The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 75

It was an upscale lounge. The atmosphere was elegant and quiet, with small groups of people drinking and chatting cheerfully while the soft melody of a violin floated through the air.

Riley scanned the entrance. There was no sign of Pierce in the main seating area. She walked up to the bar, ordered a fruity cocktail, and casually asked the bartender, "A really good-looking guy just walked in. Did you happen to see where he went?"

Bartenders were used to people scouting for attractive targets, men and women alike. He gave her a knowing smile and nodded toward the hallway. "He headed into one of the private rooms. Couldn't tell you which one, though."

"Thanks." Riley turned and made her way down the corridor. There were private rooms lining both sides, at least a dozen of them. How was she supposed to find him?

Just as she was debating whether to check them one by one, a door further down the hall opened.

A man stepped out. It was one of Pierce's close friends. She remembered him from the time Pierce had officially introduced her to his inner circle.

The man headed toward the restroom at the end of the hall.

Riley quickly approached the room he had just left. The door was slightly ajar. Peering through the crack, she spotted Pierce sitting right in the center of the sofa with a drink in his hand, flanked by several friends.

Riley scanned the room but didn't see Seraphina anywhere. She frowned. Seraphina was the one who had called him. Why wasn't she here?

As she stood there puzzled, the conversation from inside drifted out.

"I told you not to spoil women. See? You give her the cold shoulder for a few days, and she suddenly learns how to behave."

"Women are like training dogs. If they don't listen, you crack the whip a few times and starve them for a bit. They fall right in line."

"You have to let her know that you run the house. Everything she has comes from you. You are her entire world. She should be spending every waking moment figuring out how to please you, not making demands."

Riley's brow furrowed as she listened to the men. Then she saw Pierce take a sip of his drink and say, "She's not like the others."

They sure knew how to twist reality.

And the worst part was that Pierce hadn't even defended her.

She had always disliked his friends and hated socializing with them, but she had overlooked one crucial fact.

You are the company you keep.

If Pierce spent all his time with guys like this, how good of a man could he really be?

Maybe this was who he truly was to his core. She just hadn't seen it until now.