The Wrong Brother's Temptation novel Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Sienna

30

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The bathroom door clicked shut behind me and the sudden silence felt far louder than it should have.

I stood there alone under the warm glow of the dim lights, gripping the edge of the marble basin so tightly my knuckles turned white.

The water I’d splashed on my face still dripped from my chin, tracing cool paths down my neck and soaking into the already–damp fabric of my dress.

In the mirror, my reflection looked like a stranger with her cheeks flushed, eyes too bright, and lips slightly swollen from nerves or memory or both.

Connor’s face as he’d turned away haunted me.

That smirk he’d worn when he first stepped inside, all dark confidence and sinful promise, had crumbled into something ashen and hollow by the time the door closed behind him.

I had done that with every vicious word I’d thrown like silver blades, I had carved into the parts of him he rarely showed anyone.

I had hit him where it hurt the most, calling him lonely and miserable despite the fact that he flown across an ocean and still came straight to me instead of going home.

“I hate you,” I whispered to my reflection as tears began streaming down my face.

“No…” I laughed bitterly at myself. “I hate me.”

Within seconds I was crying silently. No sound escaped my chest but it still ached with every breath.

I quickly turned the tap on and splashed cold water onto my face, but the tears still kept coming.

I was never the mean girl. I was always polite, always nice and yet today I gave Sandra and Lily a run for their money with the poison I spewed.

Goddess, what had I done?

I stayed there for another minute, forcing myself to breathe slowly until the lump in my throat finally eased.

I knew I couldn’t hide in here forever so I dabbed my face dry with a paper towel before fixing the loose strands of hair fluttering over my face and stepped outside.

Josh was leaning against the opposite wall, scrolling on his phone. He looked up with a quick smile. “Hey, I was about to ask a girl to go into the bathroom and check on you. It took you long enough. Is everything okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah”

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15:28 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 90

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He looked at my face like he didn’t believe it but I provided him with no more explanation.

“Come on, let’s get you back to the table. I’ll order you something else.”

The image Connor had shown me of Josh mixing something in the drinks flashed before my eyes. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend the rest of the evening with him.

I would have to fake a headache or something and quietly slip out in a while, I figured.

We walked back through the crowded ballroom as music drifted through the massive hall. Josh guided me back to the table and I sank in my chair, my nerves still jittery after the row with Connor.

He deserved so much more for ruining my childhood memories yet why could I not forget that raw hurt on his face like I had punched him in the gut without raising a hand.

“So, would you still want to have a drink? It will save me a lot of guesswork if you told me what you liked.”

I forced my lips to smile.

“Maybe a can of coke, preferably an unopened one. You see, I am a…germaphobe.”

I came up with the best possible lie to ensure the drink he got me next wouldn’t be tampered in any way.

“Oh, that explains why it took you so long in the bathroom” Josh nodded, easily believing my words.

Meanwhile, I looked around the massive hall, trying to forget the unease I was feeling after tearing Connor down. I tried to focus on the beautiful lights, on the couples laughing and enjoying the night.

One man, dressed in a suit was twirling a woman dressed in a pretty ballgown, and she was smiling, grinning

from ear to ear.

He pulled her close dramatically and then he was kissing her, their bodies almost melting into one.

I was reminded of the passionate kisses I shared with Connor and quickly tore my gaze away from the couple, only to find a dark suited man sitting on an empty couch on the other side of the room.

I didn’t have to look twice to know it was Connor. He had been watching me I realized, and easily noticed the look of yearning on my face as I observed the couple before my eyes landed on him.

He sat with one of his hands thrown on the back of the couch, the other holding a glass in his hand. Even with the mask on, I could feel the heat of his gaze in the crowded ballroom though we were several feet apart.

Then two women materialized out of nowhere, giggling to each other as they approached him. One of them was a blonde while the other was dark skinned with curly hair. Both were beautiful, poised and exactly the girls a man like Connor would hook up with.

He looked away from me and to the women, even smiled back at them,

And to my surprise, he didn’t seem to mind their company. They were still talking when miss curly hair sat on his right, her hand resting on his knee casually.

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15:28 Thu Jul 23

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