The Billionaire's Forbidden Desire (27 page)

She ignored the insult. Salazar wasn’t sober. “He must’ve liked her.”

“They were a lot alike. Cold. Disapproving. Always thought everyone else was a disappointment.” He sniffed. “It’s no wonder Dane decided to send that girl Ginger to drag Shane back home from Thailand. Apparently he didn’t trust us to do it.” He snorted a laugh.

The sound was ugly and sloppy. How much had he drunk?

“Ceinlys looks young, doesn’t she?” he asked abruptly.

She nodded. Not just young but dignified as she’d sat at the end of the table.

“That’s how she is. Timeless.” He sighed, his shoulders sagging. “Not like me. I’ve changed so much. Probably aged poorly.”

“You look fine.” Sophia cradled the glass in her hands, then took another sip as silence hung heavily between them. This was…awkward, but maybe Salazar needed somebody to talk to…even if it was somebody who didn’t know him or his family situation all that well. With Mark getting married, he might be feeling nostalgic or something.

“Dane likes you,” he said suddenly.

She choked on her scotch. “Salazar, really, the last thing I want to dis—

“He does,” Salazar went on. “He thinks he’s slick and can hide it from me, but I can tell. I’m his father, after all…even if he doesn’t want it that way.”

“I’m sure he respects you as a father.” Even as she said those words, she knew Salazar might be right. After all, telling Dane he should’ve never been born probably had killed whatever love he might’ve had for his father.

“You’re so sheltered, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Mother disapproved of me, but adored him, saying he has all the right qualities to be the head of our illustrious family. Both of them made it clear how li’l they thought of me, while using the wealth that I”—he jumped to his feet, raising his hands—“created.” He swayed unsteadily. “At least Ceinlys is hones’ about what she saw in me—money! If I hadn’t been trapped, I coulda started over. I met a woman I liked, you know. I’m not some unfeeling womanizing asshole!”

Sophia placed her more than half-full glass on the floor by the corner of the four-poster bed. “Why don’t you sit back down? You might be a little drunk.”

“This? Nah. This is nothing!”

“But—”

“You know what galls me? He’s suc
cess
ful. Doesn’t even need my damn money, which gives him moral superiority. But what he doesn’t remember is that it’s
my connections
”—he tapped his chest—“and this family name that gave him his start. He would’ve been nothin’ without me.” He slashed the air with his hand. “Nothin’!”

I should’ve declined the drink and shut the door and gone to sleep
. What did she know about dealing with a drunken man who wanted to rant about his family? And despite what Salazar claimed, Dane was too smart and dominant to end up as “nothing,” even if he hadn’t had any special connections.

“Come on, Salazar. Sit down.”

“No.” He pulled back. “I’m def’nitely not drunk. Are you trying to treat me like an idiot too?”

“You know better than—”

“Do I? Do I? I’m a terrible judge of character, seems like. Screwed up so many things.” He took another swig from the bottle.

The first thing to do was to get the bottle away from him. Sophia reached for it, and he raised his right arm. “Oh no, you don’t!”

“Okay, well, I’m finished. I’m calling the housekeeper now to help you get undressed and go to bed.” She hit the button by the bed for housekeeping.

“Now, why’d you hafta do that?” Salazar shoved the bottle to his mouth and chugged the rest, his throat working.

Sophia shook her head. He was acting like a temperamental child. Then again, the divorce probably wasn’t all that amicable despite Ceinlys’s serene appearance.

He dropped his empty bottle, then swayed a bit. “See? Perfectly sober.”

“If you can count down from ten to one, I’ll believe you.”

“Ten. Nine. Eight,” he began, then shook his head. “Maybe next is seven.”

She sighed. That wasn’t too bad. Maybe he wasn’t as drunk as she’d thought.

He stumbled forward, losing his balance. She caught him, afraid he might hit his head on one of the bedposts. He was heavier than he looked, and he flailed, trying to regain his footing. It only managed to unbalance her, and they fell on the bed together with him on top.

A double knock sounded at the door, and it opened to reveal the housekeeper. “You called for…?” The rest of it died.

Sophia’s skin prickled, and everything inside her froze at the sight of Dane’s cold face behind the housekeeper. Cringing, she pushed Salazar off her. Dane must’ve been on his way to his suite. His gaze flickered to his father, who was laughing with a hand over his eyes, then to her. Her cheeks flamed.

Dane didn’t say a word, but a corner of his mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. He turned away and walked past the housekeeper.

“Miss?” the housekeeper said in a normal voice, like this was an everyday scene.

“Can you please take care of him? He’s drunk.”

“Of course,” she said at the same time Salazar muttered, “I’m rilly not.”

“Just hush.” Sophia got up and went to the hall. Dane was gone, probably already in his suite.

She dropped her head back, suddenly too tired to care. What did it matter what he thought? It was over anyway.

There was nothing between them anymore.

Sophia rubbed gritty eyes and grimaced at the bright morning light. That would teach her to stay up late with a glass of scotch.

She rolled out of bed and took a look at herself in the bathroom mirror.
Ugh
. At least she had the help of some excellent foundation and concealer. When she was finished, it looked like she’d had a good night’s sleep. She went to Salazar’s bathroom door and carefully put her ear to it.

Nothing from the other side.

Should she go wake him up? On the other hand, did she want another scene?

If he wasn’t up in the next thirty minutes, she’d send housekeeping to check on him.

Her mind made up, she pulled her hair into a bun and put on a mint-green dress and matching flats. The shopper who’d brought the outfit had also thought of a pale cream-colored hat with a wide brim. Thank god.

The clock on the wall said thirty minutes had passed. Straightening her spine, she knocked on Salazar’s door. When there was no response, she tried again, then waited a moment before opening it a crack.

The room was empty.

Huh
.
Guess he was up before I was
.

She put the hat on and went outside. Normally she hated skipping breakfast, but eating would mean facing the Pryce family. She wouldn’t be able to have more than a couple of bites anyway.

White ribbons and orchids formed an arch under which the couple was to stand. The rows of seats set up for the guests were all in a matching satin. A quartet tuned their instruments on a platform by the altar. A couple of staff were rolling out a thick, white carpet to create the virgin road.

Everything was classy and elegant. Sophia had never been to a wedding, but as she looked around she thought,
When I get married
,
I want one like this
.

Soon the quartet started playing music, and guests began to file in. Iain’s fiancée Jane pulled Sophia over to the groom’s side. A gorgeous burgundy raw silk dress hung from her delicate shoulders and ended a couple of inches above her knees. Unlike Sophia, Jane was wearing her curled brown hair down and had on a pair of stilettos.

“Love your shoes,” she said.

Sophia smiled and ventured a “Thanks”. Given how people had been the night before, she couldn’t tell if Jane was being sincere or sarcastic.

“I’d kill for flats, but Josephine said I had to wear heels.”

“Josephine?”

“Maid of Honor today and Fashion Gestapo every day. She despises flats.” Jane sighed longingly. “She has to look good to maintain the image and all, but I’m a cook. You know what I mean?”

“Grass is always greener on the other side. I wish I could wear heels.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“Bad joints.”

“Ooh, that’s awful.” Sympathy softened Jane’s eyes.

Sophia smiled, the tension leaving her. “It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?” She gestured around.

“Can you believe it’s only for the inner circle?”

Sophia raised her eyebrows at the expensively tuxedoed men and gowned women. “There has to be at least three hundred people.”

Jane nodded. “And Hilary didn’t even invite her family.”

“Wow.”

“Mine’s going to be bigger, I think,” Jane said. “I really want a small ceremony though.”

“We can have a small one.” Iain sat down next to Jane. The black tux fit him like a glove. “I’ll drop-kick anyone who tries to crash.”

Jane giggled, flipping her hair over a shoulder as she turned to face him. He kissed her knuckles. The gesture was so natural and innocent, but the look in his eyes made it almost too intimate for public consumption.

Sophia glanced away, then noticed Salazar sitting with Ceinlys. He looked great in his tux, but he didn’t smile much. For a man who’d drunk so much scotch he’d almost passed out, he appeared perfectly fine. No trembling, no dark circles under his eyes. His mouth was set in a flat line, but it only made him appear solemn and distinguished rather than grim.

Ceinlys on the other hand sported a serene smile and wore a fitted deep blue dress that accentuated her feminine beauty. A dainty hat with netting sat over her dark hair. Her flawless makeup brought out her eyes, and juicy lip-gloss glistened on her lips. How could she be the mother to five full-grown children? Betsy was pretty too, but she was nothing compared to Ceinlys, who was far older but looked much more youthful and beautiful.

Nobody looking at them would suspect they were in the middle of an ugly divorce.

Mark and the officiant made their way to the front. In a perfectly tailored tuxedo, Mark looked stunning. The sun glinted on his onyx-dark hair. Anticipation seemed to bubble within him as he waited for his bride. At the officiant’s request, everyone rose to their feet, and the orchestra started “Here Comes The Bride.”

Hilary walked on Barron Sterling’s arm. The Diamante crystals glittering in floral patterns, layers and layers of intricate lace and tulle created a dress fit for a fairy tale princess. Hilary’s gaze didn’t waver behind the thin veil, her step was sure, as she walked toward Mark, who looked at her like she was the only woman in the world.

Sophia sighed. What would it feel like to be the center of a man’s universe like that?

A man slid into the seat next to her. “I can’t believe he’s getting married,” he muttered.

She glanced over and blinked. It was Ryder, dressed in a tux and very dark sunglasses. No date, for once. “When did you get here?”

“Just before the bride made her grand entrance. Everyone was so busy staring at her that I was able to make it here almost undetected. It’s almost impossible for someone like me to just sit down without causing a stir, you know.” He looked around and sighed. “At least they saved me a seat.”

She shrugged. Nobody had saved him a seat. There just happened to be an empty one next to her.

“Ah, Mark. I knew him, Horatio,” Ryder said in a mock-grave voice. “He was supposed to be single forever. At least the bride’s hot. Every one of my cousins has betrayed me, except for Dane. At least he’ll be single forever.”

Despite herself, she leaned closer. “He will? Why?”

“Are you kidding? What woman wants to marry an iceberg? He’s cold, Sophia. Cold, cold, cold. Everywhere he shows up, the temperature drops. He’s worse than Blake.”

Just then the back of her neck tingled. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Dane watching.

Unlike her, he looked well-rested and calm. He seemed forbidding and inscrutable in his tux, which fit him precisely. His eyes were bluer than the deepest Arctic sea and—sure enough—just as cold.

Sophia’s nerve endings prickled, and she turned away. So what if he was amazing in bed? He’d made it very clear how he felt about their relationship—if they’d ever had one. She was tired of his mind games. She’d always been good at playing them when she’d been competing, but this was something else. The rules were different, and the impacts left invisible wounds that oozed pain.

She focused on the couple. Was it her imagination or was Mark’s chest puffed out like it was about to burst? His eyes shone with adoration. Even though he and Hilary were only holding hands, there was something so possessive and protective about the way he stood in front of her.

“I always thought life was like a puzzle,” Mark began. “You never know how it’s going to look, and the pieces you find as time passes surprise you. For the longest time I thought I had all the pieces, even though I always felt like something was missing. Then I saw you and I knew you were the final and the most vital piece. You make me believe I can be more than I thought I could ever be. With this ring I pledge my life and everything that I am to you. And I hope I can give you even half the joy and happiness you’ve given me.”

That
, Sophia thought fiercely.
That’s what I deserve
.

She clenched her hands, doing her best to ignore Dane. She hadn’t been throwing herself out there to be made to feel cheap and dirty. Now that she’d seen exactly what she wanted, she wasn’t going to waste any more mental energy on a man who wouldn’t give it to her.

She was going to go big on her own terms.

Sophia disappeared into the milling crowd. Mark and Hilary were on their fourth dance. They moved with grace, surety and a chemistry Sophia had seen from top ice-dancers who’d been together for over a decade.

It was just like Mark had said during his vow—Hilary was the final and most vital piece in the puzzle he called life.

Dane didn’t dance, but he sought her out with his gaze. Her stomach jittered, but she ignored him. She wove in and out among the guests, evading him without looking like she was avoiding him. This was Mark and Hilary’s moment, and Sophia didn’t want any drama with Dane to mar the occasion.

“Are you going to dance or just walk around the perimeter?” Justin asked.