breath of amusement, “Harrison is going to kill you.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Was it at least worth it?”
I groan, running a hand down my face. “Fuck, I’m going to sound like a pussy.” He nods for me to continue. “I’ve never had a kiss like it. It was fireworks when I pressed my lips to hers.”
“Jesus, Maxwell, you do sound like a pussy.” He smirks. “Better than Valentina?”
At the mention of my ex-girlfriend, I hesitate, reality slamming into me.
We were together for several years. I thought I loved her.
Then she went and cheated on me with a male model she was working a huge campaign with.
As if her betrayal wasn’t enough, she didn’t tell me about him. I found out through the tabloids.
After that whole shit show, I swore off relationships. Now with Anais… I don’t know. She makes me feel something. What that something is, I’m not sure.
“Better than Valentina,” I admit quietly.
Exhaling, I run a finger around the rim of the tumbler, frowning into the liquid as if it can give me the answers I need. It’s a lost cause. My head is a mess.
Jameson whistles. “You’re screwed, Maxwell.”
“So people keep saying,” I huff sardonically.
We sit in silence for a long beat, the only noise background music and the low murmur of the other patrons in the bar.
“I’m thinking of branching out on my own.” Jameson mutters, breaking the silence. “There’s a shithole hotel in Brooklyn I’ve got my eye on. It needs a lot of work, but I think it could be something.”
“Brooklyn?”
He nods. “Yeah. Brooklyn. The hotel overlooks the river. With a complete renovation, and the right management, it could be exceptional.”
“What are you going to do about your father?” I ask. “You leaving the Calloway dynasty?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, it’s my name. I just want something beyond The Calloway empire. My own legacy. Boutique luxury. Bougie…different to the Calloway brand.”
“Don’t ever say bougie again.” I deadpan.
“Noted.” He laughs, draining his scotch and standing. “I don’t know about you, but I’m done.”
I finish my drink and rise from my stool. “Give me a ride?”
He smirks, eyeing me. “Of all the beautiful women at your event tonight, I didn’t think I’d be the one taking you home.”
Rolling my eyes, I pull my phone from my pocket. “I’ll text my driver.”
Jameson shakes his head, “Let’s go before I change my mind.” He grins. “Boys’ night is going to be fun next week.”
“Fuck off,” I hiss, annoyed. “And keep your damn mouth shut.”
Jameson smirks. “Consider my lips sealed, Maxwell.”