Committed (Betrothed 4)

He continued to watch me with that cold stare. The love in his eyes had been extinguished a long time ago, and now he stared at me like I was a burden more than an asset. I’d been replaced by the beautiful women who threw themselves at him wherever he went. Even if he was still married, they wouldn’t care.

I rose to my feet and shut my laptop. “Anything else?”

“No.”

I waited for him to leave and kept up my own form of coldness. He only seemed to pay attention to me when I was heartless and cruel. If I wore my heart on my sleeve and told him I loved him, it would just push him away. It was difficult to lie instead of just telling the truth…but I wanted him to be my husband again. “Then why are you still here?”

He broke eye contact with me. “Not sure.”

Maybe Damien was right. Maybe the stupid thing he said to piss off Hades was actually beneficial to both of us. “Well, I have things to do. So, if you’d excuse me…”

He pulled his hands out of his pockets and adjusted his watch. “Ash is the one who helped you?”

I nodded. “You owe Damien an apology.”

“I wouldn’t have accused him in the first place if he’d had a clean record.”

“That’s a terrible excuse. Innocent people will commit crimes, and criminals will abide by the law. You should never make assumptions.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Be a man and admit you were wrong.”

“Don’t be a coward and not answer my question.”

I stilled at the accusation. “What question?”

“Are you screwing Damien?” His brown eyes were so hot, they started to steam. They were like a hot cup of coffee on a winter day. He was definitely angered by the idea, but it wasn’t obvious why.

My heart started to beat so fast. “If it has nothing to do with raising our son or running our hotel, then it’s none of your business, and I don’t have to answer your question. I’ve never asked you what you do with your evenings, so how dare you ask what I do.”

Instead of letting it go and being rational, he continued to push it. “This isn’t some random guy. This is Damien. I run two businesses with him, so I have the right to know if he’s fucking my ex-wife.”

“Why don’t you just ask him, then? Because he’s obligated to answer you. I’m not.”

His anger rose. “He won’t answer me.”

“Then let it go.”

He took a deep breath and slowly let the air escape through his flared nostrils. “Just fucking answer me.”

“No. What does it matter if it’s him or somebody else? What if I told you I was hooking up with a guy I met at a bar last week? I’m a single woman. I can do whatever I want.”

His shoulders squared and his body visibly tightened as he absorbed my answer. He wasn’t getting what he wanted, and it only infuriated him. “Are you hooking up with some guy?”

It was the first time I felt hope for us. He was so cold and cruel to me that I assumed he didn’t give a damn about me. But now he was struggling with the idea of me screwing his former friend, and also the idea of me screwing anyone. There was only one explanation for that.

He still cared.

Despite my delight, I had to keep up my ferocity. “Get the fuck out of my office, Hades.”

I was home with Andrew when Damien called me.

“You got plans tonight?”

“Depends. Are you asking me out?”

He chuckled quietly. “No. You’re pretty but not my type.”

“Then what’s your type?”

“I don’t know…I’m not picky. I guess I still see you as a sister.”

It was a sweet thing to say, and it made me more frustrated with Hades that he wouldn’t let the past go. He’d lost a good friend when that person should’ve been in his life forever. “You’re not my type either.”

“What? Sexy, tall, rich… That’s not your type?”

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. “You said I’m not your type either, so what does it matter?”

“Just want to make sure you’re not blind or anything…”

I definitely wasn’t blind. When Hades walked into my office the other day, I saw him well—all of him. “So, why did you call?”

“I overheard Hades talking with some clients. He’s going out tonight. I thought you could show up, looking all conspicuously sexy in a tight little dress. And skip the panties. Let a bunch of guys hit on you to piss him off.”

“I don’t like to play games.”

“You’re gonna have to play the game if you want to win. Are you gonna go for it or what?”

I’d already taken off all my makeup; I was tired from working all day and taking care of Andrew when I got home. But if I didn’t intercept Hades, some other woman would snatch him. It was a disturbing thought, and it made up my mind quickly.