The Ultimate Playboy(45)

                ‘He thinks he has bested me but he’ll soon learn the error of his ways.’

                ‘Right. Okay...was that all?’ she asked, but his eyes had taken on a faraway look, as if he were somewhere else entirely.

                ‘He’s been poison ever since...’ His mouth tightened and his eyes grew colder. ‘For as long as I’ve had to deal with him, he’s been nothing but trouble. He was given his name for a reason.’

                ‘The Warlock?’

                His hand fluttered in a dismissive gesture. ‘No, I meant his real name. Take my advice and remember that once he tells you who he really is.’

                ‘I’m not supposed to know who he is, so what you’re saying means less than nothing to me.’

                ‘Or you could understand perfectly what I mean.’ His upper lips twisted. ‘Unless spreading your legs for him has robbed you of all common sense.’

                The barb struck too close to home. ‘How dare you?’ She jerked back at the sheer hatred pouring from him. Ice-cold sensation drenched her veins at the same time as warm hands cupped her shoulders.

                ‘Ruby?’ Narciso clipped out her name. ‘What’s going on here?’ The question was quite rhetorical because she was sure he’d caught part of the exchange.

                Certainly, his flint-hard gaze and tense jaw made her think of her earlier assessment of just how dangerous an opponent he could be.

                For whatever reason, the man sitting across from her spewing vitriol had wronged Narciso Valentino on a very deep level. The skin around his mouth was white and the hands curved over her shoulders were a little less than gentle.

                Ruby carefully set her knife down and took a deep breath. ‘Nothing. He was just leaving. Weren’t you?’

                The older man smiled and took his time to rise. His eyes locked on Narciso’s and for a moment Ruby thought she understood the connection, then dismissed it. What she was imagining couldn’t be possible.

                Pure visceral hate existed between these two men. It coloured the air and crawled over her skin.

                In her darkest days before she’d actively distanced herself from her parents, her father’s behaviour had permeated every single corner of her existence and she’d imagined she hated him. She could never accept the way Ricardo Trevelli lived his life, or the careless way he treated her mother. But she’d never encountered hate this strong. It was a potent, living thing.

                She shivered. Narciso felt it and glanced down at her before refocusing on her unwanted guest.

                ‘Do I need to teach you another lesson, old man?’

                ‘Keep your money, hotshot. I understand the need to brag in front of your woman. Shame it had to cost you so much last night.’

                ‘It was worth it to see your face. If you need a refresher on how to win, I can accommodate you.’

                The old man sneered. ‘The time is coming when I’ll wipe that smug look off your face once and for all.’

                Narciso’s smile was arctic. ‘Do it quickly, then. I’m growing tired of your empty promises.’

                Ruby sucked in a shocked breath at the blatant taunt. With a thick swear word that would singe the ears off a Sicilian donkey, the old man swivelled on his heel and walked away.