Vanquished (The Encounter #3)(27)

Isobel was wearing a red dress that matched the color of her lips. She wore it as if she was making a titillating statement. It fit her like a second skin, pressing her cleavage in more, with high slits that went almost to her hipbone, exposing her shapely legs. Even though I loathed her guts, I couldn’t deny that she looked beyond stunning, breathtakingly beautiful, and utterly enchanting. Her beauty garnered attention from both men and women who couldn’t help appreciating her undeniable beauty, which was purely skin deep.

Seeing Julien so familiar with her ignited something feral inside of me, something much more potent and uncontrollable.

For a second, I contemplated carrying on hiding in the background without attracting attention or getting my eager hands on her and chewing her to shreds. Alas, if I wanted to accomplish this successfully without creating a spectacle in the middle of a party, then I must control this violent turmoil that raged within me.

It felt as though a demon was trapped within my body, and it wanted nothing more than to cause harm. Patience was key in achieving my desire for revenge; stretching this practice was crucial.

I knew Julien would have to speak to someone or seek to replenish his drink sooner or later. And that opportunity came half an hour later when his phone rang, quite possibly with something that couldn’t be disregarded, because he looked reluctant to receive it as he whispered something in Isobel’s ear with a look that could only be translated as a man who truly cared for his woman.

Something broke inside of me. It was something dark, potent, and savage, hitting out of nowhere. He had fallen in love, had he?

“Well, tough luck, you bloody bastard,” I grunted out, fighting off the urge to beat him to smithereens or use this opportunity to get her into seclusion. The latter option won out in the end.

Finally coming out of my well-shaded hide out, I took a detour, rerouting my steps before I reached her. I didn’t want to march into the crowd and be seen. The best way to approach her was through the other side of the boat where the traffic wasn’t as chaotic as the main pathway used to get on and off the boat.

Glancing down at the time, I knew I had less than five minutes left until the captain steered the boat out of the marina and sailed the coast for God knew how long. Pressed for time, I strode towards her as my eyes flickered back and forth from her to where Julien stood within earshot.

“Don’t say a word. If you do, you’re risking each member of your family. Yannis will be the first one on my list,” I told her in a cutthroat tone, heartless and without remorse, and then I felt her take a sharp intake of breath, frozen in place as I continued my threatening approach. “I’m going to drag you away from here, and if you have any sense, you’re not going to fight me off. If you do, I’m going to bankrupt Julien and put everyone in your life through hell. Your dearest Damen and sweet Claire would surely appreciate that.” That was just the beginning. I hadn’t whetted my appetite yet. Revenge was best served cold, and so it would be delivered in its finest form.

I felt her body shake a little before I strengthened my hold on her elbow and guided her towards the pathway the staff used to get off the boat.

While dragging Isobel towards the exit, an odd sense of déjà vu was prompted, catching me off guard—the memory of the first engagement she was with Julien at the Callum Kensington’s birthday bash. Ha. She loved to follow through with the same destructive patterns. Old habits did die hard. Well, she would soon see her wanton actions had cost her.

Too consumed with wrath, I dared not glance at her, although my fingers felt as though they were burning as they held her elbow. Such a little part of her skin, yet the effect was profound. Not to mention, her scent engulfed me, violating my senses, infuriating me even more.

Rushing off the boat plank, I instantly caught one of the valet attendants and signaled for my car to be brought up. The man nodded without question, and then we didn’t have long to wait until the black Hennessy Venom GT came into view. The approaching car fit its moniker, because it looked downright lethal.

Once the car halted before us with its engine running, I thanked the valet with a hefty tip then opened the door to let the devil in red get into the vehicle before slamming the door shut. Then I rounded to the other side to get this night moving along as I had planned.

After sliding into the driver’s seat, I had barely shut the door when the sound of her shrieking almost deafened my unprepared ears.

“We’ve done this before, Hugo. How many f*cking times do you have to steal me away from him?”

“Until I die, Isobel. Until I f*cking die.” I darkly laughed, shaking my head without bothering to give her a look. If I did, I would risk strangling her with my bare hands for treating me in this way, as if I were the one at fault here.





Chapter Fourteen


Isobel





Until I die, Isobel. Until I f*cking die.

His words taunted me. His laugh was so evil it made me shiver from fright. Somehow, deep down, I had known this would come. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. This was Hugo Xavier after all. How in the world did I expect that he wouldn’t come running with ire the moment he found out I had gone from him to his best friend?

I was beyond distraught. Not only had I been wondering if Julien was worried that I had suddenly gone missing, but the thought of Hugo wanting to cause harm to my friends and my brother Yannis made me truly ill. When had he become so cold, so brutally ruthless? As much I wanted to call his bluff, I knew the risk was too high. He had the power in his hands, and I played right into it because I didn’t have the power or the means to defend myself.