32. Let's pretend...

ANTONIO

Erica was drunk, and not the type where she escaped from the world, the type where she wanted to enjoy the world around her. I knew that because I was watching her as she danced on the small stage and swayed with the music uncaring of the fact that even the dancers around the pole had stopped to watch her. I wanted them to not look at her, she was only mine but Erica loved it, it was in the way her eyes were closed and how her lips were curved up in a subtle teasing smile as she soaked in the attention. She loved the eyes on her. And I loved her like that, carefree and happy.

The realisation settled down slowly and deeply in my chest, like my heart was just waiting for me to acknowledge the emotion that was making me act out this way. This possessive and obsessive, for a woman who was supposed to be just a pawn to get the revenge I was seeking, a collateral damage in all of the plans if had made with Nikolai. But now even the thought of her suffering just for a second makes my