Deadly Infatuation

Chapter 4

Max

I make my way up to the house and head around to the front of the drive where I see Johnson and another of my security team for the night standing guard in the near distance, blocking Sarah from getting any further onto the property. A few of the guests that are leaving early for the night are looking at her with mild curiosity and I just hope that she hasn't been causing a scene, as I don't want this to get back to Paige. Nothing is allowed to ruin her and Oliver's wedding day.

As I get close to where they're standing, I see that she's wearing a black cocktail dress that matches her long raven black hair. It's clear that she has spent hours on her appearance for tonight and I don't know why, as it is a complete waste of her time. There's no way I am going to let her inside.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I hiss when I stand less that one feet away from her.

"You invited me."

"I think us breaking up was my way of telling you I didn't want you here."

She has the audacity to look appalled. "Come on, Max. We've just hit a rough patch in our relationship. Doing something like this together can be good for us, being around other happy couples. Remember when we were like them?"

Yes, I remember, and I also remember how quickly that changed once I proposed to her. She had charmed her way into my life and my family's lives, saying and doing all the right things to make me fall for her. She seemed like the perfect fit for me, but that was a lie I should have seen through. Not long after I placed that diamond on her finger, her true self showed through and I noticed her coldness and calculated moves. She became jealous of any woman I spoke to, even my closest employees and friends, and I noticed how they seemed to be uncomfortable around me whenever I spoke to them or how they slowly avoided me altogether. Any free time I had in my life Sarah expected it to be all hers and she dictated who I could and couldn't see and her once fondness of my family turned to disdain and she avoided them at all costs which meant that I saw them less. That was the final straw for me. Having seen her true ways and realizing that she wouldn't change for the better, I called off the engagement and moved out of our apartment and into the house I designed with the intention of being our forever home. Now all I am reminded of when I walk around the rooms are the possibilities of shared memories we could have had.

"It's too late for us, Sarah. You need to accept the fact that we are no longer in a relationship." I look down at the ring of her third finger and click my tongue, regretting in letting her keep it. "For all of our sake, move on and forget about me."

"You can't mean that," she responds, tears welling in her eyes. "This is your parents speaking. They've put words in your mouth. See what being around them does to you?"

"Enough!"

"Max, please," she pleads. "I don't want to be without you."

"Save me the pity tears because it will not work. I allowed you to use and manipulate me for too long, and I can finally see you for who you really are. I need you to leave."

"And what if I don't?" she asks with an icy edge to her voice, showing the woman she really is.

My bodyguards take a step closer behind me and I hold my finger up to halt their advances. "If you don't leave Sarah, I will have you arrested and escorted off the property." I'm bluffing, but she doesn't need to know this.

Straightening her shoulders and wiping her mascara stained tears away, she inches closer to me. "I'll leave, but this isn't over, Max. We belong together, and I don't care how long it takes for you to see that."

"Goodbye Sarah," I say firmly. I then turn away and nod at Johnson, knowing that he will make sure she leaves and head back toward the marquee, needing something strong to drink.

As I wave down one of the barmen, I catch a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye and spot the tall, black-haired bridesmaid from earlier who was practically begging me to fuck her. She has one of her legs wrapped around one of the other groomsmen and has her mouth firmly fixed against his. I shake my head in disgust, seeing how she has quickly found someone else to suit her urges. I feel as if I can never look at women like her again without some hatred being there.

When I am served with bourbon neat, I down the glass and immediately request for another one. As I drink this one more slowly, I look across the room to see how Paige and Oliver are doing when my eyes halt on Lily, who is standing with a guy I saw earlier in the day among the many other guests here. Jealousy immediately courses through me and I am surprised at my reaction. Lily is her own free woman and she can talk to whoever she likes, though it doesn't look like she is doing much of the talking and if I'm not mistaken, she looks a little bored. Her eyes seem to glance around the room and not being fixed on him, which isn't a good sign if he is trying to impress her. I watch them curiously for the next few minutes and when I see Lily let out a small yawn, which she tries to hide with her hand, I chuckle. It's clear to me she doesn't seem interested in him and when she looks this way and sees me, I smirk and lift a brow. She bites her lower lip again, and it has an immediate effect on my manhood, which is stiffening by the second. We gaze at each other for a few beats more, my mind going crazy with all the filthy things I want to do to her mouth until the guy she's with adjusts his position and blocks our sight of each other. It pisses me off and relieves me at the same time. I really need to get a grip. To avoid temptation again, I spin around to face the bar and nurse the rest of my drink.

"How's it going, son?" my dad asks, appearing by my side.

"Good. You've made Paige one happy girl with the wedding," I say, taking another sip.

"I'm glad I could make it special for her. Oliver's a nice man and he'll fit well into this family."

"He will. I get on well with him already, so it's like he's been my brother for three years now." I finish the last of the bourbon off and put the empty glass on the bar before rubbing my hands together. "So, did you hear Imperial Wine have ordered five thousand more bottles of the PinotNoir this morning? We're hoping to get the shipment out by Friday."

My dad nods his head in agreement. "Yes, I did. Good going son on making the sale," he praises, slapping me on the back.

"All in a day's work." I chuckle. So much for having today off to focus on my family, but with the urgency of closing this deal, I had to make an exception and briefly head into the office to complete things. I'm thrilled to have made that negotiation go through, as they're an excellent company to get into bed with. At this rate, we'll be selling even more of our range of wines across the country, and hopefully in a few months we'll be distributing to the rest of Europe as well.

I hear the music of the band come to a halt and we both turn to look at the stage. "Would the bride and the father of the bride please make their way to the center of the dance floor for the father, daughter dance?" the singer announces through his microphone.

"Well, that's me son," my dad announces, giving me one more pat on the back before heading to Paige, who is waiting for him.

As soon as they both meet in the middle, the guests clap and cheer, preparing to watch to them share this precious moment. The moment Lily appears on the stage and walks over to the microphone, I can tell Paige has a look of confusion on her face.

"Paige. I have known you for the better part of twenty-one years now, and I remember how when we were little kids you said you couldn't wait to dance with your dad at your wedding to this song. I hope I can do it justice," she quips nervously.

The room turns to a hush as the opening tune to the song starts. I instinctively move closer to the stage to watch Lily perform her song. The moment she sings the first few lines, Paige and my dad dance slowly around the dance floor. I don't know how Lily can do this with the memory of her dad dying being still so raw, but I'm proud of her for doing this for Paige. It's not long before more fathers and daughters join the dance floor and begin dancing along to the song, but they are inconsequential to me as I train my eyes on Lily, watching her sing her heart out.