Eternally Seduced(93)

Around them, she could still feel the heat of people's gazes, knew that  she was still the most interesting subject to be the cynosure of their  looks. After all, old habits died hard, and not staring at people like  Saffi, who used to be the butt of every person's joke in this town, was  one of the hardest habits of all to kill.

Staffan was giving the woman in front of him a properly regretful smile.  "Thank you for your company, Vania. Perhaps I can make it up with  dinner next time?"

Mollified by the invitation, especially after feeling annoyed at being  subtly kicked out of the table, Vania returned Staffan Aehrenthal's  smile with a sexy one of her own. Wetting her lips, bending close so  that he would know what she was promising, she said huskily, "The  receptionist knows my number. I'll make sure she knows you will be  asking for it." She made no effort to keep her voice down, wanting  everyone in the restaurant to know that of all the women here, Staffan  Aehrenthal had chosen to be with her.

"I'll be the envy of every guy here just by having your number."

The words were said so smoothly and convincingly, Saffi couldn't stop  herself from staring at the two open-mouthed as they continued to flirt  in front of her. Perhaps later she would feel hurt, but right now, she  couldn't make herself feel anything. This was not the Staffan Aehrenthal  she knew. The rock star she had loved for so long was a foul-mouthed  badass sex god who wouldn't have wasted time on preliminaries. He  wouldn't have lasted more than five minutes without saying ‘fuck'. So  why was Staffan acting like this strange polished gentleman, pulling out  the chair for Vania as she stood and kissing her on the cheek before  she walked away? It was as if he was playing a …

Her heart slammed against her chest.

He was playing a role and it could only be to hurt her. And that could only mean one thing.

Staffan was hurting, too.

Staffan's cold gaze suddenly shifted to her and she swallowed. "I'm  sorry to keep you waiting." Her voice shook. She had this crazy urge to  bawl like a child as she threw her arms around him, but of course she  wouldn't ever get away with that now.

"It obviously wasn't a problem." Staffan pulled out a chair for her even  as he dismissed her words. An awkward silence grew between them as she  gazed at anywhere but him. It hurt to look at Staffan and feel the sting  of his hatred, and it hurt even more to know that she could not in all  conscience blame him for it.

The silence persisted. Her impetuous nature won out and Saffi blurted,  "You know, don't you?" She didn't wait for him to ask what she was  talking about. She said painfully, "You know who Vania Coolidge is in my  life, don't you?"

There was the smallest flicker of pain in Saffi's eyes, but Staffan  hardened himself against it. Whatever he fucking did would be nothing in  comparison to the damage she had wrought in his life. He had fallen for  her like a fucking idiot, had begged her to come back like a fool, and  all that time she had probably been laughing at him behind his back.

Nineteen-fucking-years-old and she had easily wound a man in his thirties around her privileged little finger.

The memories stung, and it forced Staffan to clench and unclench the  fist he had under the table to release his anger. When he was certain he  had himself back in control, he told Saffi, "You know what they say."

Her head cocked to the side  –  such a fucking innocent gesture that used  to turn him on, but now all it did was turn his stomach, reminding  Staffan of the times she had so easily seduced him into believing she  loved him.

The barely concealed contempt in Staffan's hazel eyes made Saffi swallow, but she still insisted on asking, "What do you mean?"

"About the enemies of our enemies being our friends," he taunted softly.

He expected her to get mad, to look hurt---to want to get even. But  Saffi only gave him what looked like a pained nod, as if it took  everything in her to do that one small thing.

"I understand." It killed her to say the words, but she told herself she  owed it to Staffan. She looked up to say more, but the words died in  her throat as she saw Staffan's gaze drifting past her and settling on  one of the garden exits of the restaurant, where Vania stood chatting  with a small circle of friends.

As if sensing Staffan's regard, Saffi watched Vania turn to them.

Her dark green eyes flashed with malicious triumph before she smiled at  Staffan, wetting her ruby-red lips once more. The carnal invitation  there was already blatant, but it was obviously not enough for Vania,  who mouthed to Staffan, Join us.

Every second that played out was like a scene straight from her worst  nightmare  –  one she couldn't wake up from. It just continued, like an  unstoppable wave that was only meant to torment Saffi.

Ah, this really … hurt. It so freaking hurt, more than the time she had  caught Staffan pleasuring another girl. This time, the hurt was made  more unbearable by the knowledge that maybe  –  maybe she had it in her  power to prevent all this. But Saffi had turned her back on that chance  because she had been too much of a coward.

Staffan hadn't mouthed an answer back. She should be glad of that, but  that was pretty much impossible too, seeing how Staffan smiled at Vania.  His air of assurance, the raw sexuality of his presence, combined with  his beautiful seductive smile  –  all of it was more than answer enough,  making the other woman swallow.

When Staffan returned his gaze to Saffi, not having to feign his  reluctance because there was nothing he disliked more now than spending  even a moment's time with the little bitch, he uneasily discovered  several changes in her appearance.         

     



 

In just a few days' time, it was as if she had lost a ton of weight.  Dark circles had formed under her eyes, making her appear wan. She  looked like she had been fucking shoved down one time too many, and the  realization didn't sit well with him.

It fucking pained him to look at Saffi now. He wanted to shout at her,  wanted to demand how the hell could she want the prince over him when he  was obviously not treating her right?

"You should eat more," Staffan said, even though he was unable to keep  his tone from being snide. "Royal babies can't be fucking starved---"

Saffi interrupted with quiet conviction, "Jeremy is not the father of my baby."

His fist crashed against the table, which shuddered under the impact.  Glasses fell to the floor, splintering into pieces as silver cutlery  clanged after them. "You're ruining my fucking day just by saying his  name so if you know what's fucking good for you and your precious  prince, don't ever say his fucking name in my presence again."

"Staffan."

He stiffened at the sound of his name on her lips. It felt too right,  and that was what made it so goddamn wrong. Emotions that went too far  and too deep imploded inside him, and Staffan snatched the dinner napkin  from his lap and threw it on the table. "This fucking isn't going  anywhere."

Before she could react, Staffan had gotten to his feet and was stalking  away. Saffi hurried after him even as she wondered numbly if running was  good for her baby. By the time she reached the parking lot, Saffi was  desperate, half-running and half-walking now, knowing she had little  time left to make it to Staffan's side.

"Wait, please!" She caught hold of his arm from behind and bit back a  gasp as he nearly flung her aside in an effort to get away from her. The  sun was setting behind Staffan, and it cast a fiery glow around him,  forcing Saffi to look away. It was as if the whole world was conspiring  against her, making Saffi feel that she no longer had any right to be in  Staffan's life.

"You don't have to worry," Staffan snarled as he turned away from his  car to face her again. "I'll fucking marry you tomorrow because your  goddamn family has left me no choice."

"We don't have any choice either," she whispered. "Please understand---"

"I fucking understand everything now," he hissed. "I know that you're a slutty bitch---"

"No!" Gazing up at Staffan, willing him to look at her eyes to see the  truth, she said tremulously, "You know it's not like that---you know I'm  not like that, Staffan. You know that. You're just blinded by your  anger." Her voice aching with the sobs she was doing her best to keep  inside her, Saffi choked out, "I never made love to Jeremy. Please,  please believe me. I've only been touched by you---"

"Then why, Saffi?" His low agonized tone made Saffi's head jerk up.  "Give me a reason that I'll believe in. Make me understand why the fuck  you didn't tell me about the baby the first time you learned about it,  tell me why the fuck you went to buy a pregnancy test with that royal  asshole if he wasn't the father of your baby." He looked at her, and all  the pain and anger in his eyes translated to his words as he shouted,  "TELL ME WHY."