Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 175

Chapter 175

CELESTE

My hand was still pressed against my cheek, the heat of Felix’s palm burning into my skin like a brand, when the bodyguards appeared from nowhere. They moved past me with a speed that made me flinch, one of them shoving Felix hard enough to send him stumbling backward while the other raised his fist, ready to drive it into my brother’s face.

“Don’t touch him,” I quickly yelled, my voice sharp enough to cut through the chaos. “Don’t hit him. He’s my brother.”

The bodyguards turned to stare at me, their hands still gripping Felix’s arms, their expressions caught between confusion and duty. Felix used the momentary distraction to struggle against their hold, his face twisted with a fury that I had never seen.

directed at me before.

“Wow,” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. “So now because you are sleeping with your friend’s husband, you even hired bodyguards. You think you are some big shot now?”

I stood there staring at him, the sting in my cheek pulsing with every heartbeat, and I did not say a word. He lunged forward again, but the bodyguards tightened their grip, holding him firmly by both arms, his body straining against theirs as he tried to break free.

“You are disgusting,” he yelled, his voice cracking with emotion. “I am so disappointed in you, Celeste. You have your own husband. You are married. Why did you have to go after Seraphine’s husband? And why did you try to kill Seraphine? How did you become so vile? How did you become someone who would drug her own best friend?”

While he was speaking, my eyes drifted past him, past the bodyguards, past the cars in the parking lot, and I saw her. Seraphine was standing in the distance, her arms folded, her lips curved into a smile that made my blood run cold. She was watching the scene like it was her favorite show, like she had orchestrated every moment of it and was savoring the finale.

My lips curved up in response, something cold and amused settling into my bones. I held her gaze for a long moment, letting her see that I had seen her, that I knew exactly who was behind this, and then I turned, walked toward my car, got in, and closed the door behind me.

The silence inside the car was a relief, a small pocket of quiet in the middle of a world that seemed determined to tear itself apart around me. I sat there with my hands on the steering wheel, the engine off, my brother’s voice still muffled but audible through the closed windows, and I let myself drift backward.

+15 Bonus

It is only a little more conversation I am driving toward, I told myself. It only prolongs what I am about to do. It is difficult enough already. I just need to get this over with.

I pulled out my makeup bag, the one I had shoved into my purse on a whim, and I thanked every indecisive bone in my body for the impulse. I applied foundation with careful, precise strokes, layering it over the red mark until it faded into something that looked almost natural. I added powder to set it, blending the edges until the handprint disappeared beneath a mask of careful artistry. I stared at my reflection, turning my face from side to side, and I nodded.

P

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