Chapter Six

T he blaring music and the stench of sweat? Not my scene at all. I loathed these kinds of parties, but today? Well, today was a different story.

Perched next to Ro at the bar, we waited for Darius to whip up his infamous concoctions. This club, a playground for Darius' motorcycle crew, was his domain, and he had a talent for mixing drinks that could knock you off your feet.

"It's on the house today," Darius chirped, sliding a shot of tequila my way, his gaze lingering on me like I was the only star in the sky.

I managed a weak smile, utterly baffled by his fascination.

Ro’s intense stare was like a spotlight, making me squirm in my seat. He nursed his scotch, watching Darius and me with a hawk's eye. Silence wasn’t his usual game, but as he tried to decode the scene, I was just as lost.

Darius winked at me before tossing some snark at one of his crew members and darting off for more drinks.

"Should I be worried about this little tête-à-tête?" Ro's hand slid over my thigh, fingers digging in like he was marking his territory.

It sent a thrill through me, but my brain was ready to fire back.

I shrugged, downing another shot and grimacing at the burn. Sometimes, you just have to let loose.

"Who knows, maybe there’s something brewing here, but should it really matter to you? If my husband can’t keep up, why shouldn’t I explore other options?" I smirked, relishing the way his baby blue eyes darkened with heat.

His fingers slithered up my thigh, and I could barely breathe, my voice trapped in my throat like a caged bird.

"Mrs. Rowan, don’t you think you’re being a bit too daring? I’d recommend keeping those thoughts just between us, because as charming as I may seem, and however nice, I could easily show you, how nasty I can be." His smile was a wicked curve, lips kissed by death, and the twitch in his jaw made me swallow hard.

I tore my gaze from Ro, my fingers fidgeting with the short glass on the table.

Inside, I was a mess of screams.

He was still my Rowan—the jealous, possessive man who was still hopelessly in love with me.

Darius strolled back with drinks, his eyes darting between Ro and me. That smirk of his was all too evident, but the haunting look in his eyes sent chills down my spine. When he shot me a quick glance, I felt a warning pulse through the air.

But what was I supposed to be wary of? I didn’t have time to figure that out.

"Darius, I suggest you keep your distance from my wife." The words burst from Ro like a thunderclap, and he downed his drink, glaring daggers at his friend.

His hand remained firmly on my thigh.

The two men were locked in a silent battle, their eyes sparking with unspoken tension, while I was left out in the cold.

"Natalie, you took your sweet time!" Darius’s voice was sharp, his gaze fixed on something behind us, prompting both Ro and me to turn and look at the girls standing there.

Natalie was Darius’ casual fling, and I had no right to question their arrangement. But the woman beside her was a stunning bombshell, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

She had hair like crispy hash browns, skin kissed by the sun, and those crystal grey eyes that could cut through the darkness. Standing almost at my height, she was a vision. Soft features and a calming presence that could make anyone swoon. But when she smiled and waved at us, I felt this awkward urge to smile back, like a fool caught in a spotlight.

How could someone be this stunning?

"Willow."

The air around me thickened, the room closing in like a vice. Despite being in the biggest club in town, I felt trapped, like I was suffocating in a sea of bodies.

My gaze snapped to Rowan, watching him dash toward the girl whose name rolled off his tongue like honey.

Why? Don’t go, Ro.

My shoulders tensed, seeing him flash that charming smile, while she blinked at him with those seductive eyes.

I knew my husband was an extrovert, always thriving in the limelight, basking in the attention of others. His smiles were a dime a dozen, and he had this knack for charming everyone around him, a trait I had to keep in check.

But watching him interact with her—the girl who had haunted our marriage for the past year—felt like a knife twisting in my gut.

I had never seen him so at ease with anyone else, and while I could accept it not being me, I couldn't accept her. Not now.

"That’s what I’ve been ranting about like a broken record for a month. You refused to meet the girl your husband is involved with, so I thought I’d show you... This isn’t normal, Amery. Rowan, the people’s charmer, still never hesitated to dismiss a girl who wasn’t you," he spat behind me, his voice laced with fury.

I was processing it all, but my ability to react was frozen, my veins turned to ice as I watched the scene unfold.

Darius was right. This isn’t normal.

Ro might have been the ultimate people pleaser, but flirting? Not in his playbook. He never made a move on any girl, never reached out to a woman unless it was strictly work-related or some obligatory social interaction.

I couldn't believe it. He didn’t even bother to chat up Lily from the flower shop, despite everyone drooling over her beauty, or the sweet old lady at the bakery who sent me pecan pies just because she felt like it. This was not the Ro I knew.

“Drinks are ready, so hurry up!” Darius yelled, and the girls flocked over while Ro plopped down next to me. His hand landed on my thigh like it belonged there, but I swatted it away, disgusted by the mere contact.

Nausea twisted in my gut, and a headache throbbed from my eyes to my brain.

“Give me something strong,” I demanded.

Darius raised an eyebrow, glancing at Ro for approval, and that was it. My fury erupted, skin crawling with rage.

“Why are you looking at him? I asked for a drink, Darius! Am I a child needing permission? I’ll pay, just give me the damn drink!” My voice dripped with venom, even I was taken aback.

I hated how childish I sounded.

Alcohol and I? We didn’t mix well. Two beers were my max, and four shots of tequila? That was pushing it. I wasn’t the type to splurge on booze unless it was a special occasion or a friendly get-together.

I craved something to anchor me, and alcohol felt like the only lifeline within reach.

"Coming right up," Darius declared, and my gaze drifted to Ro, who was watching me with an unreadable expression.

His face was a blank canvas when he slipped his hand back on my thigh, squeezing it, but my heart felt like a stone.

"Um... I hope we didn't interrupt you guys," Willow murmured, her voice a sweet melody. What was she, some siren?

She had the kind of allure that could turn a straight girl’s head. Forget the spaghetti joke; if she was the one serving the sauce, I might just drown in it. And here I was, someone who thought she had her sexuality all figured out.

"No, you didn’t, Willow. We were just having a little... discussion..." Whoa! When did Ro start playing the diplomat?

In the past, if we had a spat and someone dared to intervene, Ro would unleash his fury, snapping at anyone who dared to meddle. He despised it when outsiders intruded on our private moments.

He once said, "The world fades to silence when you speak, Mrs. Rowan. Your voice is the only one I want to hear."

That line always made me smile, and then we’d tumble into each other like bees to blossoms.

That was the magic of our marriage; no matter what chaos surrounded us, it was always just the two of us. Our parents would occasionally nudge us about kids, insisting that family was the glue that held a marriage together, but we were content with our rhythm, moving at our own pace.

To every suggestion they made, Ro would simply reply, "Imagining a child who looks like Amery is a delightful thought, but whether we have one or not, our love remains unchanged. We are secure in our marriage, and our love is the only reason we need to build a life together."

Every time he said that, my heart swelled with pride.

His presence had always been my anchor, a quiet assurance that life held no demands beyond him. He was my everything, my solace. But now, as I watch him stare at Willow, entranced as if she were a siren from a forgotten dream, doubt creeps in. Was I ever truly enough for him? And if I was, do I still hold that place in his heart?

I swallowed the burning drink Darius handed me, my eyes fixed on Ro, who was lost in conversation with Willow. I sat to Ro's left, while Willow occupied his right, with Natalie nestled beside her.

"He doesn’t even look at anyone else now that she’s here," Darius remarked, his words slicing through me like glass. I loathed the truth they carried, the way they twisted the knife in my gut.

That smile of his. The way his eyes crinkled with delight at her stories, everything that once belonged to me now shared with someone else.

"What do you want from me?" I replied flatly, shifting away from the stranger who had settled beside me.

"Just follow my lead," he said with a grin.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease when he offered me the drink and gestured toward the stranger who had taken a seat next to me.

Whatever. It couldn’t hurt, could it?

"So, you're an artist too... I didn’t expect that," Natalie laughed, her voice a distant echo as I drifted further from the moment.

Feeling the weight of someone's eyes, I shifted uncomfortably. The man next to me looked out of place.

"Hello," he raised his glass in greeting, then turned to Darius, who was busy mixing another drink for me.

"Another drink for the beautiful lady, Darius." He called for the man's assistance and he acknowledged him with a nod.

"I didn’t ask for that," I murmured, struggling to understand the reason for his sudden interest in me.

I plastered on a half-hearted smile and muttered a thank you, as if that was going to change the world.

My gaze drifted to Ro, but he was too busy ignoring me, so I figured why waste my time looking again?

"What are you doing in this town? Never seen you before?" I couldn't resist squeezing a little more out of this conversation since the guy clearly wanted more than just a polite thank you.

He shrugged, downing his drink like it was water, and ordered another.

"Just moved here last week, but finally got my place ready for human habitation," he said with a grin that was annoyingly infectious.

If I weren’t married or hopelessly in love with my husband, I’d be all over that flirtation.

"Transferred? What’s your gig?" My curiosity was practically begging to be satisfied.

"Nothing too exciting... Just the new commissioner of the jurisdiction," he said, clearly enjoying the shock on my face as I struggled to find words.

My jaw hit the floor, and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

A... What!?

"How old are you?!" I practically shouted, but he was quick to shush me.

"Woman, that’s not how I like to make ladies scream for me," he chuckled, nursing his drink like he owned the place. "Turning forty this year."

I narrowed my eyes, suspicious. "Don’t lie to me. You look barely over 30, and way too hot to be that ancient."

He burst into laughter, making my cheeks ache, and his eccentric voice drew attention like a magnet. Both wanted and unwanted.

"Nice way to compliment, lady... Now that you know my name, what’s yours?"

I smirked. That was smooth.

"Now, do I?"

His piercing honey eyes flickered, darkening like a storm cloud ready to unleash its fury.

"Sorry for keeping a stunning lady waiting. I'm Dimitri Romeril," he said, flashing a grin that could charm the scales off a snake.

I shot a glance at Darius, who was smirking like he just won the lottery, then back at Dimitri.

"Seriously? You both are brothers? Shut. Up."

Dimitri just laughed, clinking his glass with Darius like they were celebrating some inside joke.

Great, just great. Newsflash: I always thought Darius was a lone wolf with that attitude of his.

"So, you're the older one... Right?"

He nodded, confirming my hunch.

"Now... your name, beautiful lady?"

"Someone's in a hurry... It's Amery Rowan… I mean Amery Shen. Nice to meet you."

We exchanged a quick handshake, and out of nowhere, Dimitri asked me to dance.

I glanced back at Ro, who was completely ignoring me, like I was a ghost haunting him.

My Ro used to care.

"I'm waiting, Amy," Dimitri urged, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the dance floor like I was his prized possession.

Ro's hand, which once rested on my thigh, vanished into thin air, but I didn’t bother looking back.

I let Dimitri lead me into a couple's dance position, and we swayed to the music.

He twisted me.

He turned me around.

Honestly, he was the best dance partner I’d ever had, especially since Ro despised dancing like it was a plague.

"So, what do you do to pass the time in this town?" he leaned in, his breath warm against my ear.

I shared about my auto shop and my life in LA before moving here with Ro. He seemed genuinely intrigued, and that made me feel good inside.

I found myself opening up, talking about my daily routine and even offering him discounts if he spread the word about my services to his colleagues.

But Willow Crest, while not tiny in population, felt small in other ways.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, interrupting my moment with this handsome guy. I mean, every woman deserves to be treated well, whether it’s by her partner or not. I was enjoying myself.

"Who the hell—"

"Your husband, Mrs. Rowan." His icy blue eyes were swirling with something dark. The contrast of his rugged build only added to the tension.

His gaze locked onto Dimitri, and I instinctively pushed him away a bit.

"Ro."

His eyes turned to me, fierce and commanding.

I swallowed hard.

"We're leaving, Mrs. Rowan."