CHAPTER 11

The animated rhythms of the twenty-piece jazz band hung in the air as Kyra and Cincere stepped into the Grand Ballroom of the swanky Golden Palms Hotel. They, along with over 300 other guests, were transported to an all-white wonderland that was truly dazzling upon first sight. Everything from the tablecloths to the elaborate floral arrangements that adorned them was crisp. Candelabras were placed at each of the tables to set a warm, romantic mood. The crystals that hung from them shimmered in the light.

It was a joyous occasion; a time to celebrate love and togetherness, and yet Kyra wasn’t feeling it. She and Cincere had been there all of five minutes, and she was already tempted to turn around and go home. As if the large sign announcing Justin and Eden’s engagement wasn’t enough to send her running for the door, her anxiety made her feel as though she were attending someone’s funeral.

In a sea of vibrant colors, Kyra was one of few women wearing black. The dress itself wasn’t made by a brand worth mentioning, but its design was a perfect balance between sexy and classy. It was nude in color, with a black lace overlay that created the illusion she was naked underneath. The material stopped mid-way down her thigh and showed just enough leg to peak a man’s curiosity. Kyra’s make-up was light to accentuate her features – not hide them – and she kept her natural curls.

Kyra had gotten all dolled up for just tonight, and still, she was struggling to feel confident standing next to women clad in formal ball gowns worth thousands of dollars and jewels appraised at far more. It didn’t matter if she had on a nice, new dress. In a room full of rich people it wasn’t hard to tell who was and who wasn’t. Cincere stood out like a sore thumb in a pair of khaki slacks and a plain black button-up, whereas the rest of the men were decked out in their finest tuxes, discussing business and politics.

Kyra took a good look around at everyone talking, smiling, and laughing. They all seemed to be having a good ol’ time, and yet she felt so far removed from everything that was going on. Kyra had never been to a party of this magnitude before, but given the circumstances, she couldn’t even enjoy it. If anything, she couldn’t wait for it to end.

From the moment her and Cincere set foot in the room, Kyra felt like they had all of high society looking down on them. They caught quite a few curious looks as to who they were and why they were there. Thanks to Veronica, Kyra assumed most of the people there had probably heard about what happened between her and Justin, and that they were all judging her for it. Every time she heard someone laugh, Kyra took it personally, as though the joke were on her.

“Can I just tell you, you look fantastic?” The sound of Cincere’s voice brought Kyra out of her trance. He followed up with a kiss on the lips like no one was watching. And even if they were, he didn’t seem to care.

“Mmm what was that for?” Kyra purred with satisfaction when they were finished. Her mouth was stuck in the form of a smirk and she was slow to open her eyes afterwards.

“Just because I love you,” he smiled. “Now here, take this. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.” Cincere slipped Kyra a much appreciated glass of champagne and raised his flute.

“Thanks.” The two of them made eye contact as their glasses clinked together. Cincere took a small sip while Kyra had to stop herself from downing the whole thing. She felt so unwanted and out of place she began to question why she even came. And then suddenly, she remembered.

“Oh, look. There’s Justin.” Kyra tried to mask her excitement when she spotted him in the crowd. “Let’s go say hello.” She tugged on Cincere’s arm in her hurry to catch up to him. Justin was busy making his way across the room, but he couldn’t move more than two feet without someone stopping him.

“Justin! Hey!” Kyra waved to Justin as she made her way toward him, and Justin smiled in return. He was more than happy to suspend his current conversation to talk to her.

“Kyra . . . You came.” Justin seemed both shocked and pleased to see she actually showed up. He was trying to be discreet in the way he was eyeing her dress, but Kyra could tell she had a winner. They hugged, but only briefly.

“Of course,” Kyra was cheesing hard as she took him in. Justin looked so dapper in the suit she picked out for him. Her heart was bursting with pride.

“And who is this you brought with you?” Justin acknowledged her date indirectly, even though Cincere was standing right there, staring him down.

“This is my boyfriend, Cincere.” Kyra squeezed his hand, and Cincere pulled her next to him, almost as if to claim his territory. At these types of events it was customary for men to shake hands when introduced, but Cincere decided a simple head nod would do.

“Congratulations on your engagement, bruh. That’s major,” he said.

“Yes, congratulations to the both of you,” Kyra pushed herself to sound upbeat, but the subtle half-smile she gave was equally artificial. The light in her eyes seemed to fade a little, though she held her smile.

“Thank you. Eden and I are looking forward to finally making it official,” Justin rubbed his hands together in anticipation. His giddiness was noticeable whenever Eden was mentioned. “Matter of fact, here she comes now,” he announced.

“Stop the music! Stop the music!” A short, fat man in a double-breasted suit had no problem dishing out instructions as he stepped up on the stage and stole the mic from the host.  The room went quiet in seconds.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you to my beautiful daughter, and the future Mrs. Hartwell, Ms. Eden Josephine De La Cruz!” Mr. De La Cruz redirected everyone’s attention towards Eden, who stole the spotlight the moment she entered the room. Guests broke out in dainty applause as Eden began her graceful descent down the Grand Staircase and the band performed with new life. Cameras flashed from every angle, and there was a group of admirers waiting for Eden at the bottom, all clamoring for a moment of her time.

As Kyra watched Eden interact with her family and friends, her stomach began to flip-flop. Everyone seemed to love her – not just Justin – and it was easy to see why. A Spanish-speaking siren with curves that could kill, Eden had the kind of body a lot of women envied and most men adored. Her eyes were hypnotic pools of green that looked like they glowed, and her skin was sun-kissed. She had her long brown locks pinned to one side of her head with an iced-out hairpiece to hold the style in place. The waistline of her flowy, mint-colored dress was embellished to match.

Although she would never admit it, Kyra was intimidated by Eden. She had shown up expecting to meet someone way less attractive than her, but Eden possessed the kind of natural beauty that inspired legendary poets and great works of art. Kyra examined Eden closely for flaws, only she couldn’t find any. Everything about Eden was perfect. Even her dress was on point.

“Hi, sweetie, sorry to keep you waiting. . . What did I miss?” Eden’s voice was smooth and sultry. It had been years since she left her native country, and she had yet to shake her thick Dominican accent.

“No worries. It was well worth the wait.” Kyra had to look away when Justin met Eden for a kiss. Whenever Justin addressed Eden, it was as if they were the only two people in the room. Throughout their conversation, his attention never strayed.

“Ahem,” Kyra cleared her throat in an attempt to steal some of Justin’s attention for herself. The longer he waited to introduce them, the lower her patience.

“Eden, my dear, I’d like for you to meet my good friend Kyra Jones and her boyfriend, Cincere.” Justin hurried to explain when Eden hadn’t even asked a question. Had he not said anything, she probably wouldn’t have even noticed Kyra or Cincere.

“Hi.” Despite Justin’s enthusiasm, Eden reception was rather dry. She’d summed Kyra up within the first five seconds, and judging by the way she stuck her nose up in the air, Eden viewed Kyra as beneath her. She didn’t give Cincere the time of day.

“Kyra and I used to go to high school together,” Justin continued.

“Um. . . Actually . . . We used to date.” Kyra didn’t hesitate to jump in and correct him. She didn’t appreciate the way Justin was trying to downplay the seriousness of their relationship now that their spouses were present. The way he was so nonchalant when telling their story gave Kyra the impression that he’d never once even mentioned her to Eden before tonight.

“That’s right. Kyra is a good girl. You be sure to treat her right.” Justin wrapped his arm around Eden as she cozied up to him. They were constantly kissing or touching in some way or another, which only added to Kyra’s discomfort. Whenever she was near him, Justin kept Eden tucked safely next to his heart.

“Oh, I can assure you I have no problems doing that.” Cincere flashed his arrogance and Kyra checked him with a look. Just because Cincere and Justin’s rivalry remained unspoken, that didn’t make it any less real.

“What about you, Kyra? Are you and Cincere thinking about getting married anytime soon?” Eden chimed in, her eyebrows lifted in curiosity. The couple in question turned to each other for answers, but neither was quick to volunteer.

“Maybe someday. . .” Cincere looked to Kyra to take over. Like most men, he didn’t even want to touch that topic. As soon as he even heard the word “marriage” he started sweating.

“I think right now we’re just taking it one day at a time . . .” Kyra made eye contact with Justin, if only for a split-second. Meanwhile, Eden gushed over him like they just started dating.

“You know, I must admit I was pretty surprised when Justin asked me to marry him. It was just so romantic!” Every time she giggled, Kyra wanted to cringe. Eden hadn’t even been there that long, and Kyra was already tired of her and her happy-go-lucky attitude. The sound of her voice was enough to get under her skin.

“Go ahead, darling, show them your ring.” Justin took another sip of champagne and Kyra did the same. When Eden stuck out her hand, everyone within a ten-foot radius was lucky they weren’t blinded. A three-carat diamond sat proudly in its center, surrounded by even more diamonds which were set into a platinum band.

“Wow.” The word fell out of Kyra’s mouth as if it were heavy on her tongue. She didn’t even want to look at it, as pretty as it was. Based on the cut and clarity, Justin practically worshipped her. She didn’t even want to imagine how much he paid for it.

“Yup, I had it specially made. Just like Eden, her ring is truly one of a kind.” Justin proceeded to dote on Eden, who simply looked up at him and smiled. Anyone with eyes could see how much he loved her. He was proud to call her his.

“Sweetie, I was just telling Natalie and her husband all about our trip to Saint-Tropez,” Eden changed the course of their conversation, but Kyra was convinced the only reason she brought it up was to rub it in. “It was amazing. Justin and I spent most of our summer vacationing overseas. . . Well, that’s when he wasn’t busy with negotiations.” Listening to Eden talk, Kyra began to understand why Justin didn’t feel the need to brag. He didn’t have to. Eden did enough of that for the both of them.

“So, Cincere, Kyra tells me you’re in the construction business. Is that true?” Justin tried to reach out to him again with his question; however, Cincere acted like it pained him to speak to Justin.

“Yeah, I heard about the Lilliana project. A couple of buddies of mine are working at that site. They said it’s really coming out nice. . . You Hartwells have really outdone yourselves this time,” he said. The dull tone he used left Justin wondering whether his compliment was genuine.

“Thanks man. I appreciate it.” Justin casually stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You know if you’re ever looking to make a little extra cash I’ve got a few more projects lined up for next spring. I’m sure we could always use the help.” When Justin flexed on him, he did it with a smile. Kyra knew Justin well enough to know Justin wasn’t offering Cincere a job to be helpful or considerate even. Justin was a boss and Cincere was a worker. He had to put him in his place.

“Oh! Kyra, Cincere, before you go, I’d like for you to meet my brother, Dominic. He’s visiting us all the way from New York City,” Eden perked up. “Hey, Dom, come here for a second!” Eden called out to her brother even though he was all the way across the room. She motioned for him to come over with the biggest smile on her face.

“Dominic? Where have I heard that name before . . .?” Kyra kept her thoughts to herself. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but as she probed her memory she couldn’t match it to a face.

“Dominic, I’d like for you to meet Kyra Jones, Justin’s friend.” A tall gentleman came from out of nowhere and took his place beside Eden. One look in his eyes, and Kyra nearly dropped her drink.

“Hello, Kyra.” Dominic’s grin was a devious one.

Kyra appeared calm, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Dominic was the one night stand that could cost her everything, and there he was, not even two feet from her and her boyfriend. Not to mention, his connection to Justin. . . Dominic was the devil in a white suit.

“Nice to meet you,” Kyra gently placed her hand on her chest when she coughed. She tried to pretend like she was just meeting Dominic for the first time, but the way he licked his lips said he knew her very well.

“My pleasure. . . I’m sure.” Dominic seemed to be having fun toying with Kyra’s emotions. The immature smirk he wore might as well have been permanent.

“Do you two already know each other?” Of course, the first to pick up on the tension between them was Justin. He glanced at Dominic, then Kyra, and back at Dominic again.

“No, I don’t believe so.” Kyra warned Dominic not to say anything, and she did it with her eyes. Needless to say, when Dominic winked back at her, it didn’t have the same effect it did that night they were at the club.

“Are you kidding? How could I ever forget a face like that?” Dominic continued flirting with Kyra openly, regardless of the fact she had her boyfriend there.

“Dominic is it?” Kyra felt somewhat relieved when Cincere finally stepped up to put an end to it, but that relief soon turned to worry. Dominic stared Cincere down like he was one-wrong word away from losing his teeth.

“And you are . . . ?”

“I’m Cincere, Kyra’s boyfriend.” Cincere stood by her, ready to defend her and their relationship.

“Justin was just telling us how he and Kyra used to go to school together at the academy,” Eden tried to wrangle the boys in before things got too out of hand.

“Oh, well, while I wish I could stay to hear all about it,” Dominic’s eye roll matched his sarcasm. “I was just on my way to the bar. Can I get you anything? Justin, what you drinking man? You good?”

“I’m good bro. Thank you.” Justin acknowledged him by raising his glass, which was still half-full.

“Dominic, don’t you go getting drunk. This is the engagement party not the bachelor party.” Eden teased him as though she were the older sibling. Everyone let out a stuffy laugh.

“Alright I’ll see y’all later. . .  Nice meeting you, Kyra.” As Dominic walked away, Kyra continued to grim him. Something told Kyra it would be wise to keep an eye on Dominic from now on. . .

“Oh, honey, that reminds me! Guess who wants to see you?” Eden sang as she cuffed Justin by the arm and roped him in. “Kyra, Cincere, it was so nice to meet you. Now, if you will please excuse us.” Eden and Justin turned away from them, but not before Eden threw Kyra a victorious smile. That was her way of telling Kyra to back off. That Justin was hers now, and that next time she saw her, she wouldn’t be so nice.

As the young couple was flooded with well wishes and congratulations, Kyra had a sinking feeling. She couldn’t help but feel like that should be her standing next to Justin, not Eden. As they stopped to pose for pictures, Justin placed his hand on the small of her back while Eden rested her hand on his chest. Neither one of them could stop smiling. The crowd whistled and cheered when they kissed.

As much as Kyra hated Eden, she had to admit she complimented Justin well. Eden exercised a wide vocabulary that said she was well-educated and well-traveled. She was used to spending her summers abroad, when prior to moving to Prince Paul, Kyra hadn’t been more than 30 minutes outside of Chicago.

Eden was the first girl to make Kyra wonder if Justin’s family was right. Maybe she wasn’t worthy of somebody like Justin. Maybe they shouldn’t be together. When it came down to it, they came from two completely different worlds, and while she didn’t used to think mattered, it does. And apparently, for people with money, it mattered a whole lot.

“See. Are you happy now? I told you nothin’ is goin’ on.” Kyra gave Cincere the confirmation he was looking for. With Eden in the picture, there was no hope for her and Justin.

“I still don’t like him.” Cincere squinted in Justin’s direction. His stance suggested he was ready to go after him.

“God, would it kill you to be nice?” Kyra laughed, but only slightly.

“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out.” Cincere lightened up with a joke.

“Hey babe, I don’t know about you, but. . . I could really use another drink.” Kyra hugged his arm as she rested her head on his shoulder. The throbbing in her temples was sharp and intense.

“Tell me what you want and I’ll go get it for you,” he offered.

“Oh, I don’t know. . . Surprise me.” Kyra put her cheek out for him to kiss it and Cincere left with a promise to be right back. As much as Cincere didn’t like Justin, he sure had no problem sampling the fancy hors d’oeuvres or indulging in the open bar he provided.

Once Kyra was left alone with her thoughts, she began to obsess over Justin. As she stood there on the sidelines, watching all this go on, she couldn’t help but wonder how her plan backfired so horribly. She came there with the intention of making Justin jealous, but in the end, she seemed to be the only one feeling that way. Justin wasn’t even worried about Kyra. All he cared about was Eden.

Watching them interact with each other, Kyra felt like she was on the outside looking in. It hurt her to the core knowing she wasn’t a part of Justin’s life anymore. That time would turn them into strangers, and eventually, it would be as if they never even knew each other. It was in that moment that Kyra came to realize her worst fear had already come true. Justin didn’t love her anymore.

“I was hoping I might see you again. . .” Kyra sucked her teeth when Dominic approached her by one of the ice sculptures. She thought he was smart to make such a quick exit earlier, but Dominic couldn’t stay away for too long. It was like he couldn’t wait to step in the moment Cincere stepped away.

“Oh, it’s you.” Kyra kept it short. Now that she could talk to him, she didn’t really want to. She had no interest in getting to know Dominic or be his “friend.”

“I see the way you keep looking at him. . . I used to look at my ex-girlfriend the same way.” Dominic tilted his head as he studied her.

“And what do you know about heartbreak, Dominic?” Kyra whipped her neck around as she pushed away from him and the familiar way he touched her. “I bet you don’t know the first thing about love and relationships,” she snapped.

“I know a thing or two. . . You know you’re not the only one who’s had their heartbroken before, Kyra.” Dominic looked her in the eye, his voice low and tender. Kyra stepped in real close so no one else would hear her.

“Listen, Dominic, what happened that night on the boat was a mistake! Cincere and I . . . we’ve been goin’ through a bit of a rough patch, which may have led me to do or say some things I shouldn’t have. Things that maybe made it seem as if we could be more than friends, but . . . we can’t!” she hissed.

“It’s cool, Shorty. We can keep this between us. Nobody has to know.” Dominic reached for her waist, but Kyra smacked his hand away.

“Dominic, you need to chill! I am here with my boyfriend!” she whispered. Kyra didn’t know whether to call Dominic bold, or just plain stupid. Cincere would be back with at any minute.

“So that’s never stopped you before,” he snickered.

“Yeah, well, one thing’s for sure. That’ll never happen again!” Kyra folded her arms and turned her face the other way.

“What you getting your heart broken or having sex?” Dominic questioned.

“Both!” Kyra threw her hands up in exasperation. She started to storm away from him, but she didn’t get very far. Something was holding her back. “By the way… That night on the boat. . . Did we . . . ?”

“You don’t remember?” Dominic looked somewhat disappointed when Kyra shook her head no. Truth of the matter was she didn’t know what happened that night. The only person who did was Dominic.

“Then why don’t you let me remind you?” Dominic played with the charm on her necklace, sending Kyra’s heart rate through the roof.

“Look Dominic, I really don’t think now is the time or place for us to be discussin’ this.” Kyra snatched the gold chain back from him.

“Well when else are we going to talk about it? You didn’t exactly leave behind a glass slipper. No money on the nightstand, either. Come to think of it, I never even got your number. . .” Dominic looked somewhat peeved by the fact Kyra slipped out the following morning while he was sleeping, when usually, it was the other way around.

“That’s because there is nothin’ for us to talk about, Dominic. What don’t you get?” she said.

“C’mon, Ma you gotta stop and ask yourself; when was the last time you fucked with a real nigga like me? Be for real.” Dominic laughed in her face. His cockiness came across in everything he did, including his smile. “I know you gotta be tired of fucking with that lame.”

“Here’s your drink, honey.” Cincere pulled up, and pulled Kyra in close. Kyra couldn’t get the cup to her lips quick enough.

“It’s cool, Yo, like I said. No rush. When you’re ready, you’ll know where to find me. . . I’ll leave you two to enjoy the rest of your evening.” Dominic excused himself as soon as Cincere returned, however his dark mood hung over them long after he was gone.

“What did he say to you?” Cincere noted Kyra’s vexed expression. “Is everything okay?”

“I wish you would stop asking me that.” Kyra put some distance between them. It seemed like every time she turned around Cincere was right there. She was beginning to feel smothered. Not just at the party, but at home, too.

“Why was he all up on you like that just now?” Cincere went on with the irritating questions.

“I don’t know. Maybe you go should ask him.” Kyra copped an attitude as she plucked the cherry out of her drink. She swiftly removed it from the stem using her teeth and started to chew.

“Whatever, Yo, I’m out. See you at home.” Fed up, Cincere finished his whiskey and coke in one big gulp. He was in such a hurry, he never even apologized to the people he bumped into on his way out.

Kyra was just about to chase after Cincere, when suddenly, she stopped. She couldn’t walk out on Justin. Not again. Besides, it would be rude to just leave and not say anything. Kyra wanted to talk to Justin one last time, preferably when Eden wasn’t around, but the chances of her catching him alone were slim.

“Excuse me.” Kyra tapped a woman on the shoulder trying to get to Justin, but when she turned around, Kyra was too shocked to move. It didn’t matter if they hadn’t seen each other since high school. She would recognize those blue eyes anywhere.

“Kyra . . .?” Angel seemed to share the same disbelief. The awkward silence between them was broken by shrieks and screams.

“Oh my goodness, Kyra!” Angel opened her arms for a hug and Kyra rocked her from side to side.

“Angel! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!”

“Say hi Kyra!”Angel prompted her daughter to speak, but her little girl hid behind her leg.

“Aw, are you shy?” Kyra’s heart melted when she finally got a smile out of her. She’d even inherited her mother’s blue eyes. “Angel, she is too cute! What’s her name?”

“Sanaa. . .” Angel petted her daughter’s head. Sanaa looked so adorable in her layered tulle skirt. Her patent leather shoes had matching ruffle socks and her pigtails bounced when she walked. Kyra just knew when she got older Sanaa was destined to be a knock-out.

“She’ll be three in February, but with some of the things she says, you would think she’s turning 20,” Angel shook her head and laughed.    “Anyway, how have you been?”

“I’ve been . . .  okay. . .” Kyra drew a deep breath to continue. “I see you and Q got another one on the way. When are you due?”

“At the end of August,” Angel groaned.

“Oh that’s soon!” Kyra gasped. She was surprised by the firmness of Angel’s belly when she touched it. For someone who still had a few weeks to go, she already looked like she was about to pop.

“Yeah, girl, not soon enough,” Angel chuckled. “I am so ready.”

“And I love your hair!” Kyra complimented Angel’s new do. Angel’s soft black hair had been cut short in the back with long bangs swooped across in the front, similar to how Rihanna used to rock hers way back when.

“Thanks! I just got it cut not that long ago. It was just too hot. I had to do something.” Angel ran her fingers through it while she talked.

“Well, I like it. It looks good,” Kyra added.

“I agree.” Quentin interrupting them was similar to a storm cloud rolling in. His presence changed the whole dynamic of their conversation. Angel looked nervous, like she was in trouble just for talking to her.

“How are my babies doing?” Quentin greeted both his wife and daughter with kisses. Sanaa extended her arms to the sky so he would pick her up and he did.     “Kyra,” he grumbled when he looked at her.

“Quentin.” Kyra’s smile disappeared.

“Sanaa, why don’t you and mommy go see Nana for a little bit?” Quentin used a gentle tone when speaking to his daughter. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a couple words with Kyra.” Quentin’s last statement was meant for Angel; however, he kept his eyes locked on Kyra the entire time. Sanaa started to cry when he set her back down.

“Sure. Come on Sanaa,” Angel put her hand out for her to take it. “Say bye, Kyra, bye-bye!”Angel used her baby-voice before switching to the regular. Sanaa started crying even louder. “Bye, Kyra. It was good seeing you.” Angel stole one last hug before she left. Quentin waited to speak until he was sure she was gone.

“You mind telling me what the hell you’re doing here?” Quentin came at her through clenched teeth.

“What do you mean? I was invited.” Kyra backed away slowly. She seemed to be the only one uncomfortable with him invading her personal space.

“Stay away from my family, Kyra. I’m not going to say it again.” Quentin’s whole demeanor was threatening. The look he gave her as he walked away was just as chilling as his warning.

Kyra took a deep breath to decompress and told herself to focus. She had to remind herself this wasn’t about her and Quentin. It was about her and Justin.

“Hey I just wanted to come and say goodbye.” Kyra was finally able to smile when she found Justin ducked off in one of the main entry ways by himself. Seeing him somehow made everything she went through tonight worth it.

“Oh. You’re leaving?” Justin stood up straight to address her.  He appeared to be in deep thought prior to her showing up.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” Kyra sighed. “Cincere said he’s ready to leave so. . .”

“Well, it was great having you. And by the way, people are digging the suit.” Justin played with his lapels.

“Duh, you know I have good taste!”

“In clothes, anyway,” Justin tried to mumble, but Kyra still heard him.

“Uh-uh, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know. . . I just always pictured you with someone kind of… different,” he admitted.

“What? You mean somebody like you?” Kyra shot back at him and Justin seemed paralyzed by her honesty. As they got lost in each others’ eyes, the live music and conversation from the ballroom faded into the background. It was just her and him.

“Goodnight Justin.”  Kyra held in the tears she knew were coming, but each step she took toward the door was a struggle. Unlike all those previous times, Kyra truly believed this goodbye was final. Justin, on the other hand, refused to say it back.

Meanwhile, Dominic and Eden were tucked away in the shadows, where no one could see them, quietly observing Kyra and Justin’s conversation. Justin was being a little too friendly with his ex-girlfriend for Eden’s liking, and her disapproval showed all over her face. Dominic could tell she was livid by the way she was breathing.

“I wouldn’t let her get too close if I were you,” Dominic cautioned.

“I don’t intend to.” Eden carried on with her scheme. “What do you know about her?”

“Not much. Her name is Kyra Jones. She’s from Chicago. . . That’s about it.” Dominic shared what little information he had on Kyra.

“See what you can do to distract her.” Eden instructed. “I want you to find out everything you can.”

“I already tried that,” Dominic huffed, still irritated from their little tiff earlier.

“I said I need you to distract her, Dominic, not try to fuck her.” Eden called her brother out for his womanizing ways. The opposite sex had always been his weakness. Dominic was almost worse than their father.

“And what do you suggest?” Dominic raised an eyebrow to relay his interest.

“I don’t know, Dominic. Just get rid of her!”

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