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Party

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Chapter 14: Party (Rhys's POV)

I stopped the car at the entrance to Stella's apartment building but unlike usual, didn't turn my ignition off or get out to see her to her door. 

"Where are you off to next?" she questioned as she unbuckled herself. 

"A meeting," I answered and this time, it wasn't a lie. "Have you decided what bullshit you'll be feeding your father yet?" I questioned, watching her. 

She laughed dryly before scoffing at me, "Are you asking so you can tell him?" 

"I'm asking so I can know." 

"And what exactly do you plan to do with that kind of information?" she interrogated, resting her elbow on the center console and leaning in closer. 

I paused, tipping my head back and releasing a breath, rolling my tongue along the inside of my cheek before I knocked her elbow off, resting my own on the console. "Why do you insist on testing my patience?" I asked, lifting a brow. 

"Because you insist on testing mine," she mocked, flashing me one of her wicked smiles. 

"Ms. Almonte—" 

"I don't want to hear it," she said, lifting a hand and moving to clamp it over my mouth but I caught her wrist, pinning her hand down. Holding my gaze, a tiny smile tugged at her lips. "I thought you had a meeting?" she whispered, the grin on her face teasing me. Slipping her wrist out of my grasp, she pushed the door open and got out, quickly strutting away as I sighed softly, watching her through the window. I was about to continue driving when my gaze landed on her purse that remained discarded in the passenger seat. 

It's almost as if she did it on purpose. 

I rolled the window down to the passenger side and watched as her steps faltered and slowed before she groaned loudly, throwing her head back and staring at the sky before she spun around and walked back over, plastering a grin on her face as she stooped down to the window while I let her purse dangle from my finger. "Thanks," she said with a bite to the word as she reached for it. 

I swiftly tugged my hand back before she could grab it and she leaned in further, biting down on the colorful curses she saved for me. My lip quirked as I watched her in pure amusement, holding it out for her again. 

She grabbed it quickly but I held on, tugging her back before she could leave. "What?" she snapped, resting an elbow on the window frame. 

"Your father will ask questions," I reminded her. 

"So? What you decide to tell him is up to you. I'm testing my fate, Mr. Romanov." She pointed an accusatory finger at me. "I'm trusting you." Biting down on her bottom lip, she snatched her purse back and quickly walked away, glancing at me over her shoulder as she bit down a chuckle and tucked her hair behind her ear when it blew in her face from the passing breeze. 

She's... the fucking devil in my dreams, goddamn it. She is exactly what haunts my dreams.

Letting out yet another sigh, I rolled the window back up and gripped the wheel, driving straight to The Veil, one of the elite New York Members Clubs that Logan, Christian, Rowan, and I had a membership to. It was the location for most of our meetings unless the club faced a busy night. 

In that case, we went to Nine Lives, another similar club, both owned by the same person. Me. But since nobody knew that piece of information and I preferred it that way, I kept it to myself. It allowed me to pocket their membership fees. 

As my phone rang with Christian's name buzzing on the car screen, I picked up. "Christian," I greeted, rolling my window down and resting one elbow on the frame. 

"How long will you be?" 

"Miss me that much?" I asked dryly. 

"No. Just waiting to get back at you after the last match," he replied. 

"When I beat you?" I asked. 

"Yes," he admitted reluctantly. 

"And are we talking poker or chess? Since I won in both." 

A faint groan escaped him and I smirked to myself. "Just get your ass over here." 

"Be right there, Lukov." 

For the remainder of the day, I spent a few hours at The Veil with Christian and then headed to the office to get some work done. By the time I got home later that night, it was nearly midnight and since I couldn't be bothered to do anything, I went straight to bed. 

The following day followed a very similar routine, save Stella's gracious presence. Without any reason to go see her, I spent the first half of my day at the office, monitoring a few cases that my employees were working on and replying to a few clients who had been trying to reach me these past few weeks. 

The footsteps echoing on the floor followed by the knock was enough for me to feel the shift in the room and know precisely who was at the door. "Come in," I called out. 

The door swung open and my eyes drifted up, meeting Damien's. The cheerful yet sleazy smile on his face told me he was very happy with whatever news he was about to share with me and somewhere, that made me feel extremely unsettled. He welcomed himself into the seat across from me while I continued working, merely glancing at him once to acknowledge his presence. "You won't ask how you can help me? Or why I'm here?" he chuckled, leaning back in his seat. 

"I'm working, Mr. Russo. You tend to forget that I don't just work with you," I replied, keeping my eyes trained on the computer. 

"Then it's a good thing I'm not here for work today." 

"And yet you waste my time because...?" I questioned, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at him. 

"Stella agreed," he announced with viscous pride dripping from those two words. 

My eyes cut to his while my fingers involuntarily stopped, only hovering above the keyboard now. "She did," I repeated, keeping my surprise and disdain at bay. 

He hummed, barely biting down on his grin. "To celebrate and finally announce it, we're hosting a party tomorrow night. Actually, the D'Angelos are. Their prime hotel... what was it called again?" he mumbled to himself. 

"The Raven," I prompted, my jaw clenching the moment I did. 

"Right, The Raven. That's the venue. Eight o'clock onwards. You get a personal invite, of course, that's why I'm here. Don't be late." 

"Of course," I said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." 

In truth, I would rather drown than go to this party to watch people congratulating Nico as he held Stella on his arm while she offered everyone her charmingly contagious smiles. 

But missing it would mean leaving Stella alone with him and after doing my fair share of research on Nico, that idea seemed too dangerous. I didn't do the research for myself but rather for Alex who asked me to look into Nico since he shared the suspicions I did... I just didn't confess to being worried about her. 

Nico had his dark past, one that his father was adamant to erase from his life just so he could portray his son as the perfect, golden boy who could do no wrong, even if it was in a world of business where morality often led to murder. 

It took a few hours and a few cups of black coffee through the night to finally gather enough information about Nico. A few more hours went into hacking into his cell phone just so I could keep tabs on his location and the people he communicated with. Those findings didn't help his character very much either. 

Nico was connected to the worst kind of people in this world, until recently, that included David Andrei but that was only until Logan quite literally blew his head off. 

And the icing on the cake? Nico was known for going to certain gentlemen's clubs but none like The Veil or Nine Lives. Instead, he spent most of his time at Creed, which was a club infamously known for its undercover crimes. From drugs and weapons to torturing people and human trafficking, the men at Creed indulged in all of it. It was a place full of sadism. 

Not that I'm one to judge. 

But there were certain limits that men like Nico crossed, assuming it was their right to put their hands on a woman and to treat them like they weren't worth a dime. Knowing what kind of a man he was, I couldn't turn a blind eye to it. Especially not when Stella's involved. 

Damien often had me keep my eyes on Stella just to make sure she doesn't disobey him in any way but Stella's disobedience was the least of my concerns. 

In fact, I rather enjoyed watching her wield the world at her fingertips. Even now, it seemed too easy for Stella to cave in and accept something like this. If I knew her at all then I knew that this was just a game she was playing, once again molding herself to be the perfect daughter Damien Russo is so adamant about controlling. But she was up to something, I certainly hoped so. 

Stella was one to fight her own battles with her own twisted rules and I was no one to intervene yet no matter how much I despised it, no matter how hard I tried to change it, I would always be there for her to fall back on. Not by choice, just by pure instinct. 

I hated Stella for fucking with my head the way she did, for the way she wreaked havoc over my life even though I hardly phased her. She didn't even remember yet stole every waking thought, every waking moment of my life. 

One day, I would get back at her for it, for bringing me to ruins no matter how hard I resisted. 

Stella Almonte had ruined me but what I hated most was that I simply didn't care. Stella could spend lifetimes hating me but I would always find her. In every lifetime, in every city, in every body, I would be drawn to her. 

She pulled me in without even trying to. Why or how? I would never know.    

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Chapter 14

tell me anything in the comments, how's everyone doing?

next ch: wife