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Warning

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Chapter 38: Warning (Rhys's POV)

"Forget about it," Christian scoffed and even though I heard it, I made no move to react or even acknowledge it. "You can't even take your eyes off of her, let alone keep your hands off of her tonight," he added. 

Logan choked on his drink and let out a quiet laugh when I sent an annoyed glance Christian's way while Rowan simply hid his amusement behind his glass, taking another sip. 

"Seriously, Rhys," Rowan said, chuckling softly, "you've been staring at her all night. I think it's starting to freak some people out." 

Closing my eyes, I took in an annoyed breath and looked away from where Stella stood across the room, facing my friends instead. 

"Let him be," Logan mused, "he's finally experiencing what it feels like." 

"What?" I questioned warily. 

"Stupidity," Christian retorted smugly, "since you were so adamant a few weeks ago. What was it that you said?" 

"I can't afford to lose focus," Logan prompted, suppressing another laugh as he looked away from me. 

"Right, that," Rowan chimed in before shaking his head lightly, "I hate to break it to you, man, but you are—" 

"Whipped," Christian cut in, "so much so that you're drooling, I think." 

I huffed in annoyance yet again and set my empty glass on the bar. "I'm not whipped—" 

"Liar," Rowan coughed. 

I shot him a glare before continuing. "I'm just... playing my part," I said instead, "we made a deal and I'm simply upholding my end of the bargain. I'm playing the role of her boyfriend." 

"What happened to those ulterior motives? I thought that was the goal," Christian said, lifting a knowing eyebrow at me. 

I glanced at Stella once more, rolling my tongue along the inside of my cheek before I turned to the guys once again. "Those motives are still intact and destroying Damien Russo is still the goal." I paused, letting out a faint sigh. "I just have to find a way to make it happen without dragging her into it." 

Without hurting her feelings or losing her. 

"It's a little too late for that, don't you think?" Rowan asked hesitantly, "by signing that contract and striking this deal, you've... kind of dragged her right into the middle of all this." 

"I know," I mumbled, tracing my bottom lip with my thumb as I fell into thought. 

"I still think it will work out," Christian shrugged. 

"It will if he tells her in time," Logan added, glancing at me, "and looking at you right now, Rhys, it doesn't seem like you will." 

I saw Christian and Rowan exchange a glance before nodding at each other and silently walking away, leaving the two of us alone. 

"You should have told her already," Logan said, setting his glass down. "The sooner you tell her, the better. You know that." 

"Of course I do, Logan. But I also know how hard it is to come clean without hurting her feelings. No matter what I do or how I choose to tell her, she'll think I was using her." 

"No, you just fell for her before you could," he snickered quietly. I released a low breath, glaring at him. He cut it out and rolled his eyes before continuing. "It's none of my business, I know. I'll let it be. I'm just worried." 

"About her?" I asked, my jaw ticking. 

He snorted before patting my shoulder once. "About you, my friend. I imagine it would kill you more to lose her and I don't want to see you like that. Stella's strong. But... it would break her heart. Just be careful, time is running out." 

I caught the glimpse of a small hand creeping up from behind Logan and tapping his shoulders. Then the familiar wedding band clicked. "Mr. Markov," Zarah grinned as he spun around to face her, "can I steal you for a moment?" Leaning sideways to look past him, she met my gaze. "Hi, Rhys." 

"Zarah," I greeted in return before she stood upright, Logan's body shielding hers. 

"You can steal me whenever you'd like, Draga, I'm all yours." He took her hand, trailing behind her without glancing at me. 

"Ah shit," I muttered under my breath. 

What the fuck should I do? 

"Another whiskey, please," I told the bartender. 

He nodded in response and reached for the bottle while I turned around again, leaning against the counter as I found Stella in the same spot, now animatedly talking to someone else. 

A helpless little grin found its way to my lips and for the first time, I had no complaints. My eyes raked over her one more time just the way they had when she walked out wearing that dress tonight, stealing my breath away. Stella looked... irresistible and bewitching. And I knew that I would crumble to my knees if I ever lost her. 

Her hair... Oh God, her hair. And that dress... Fuck me. 

The white gown flowed elegantly down to her feet, hovering above the ground just enough to show off her white stiletto Jimmy Choo heels and the diamonds going across the top of her foot, up to her ankles. 

A corset cinched in at her waist with diamonds lining the neckline and straps of the dress while jewels and rhinestones sparkled, starting at her sternum, trailing down the cut-out at her torso in the shape of an inverted triangle. The cut-out showed off her skin with the diamonds gently covering and creating an outline around it, highlighting the center of the dress and its design. 

Her hair cascaded down her back in effortless curls that grew looser as time passed, gracefully falling out and adorable little teardrop-shaped diamond earrings hung from her ears, matching the glimmering diamonds of her dress. 

As I watched her through the night, I noticed how meticulous Stella was about these things, not because she wished to look good for an audience but because she truly enjoyed and relished her own beauty. Stella didn't just enjoy looking pretty; she liked to feel beautiful in the little things she did for herself, especially in the jewelry she wore. 

I always thought wearing Almonte Jewels allowed her to feel closer to her mother in some way and on nights like this, it projected even more. She carried herself with the kind of confidence one could only dream of holding on their shoulders. She drove me insane. 

As the woman she was conversing with excused herself and walked away, Stella glanced straight over at me, a tiny smile still playing on her lips as she lifted a daring brow at me. 

I stared back at her with a grin of my own, feeling my heart pound beneath my chest. It hit me then that I was falling for Stella a lot faster than I'd known. The familiarity, the sense of home that she gave me... There weren't enough words to describe the way she made me feel, only that she was beginning to feel like home. 

My gaze drifted off to the side as I recognized Nico approaching her for the first time tonight. I was expecting Damien's absence, hence, it didn't surprise me when he didn't show up tonight, but Nico was here, in the flesh. Even though he came alone, he dared to set foot near her. 

One wrong move and he'll pay with his blood. 

I took a step forward, heading for her but she shot me a stern look and shook her head sharply, telling me to stay in place. 'I can take care of myself,' she would say. So, I stayed in place and watched, waiting. 

They both maintained polite, artificial smiles for the first few moments but they slipped away quickly when Nico stalked forward, entering her personal space and taking a firm, bruising grip on her arm, yanking her forward. 

I clenched my jaw, knowing that I should probably wait since it was what she asked of me, but the sight of Nico's hands on my... 

My what? 

Releasing a breath, I pushed off the bar behind me and crossed the room, unbuttoning my suit as I approached them, their words growing clearer as I neared them. 

"You think I'll let you get away with it? You played me, Stella. Not only that, but you played your father too. Who do you think is going to save you now?" His hold on her tightened and a tiny wince escaped her as she tried prying his hand off. 

Throwing his hand off as I reached them, I wedged myself between them, keeping Stella behind me and out of his sight. 

The fury and rage blaring in his eyes were almost manic. "Rhys," he greeted, his grasp on his glass so tight, it was shaking. "Lovely seeing you," he muttered sarcastically. 

"I wish I could say the same, Nico," I replied, lifting a brow at him, "I'm surprised you showed up tonight." 

He scoffed at me in response. 

"Must be the death wish talking," I mused. 

Staring at me in disbelief, he moved forward again, reaching to push me but I threw his hand away too quickly, giving him one strong shove. 

"Think twice before you try anything," I warned with my voice low, "Stella might be merciful but I'm not. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot you in the middle of this crowd. You and your daddy can do whatever you'd like after that, hmm?" I took a step forward, taking the glass out of his hands before it shattered in his grip and setting it on the table nearby. "Careful, Nico," I taunted, "it won't be a fair fight if you hurt yourself, right?" 

He held my gaze with his bloodshot eyes. 

God knows what the fuck he's high on. 

"Listen to me because I'm only going to say this once," I began, "take it as my first and last warning to you. I don't know what deal you made with Damien Russo, and frankly, I don't give a fuck. We're all in the business of corruption and making money but you're in no position to be bargaining lives, especially Stella's." 

I paused as it took every ounce of me to maintain my self-control instead of punching him square in the jaw. "Her life means more than anything in this world to me, do you understand? And if you're coming for her, you're coming for me. And nobody fucks with me, hmm? I'm not Damien, I won't let you touch her." 

"How about you stay out of it instead? This is none of your fucking business, Rhys. Do your job," he snickered, giving me a light push, "what's the problem now? Damien Russo doesn't keep your pockets full anymore?" he teased. 

I watched him in amusement, a dry and cold chuckle pouring out of me. "Who keeps your pockets full? Daddy?" I raised my brows, smirking.

He moved forward again but a firm push from me had him rearing back. 

"If you ever so much as lay a finger on my girlfriend ever again, Nico D'Angelo," I paused, giving him this final warning nice and slow so he understood the gravity of it, "I will put a fucking bullet through your head, ruining everything you have and making you watch before I do. You can tell that to Damien Russo too. 

"Who else are you going to run to? From the looks of it, even Matteo's smarter than you." My lips twitched up into a smirk as I stared down at him. "What are you going to do without Daddy's help now, hmm?" My gaze dropped to the fist his hand curled up into. "Careful," I warned sharply. "I don't bite but I do kill." 

Loosening up the fist, he glowered at me, releasing a frustrated, pent-up breath before storming out, bumping his shoulder against my arm roughly. 

Rolling my eyes in annoyance, I spun around and faced Stella. "Was that you handling him?" I asked blankly. 

She snorted, rubbing her sore wrist before coming closer to me, and sliding her arms around my neck. "I don't bite but I do kill," she mocked in a heavy voice as she leaned in closer, laughing softly, pecking my lips once. "Can I tell you a secret?" she whispered before grabbing a hold of my tie and bringing my ear down to her lips. "I have never wanted you more."

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Chapter 38

oh mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind

someone get that fucking song out of my head

next ch: lost