She's drunk. Again.
My car pulls up in front of the building, and I open the door, helping her inside before following. As soon as I close the door, the car starts moving.
I quickly text Andrea, my instructions clear: {Take care of the parasite.}
I came to the club seeking a distraction, a cleanse. But finding out those men who tried to attack me in the bathroom were Darius' men only fueled my anger.
And...
It turns out I was originally supposed to have dinner with Alexandra at a quiet restaurant in New York. But Father informed me that someone had hacked my phone, rearranging the plans to Chez Valcourt in France.
Security's been tightened, but I'm still fuming that someone so smart managed to breach my phone's security.
Isabelle's going to be pissed.
"Hi," Zuri says, staring at me with a smile as she scoots closer, invading my personal space.
I frown. "You're drunk," my tone a matter-of-fact.
Zuri groans, sniffling. "Does it matter? The hotel I'm staying at was boring."
I raise an eyebrow. "So?"
She shrugs. "So nothing."
"Of course." I'm losing my mind here.
"Enzo," Her eyes locks onto mine, sparkling with curiosity. "Were you going to kill that guy because he touched me?"
I keep my tone blunt. "I killed him already."
"Mmh-hmm." Zuri's lips purse. She doesn't believe me. And it's not because she's squeamish about me killing him.
There's something else at play here.
I was discussing the bathroom assassins with Andrea. But my attention drifted when I spotted my ex-wife, Zuri, drinking alone.
I was taken aback, concerned, yet spellbound. There was something about watching her from afar that held me captive.
Just then, a man slid into the seat beside her, his hands roaming inappropriately. Although I knew Zuri could handle herself, his persistence even after she broke his nose was infuriating.
"Enzo," Zuri's voice cuts through my thoughts. "Are you leaving France soon?" She clutches her baggy top, steadying herself.
I run my fingers through my hair, frustration building. "What are you doing, Zuri?"
A frown creases her face. "I told you, I don't care," she says, referencing our past conversation.
"Zuri, I..."
"Three years, Enzo, three years," she spits, her eyes flashing with anger. "We spent three years as husband and wife, quarreling occasionally, only focusing on work. We never shared a meal together. Dinner, lunch, breakfast, nothing."
I remain frozen, watching her as she shakes her head, her chest heaving with each ragged breath.
A wave of guilt crashes over me. "Tesoro Mio, I..."
"I know I was busy with work, and my family wasn't making things easier. They were suffocating me with pressure. But our marriage was empty, Enzo. There was no affection. I mean, yes, I'm not exactly the affectionate type, and you... you became even more distant than I was. But you knew how much I loved you, and yet you still divorced me. And if that wasn't enough..."
Zuri slams her hands onto my chest, the impact knocking the air out of my lungs. A stiff cough escapes my throat, but she doesn't stop. She hits my chest again and again, her blows weakening as tears pour down her face.
"You died, Enzo!" she cries out, landing a weak punch on my chest.
I try to speak, but a rough choke of pain escapes my throat instead. I let her continue hitting me, her fists pounding against my chest.
"You... you faked your own death," she accuses, her voice cracking. "You made me blame myself for years, made me miserable, regretful... made me miss you!" Her fists slow, then stop, as she looks up at me with tears-stained eyes. "And now you're back, a Salvatore heir, with a gun, cars... and I still can't hate you, because I want you."
"Zuri, you can't," I say, my heart racing wildly. I'm struggling to process this, but the wicked, hungry light in her eyes has me frozen.
Goosebumps break out on my skin, and she notices. Her hand rises, gently placing itself on my cheek.
"Nothing you can say will change my appetite, baby," she whispers. "I want you in my arms so I can punish you for making me feel so many emotions. And once I have you, you'll never escape me again, Enzo. Never again. The world be damned."
A raw chill runs down my spine. Oh, help me.
Zuri silently removes her hand from my cheek, wipes away her tears with a soft sniff, and scoots to the other door. She relaxes against it, closes her eyes, and falls asleep, leaving me utterly speechless.
Her intensity! Fuck!
I mean, she was the one who pursued me relentlessly until we got married. Hell, she was even the one who proposed. But she's never been this intense before.
As I watch her, I slowly move closer, gently adjusting her position to make her more comfortable against my body.
Bernard's voice breaks the silence. "Are we returning to your hotel, sir?"
"No." I respond without hesitation. "Take us to the jet. We're returning home."
"Yes, sir." Bernard sounds relieved.
My gaze drifts back to the woman beside me. I notice how she melts into the warmth surrounding us, her body relaxing against mine.
A defeated smile curls my lips. "I miss you too, Tesoro Mio,"