\[Denali’s POV\]
I continue to watch Rosco for a moment longer before downing my drink and then turning. Fine, if he wanted to be with Nadia, then he could be with Nadia. It wasn’t my place to care who was hanging on his arm anyway.
Reaching out, I grab another drink and make my way toward the dance floor, where many couples are swaying happily together to a slow beat being played by the DJ.
Sighing, I take a sip of my new drink and watch the dancers while trying to stop the emotions from boiling up in me.
“Get it together, Denali,” I whisper, chugging the last bits of my drink. “He’s free to do what he wants and who he wants.”
This was exactly why I refused to let anyone else in because they could so easily say one thing and turn around and do something else completely. Look at Alexander. He promised me forever and then turned around and fucked my stepsister, and I was even now engaged to her. Words were fucking pointless.
“Wanna dance?”
Turning, I meet the bright blue gaze of a man with tousled red hair and a kind face. His full lips are twitched into a smile as he patiently waits for my response, and before I can even think, I’m nodding.
Beaming, he grabs my hand and begins to lead me out onto the dance floor. Once we are in the center of the crowd, he grabs me and pulls me close.
“Is this okay?” He asks when I tense. “If not just…”
“It’s fine…”
“William,” he offers, understanding what I was hinting at. “William Torres.”
“Torres?” I repeat, feeling my heart squeeze. “So you’re related to Rosco.”
“I’m his cousin.”
Remaining silent, I begin to wonder if I’m a magnet for these Torres men, while William begins to spin me around to the music. First, I’m married off to Rosco, and when I’m stewing over basically being abandoned, his damn cousin is the one to try to comfort me.
“I have a confession,” William continues, drawing me out of my daze. “I actually know that you’re my cousin's wife, but you looked so lonely standing there that I just couldn’t stop myself from wanting to help.”
“Help?” I repeat, raising a brow. “I don’t quite understand what it is that I’m supposed to need help with.”
“You don’t?” He counters, spinning me out and pulling me back in. “My cousin is allowing another woman to hang all over him while his wife is alone. I’m sure that you were trying to find the right man to help make him jealous.”
I bite back the laugh that wants to escape due to William’s words. How was it even possible that Rosco would be jealous over me? He didn’t give a damn about me aside from my participation in his revenge plan.
“He doesn’t care,” I say quietly while my heart squeezes painfully. “Our marriage is strictly for business.”
“Is it?” William counters, shooting a look over his shoulder while his smile grows broader. “Do you want to test it?”
“What?”
Confusion flaring, I look in the direction that William is to find Rosco watching us. Nadia still clings to him, but he seems to not notice her at all. Instead, his dark eyes are fixed on William and me.
“You think he doesn’t care about you at all,” William continues. “Shall we test it?”
“How?” I ask, keeping my gaze fixed on Rosco. “What do you have in mind?”
“This.”
Gasping, I nearly fall as William gives me a tug and begins to pull me through the crowd toward a balcony that is attached to the ballroom that we are currently in. When we reach it, he leads me down the many steps that lead to a garden until we reach a large fountain that is beautifully lit by multicolored lights.
“Now,” William announces, turning us around so that he is blocking me. “Shall we test my theory?”
Frowning, I attempt to peek past him only to be stopped as he grabs my cheeks and starts to bend, but before his face can get anywhere near mine, a snarl rips through the air, and William is being whirled around and then punched, so he goes flying into the fountain.
Eyes widening, I tear my gaze away from William and fix it on an enraged Rosco, who is clearly working to keep his temper in check.
“Someone better fucking tell me what is going on here.” He growls, looking from William to me. “Because I can’t possibly be witnessing what I think I am.”
For a moment, I don’t speak as I continue to look from William, who wears a look of amusement, to Rosco, who wears one of murder. Who the hell was he to get angry when he allowed another woman on to him first?
“Does it matter?” I demand, feeling my anger and jealousy flaring. “Who was the one that stayed the night with another woman and then brought her to the grand opening of a resort that he insisted he was dedicating to his wife?”
There was no way that I was going to allow Rosco make William and me out to be the bad guys when we didn't do anything wrong. Everything happening between us was an act, but what he was doing was actual infidelity.
“I don’t know what game you’re trying to play out,” I continue when Rosco doesn’t speak. “But I don’t want to participate in it. Either you’re with me or you’re not, but I won’t just sit idly while you flaunt another woman in front of me. I do have my own image and pride to think about, you know.”
As I speak, I reach out and offer a hand to William, but before he can even grasp it, I’m being grabbed by Rosco, and his mouth is meeting mine.
“Wai…” I gasp, attempting to pull away while his hand tangles into my hair. “What are…”
Pulling away, Rosco stares into my face with a look of contentedness etched on his features. Leaning forward, he presses his lips against mine again while his free hand caresses my cheek.
“You were jealous,” he murmurs, looking pleased with himself. “You were, weren’t you?”
Opening my mouth, I prepare to argue, but stop as a major realization hits me, and I can’t figure out if I want to be embarrassed or angry.
“You,” I huff, narrowing my gaze. “You did all that just to try to get a rise out of me?”
“I did,” Rosco confirms. “Because you keep acting like you don’t give two shits about whether or not I’m actually serious in my pursuit of you.”
Behind me, I hear a burst of laughter as William climbs out of the fountain and begins to move.
“It looks like my work here is done.” He manages between chuckles. “Do take good care of my cousin, will you?”
I don’t speak as William begins to make his way back toward the resort, and once he is out of earshot, I turn my full attention back to Rosco, who is still watching me happily.
“You were testing me?” I ask, wanting full disclosure on what was happening. “To see if I would get jealous another woman with you?”
“That’s right,” Rosco confirms. “And my theory was correct. You were so jealous, you actually worked together with my cousin to try me angry.”
“I…” I begin, still trying to process and keep my emotions in check. “You asshole!”
“Asshole or not, you care about me,” he chuckles, kissing me again. “And now that you’ve given yourself away, I don’t intend to let you get away, princess."