Hateful Games: (An arranged marriage billionaire romance) (Arranged Games Book 2)
Chapter 18

“So, a wee change of plans,” utters Miya as we sit in the living room.

“What?”

“We’re going to get ready here.”

I frown, glancing behind me to make sure we are alone before I question, “But why? I thought we were going to your place.”

“Nova’s parents are coming over to have dinner with mine,” she replies. “Who knows when they’ll leave or if we’ll be able to sneak out, especially in our dresses.”

“And it’ll definitely reach to Nova.”

“Exactly.”

“It’s already ten,” I say, irritated. “When do you think they’ll leave? They sure as fuck don’t seem in a hurry.”

After hauling me to his room, Nova locked the door and proceeded to ignore me. I didn’t complain and sat on his bed to finish reading my book. The one he had threatened to burn. But the pages might as well have been blurred because I couldn’t fucking concentrate or muster any interest in the taboo story.

Not while I had my own private striptease happening before me.

Nova, the shameless man, slowly began undressing in front of the mirror.

I am certain now that he hates suits or dressing formal in any capacity.

Unbothered with the company in the room, he went about his business. First, he unbuttoned his shirt that stretched in all the right places and revealed his fit torso. The muscles tightening in his abdomen made his eight-pack abs even more pronounced.

I kept peering at him over my book as he removed it. His back was just as spectacular. It was almost unfair how unreal his body was.

Acting nonchalant while my body didn’t get the memo that he was my enemy was a battle in itself. It was even worse because he was oblivious to it. When his hands went to his belt buckle, my throat went dry. I prayed he would go to the bathroom or the closet to give me mercy.

But no.

Hyperawareness suffocated me as I forced myself to read. But all I could hear was the clanking of his belt, followed by the sound of him lowering his zipper. I dared to glance again, an unknown force pushing me, and saw his hands perched on his hips, seconds away from pushing his pants down.

My eyes trailed upward and my breathing hitched when I found his dark gaze locked on mine, burning with sexual intensity.

Holding me hypnotized, he slid his pants… and briefs down.

I threw my book aside and ran to the bathroom, slamming it shut and locking it for good measure. While willing my racing heart to calm down. Being in the shower reminded me of what I almost did the first time.

The urge to finish the job was a thousand times stronger.

“Earth to Rosalie,” jokes Miya, clicking her fingers in front of my face. “Are you even listening to me?”

I clear my throat. “Umm yes. Of course.”

“Yeah, I bet.” Amusement laces her tone. “As I was saying, if they ask about our plans for tonight, just say you need help with packing. Otherwise, Nova will insist on that bodyguard you assaulted the other night.”

“Me? You were an accomplice too.”

“You went all Godzilla on his ass, spraying a whole can of pepper spray after he confessed who he was.”

“While you held his hands back.”

“To protect you.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” I tease. Both of us replaying the unfortunate event and bursting out laughing. “I think I took it out on the wrong person. But God! I was so mad at Nova. I still am. As if I need another man pulling the strings of my life.”

Miya sobers up and smiles ruefully. “What he did was absolutely wrong. It’s a side of him I’ve never seen.”

“And yet it’s the only Nova I know.”

She sighs sadly before seemingly perking up and deviously saying, “Then we better make tonight count. This is your last night and we’re going to let loose. Alcohol, dancing, and… flirting with masked men.”

“I thought someone didn’t like masks.”

“I’m all about trying new things,” she replies, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Are you trying to corrupt my cousin, little hellion?”

Both of us startle at Nova’s cocky voice. How the hell does he sneak up on me every time? Perhaps an invisible cloak or something that allows him. Yep. He’s turning me into a certified maniac.

I defiantly don’t turn around and ignore him. Instead, I watch the action movie, the name of which I have no clue of, playing on mute on the massive TV mounted on the wall.

“Where are you off to, Nono?” questions Miya casually, as if we don’t know exactly where he’s going. Probably to fuck some willing girl all night long. Not that I care, mind you.

“Out.”

“Weird name for a club.”

I suppress a chuckle.

“Funny,” Nova replies unamused. “Aunty called on your cell. Might want to call back.”

“What did she want?”

“It went to voicemail.”

“Or you were too lazy to pick up.” From my peripheral, I watch Miya get up and round the couch while calling out to Nova, “Arsehole.”

Tension crackles in the air when the two of us are left alone. Seconds pass in silence as I pretend and fail to ignore his daunting presence. I hear him move and sigh in relief when I think he’s left. Only for his rich scent that reminds me of a chaotic storm to become stronger and envelop me.

His warm breath teases the hair on the back of my neck as he leans over me from behind. His arms hang on either side of my shoulders, grazing along my forearms intentionally.

I could get up and leave.

But he’ll see it as a victory.

Giving him even a miniscule of satisfaction is something I’m vehemently against.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he says, his lips ghosting against my ear, drawing a shiver that has nothing to do with the cool air. “I won’t like it if you turn my cousin against me.”

I stare unfocused at the screen as if it’s the most interesting thing in the world.

He sighs. “Are we back to the silent treatment?”

“Go away,” I snap. The sooner he leaves, then I also can. “I’m watching a movie.”

“It’s on mute. With no subtitles.”

Damn it, I realize as he points that out, making my cheeks heat in mild embarrassment.

“I’ve already seen it.”

“What’s the name of the movie then?”

My mind goes blank. He laughs huskily as I struggle to answer.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

“I do.”

“Then fuck off.” My insult has no effect on him.

“Where’s my graduation present?” He hums curiously. “Don’t I get one from my fiancée?”

“I’m here. You’re still alive. Consider it your gift.”

“Are threats going to be our love language, Rose?” His teeth graze my earlobe. I try pulling away, only for him to bite down and make me hiss. Letting go, he murmurs, “Don’t you want to know where I’m going? I thought fiancées cared about this stuff.”

“The willing ones do.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” Toying with a strand of my hair, he rasps, “Especially the way you ran and hid inside the bathroom earlier after ogling me.”

“Not everyone is shameless like you, Nova.”

“Says the girl who reads smut with a straight face in public.”

I slap his hand away and stand to face him. My retort dies on my tongue as I take him in. Still resting his hands on the back of the couch, he straightens slightly. An expensive—Brioni or Ralph Lauren—black tuxedo hugs his frame. Except, he has left the collar of his white dress shirt open to reveal the sexy column of his throat and collarbones.

The only sign he doesn’t like formal attire.

Styled messy black hair falls over his forehead, giving him a roguish look. Cut cheekbones and a clean-shaven jaw complement the shape of his caramel brown eyes.

Nova looks jaw-droppingly ravishing.

A beast of the ball.

His lips twist into a sinful smile. “Want a picture? It’ll last longer.”

His taunt snaps me out of my momentary reverie and I cross my arms to hide my pebbled nipples.

“Feeling cold?” he taunts with a knowing smirk.

“Can’t you let me be in peace for my last night here?”

“No. It goes against my vow.”

I narrow my gaze. “Which is?”

“Drive you as mad as you drive me.”

Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I round the couch to leave this pointless conversation. Before I can walk past him, he captures my wrist and pulls me flush against him.

“Nova!” I wrinkle my nose even as my skin tingles everywhere he touches. “You cannot grab me as and whenever you please. We’re not in public.”

“Consider it practice,” comes his smart-ass reply. “I can’t have you glaring at me every time I touch you in public.”

Using his grip on my wrist, he grasps the other with his free hand and brings them up to the back of his neck so I’m hugging him. Silently telling me to hold on, he lowers his hands to rest on my hips. Like two lovers in an embrace.

What’s so shocking is that I’m not pulling away.

There’s no hiding my hard nipples pressing against his chest. I become lost in his powerful gaze and whisper in a small voice, “What are you doing, Nova?”

“Teaching you how to hug me when eyes are on us. So I’m not the one always pulling you closer.”

In this position, every soft inch of me is touching his hard one. Yet he tugs me even closer until our heartbeats sync. Tentatively, I run my fingers through his soft hair on the back of his head. His eyes flash in savage lust, dropping to my lips when I lick them nervously.

What the hell am I doing?

“I think I’ve got it,” I murmur, trying to step back and break the spell.

“Not yet.” His tone is low and hungry.

I squirm, not used to a man—any man—holding me so intimately. My lips part of their own volition when something very long and hard pulses against my lower stomach. I still at the realization that it’s Nova’s cock.

Oh my god. He’s turned on.

Because of me.

And we aren’t even doing anything remotely deviant.

Studying my reaction when I don’t pull away, one of his hands slides down to cup my ass over my denim shorts. My eyes close from the sensation when he teasingly squeezes my flesh. I can’t help but dig my nails into his neck when he does it again.

Harder.

Rougher.

Greedier.

All while he stares unblinking as I unravel before him. Until I’m sure he will leave imprints of his fingers. This must be what I read in my books actually feels like.

His other hand travels to the back of my neck and twists my hair in his fist to turn us sideways. Keeping our lower bodies pressed together, he tilts my head back and bends to bring our mouths inches apart.

Stop this now, Rosa.

God knows I should stop.

Push him away.

Something. Anything.

Because we both know this is way past the line we’ll ever cross in public. This is him bulldozing through my boundaries.

But I… can’t.

I drop my gaze to his mouth. So close that I can make the small Cupid’s bow and memorize how his upper lip is thinner than the bottom one. How they’ve only given me the softest whisper of a kiss.

My first not-a-kiss kiss.

Raising my gaze to meet his, I check to see if he’s remembering it, too, from years ago. His fingers clench against my flesh, his jaw tightening. Breathless, I wait for him to finish what he started. To shove me against the couch and show me what a real kiss is.

A villain’s kiss.

Because that’s who he is to me, isn’t he?

“Nova,” I rasp. “Ki—”

A sudden flash goes off, followed by a loud click. Alarmed, I whip my gaze toward the sound and replace Malcolm standing in the corner, holding up a phone.

When did he even come in? And why is he snapping our picture like a creep?

“Did you get it?” asks Nova in an aloof tone as he lets me go.

I feel bereft for a second before staring between them in confusion, the sexual haze twisting into an eerie feeling in my gut. Malcolm throws the phone to him, which he smoothly catches with one hand.

“Get what?” I demand.

None of them answer as Nova peruses what is apparently his phone while Malcolm wears his signature look of boredom. Except, there’s unmistakable heat in his eyes as they roam over me.

I glance back at Nova and catch sight of our photo since I’m still dumbly standing close to him. Suspicious, I demand more firmly, “What are you going to do with that?”

“Post it, of course.”

Where he gropes my ass for the world to see? Hell no.

“I don’t think so,” I retort. “Delete them, Nova.”

“No.”

He effortlessly slaps my hand away and lifts his arm out of my reach when I try to steal his phone and do it myself.

“I didn’t give you permission to take my photo.” My temper is rising. “Don’t you dare post it.”

Nova’s account is public and it’ll spread like wildfire. No one’s going to say anything to him but I’ll be the victim to the cruel jokes. No way that picture isn’t indecent.

We must look seconds away from fucking.

I can’t even think of the lecture I’ll receive from Dad for tarnishing our family name.

“Our relationship needs to seem real, Rose. The bullshit story we’ve fed the media needs to look and sound believable,” Nova says, his voice cold. “My dad didn’t miss the glare you aimed my way and demanded I start posting our pictures like a normal couple.”

Understanding dawns about what just happened a few minutes ago. His teasing and seductive touches, it was all an act. To do his father’s bidding. And I stupidly fell for it.

I’m once again appalled by his manipulative streak.

Why does my chest burn? As though hurt.

“Do you think a single picture will magically fix it?”

“It’s a start.”

“And you couldn’t bother to simply ask me?”

His lips—that I almost begged to kiss me—twist cruelly. “It had to look natural.”

“Not everyone is as good an actor as you.”

“You should learn. It’s the only way you’ll survive my world.” Pocketing his phone, he turns to leave and calls back over his shoulder, “Let’s go, Colm.”

Malcolm lingers back. “Trouble.”

“It’s Rosalie.” My tone is biting. Butthurt he helped Nova without telling me, I walk past him. He grabs my wrist until I look back at him.

“I aimed the camera above your waist.”

“How gentlemanly of you!” I taunt humorlessly. Jerking my hand out of his, I go in search of Miya.

Fuck Nova.

Fuck Malcolm.

I’m getting drunk and dancing the night away, while vowing to never let any man have the upper hand again. Tonight was the last time.