TWO

DEVON’S POV

My heart turned cold as I listened to the sound of her pretentious cry. I felt my lips curve up in a wry smile – females! They were all the same, none of them were worthy of love, they could each be bought at the right price. I had been a fool to think Karen was any different, I had been drawn to her innocent looks and wide eyes.

    She seemed so kind, selfless and naïve, I had wanted to shelter her from every harmful thing in the world. I had willingly let down all my standards because of her, and in that time, it seemed the right thing to do. Looking back now, I could only see what a fool I was.

    Anger was a bitter taste at the back of my throat as I smiled again. It was ironic, I, Devon Grey, the most feared man in the country had been played for a fool, and all it took was the innocent looks of a nineteen year – old girl to fool me.

   At exactly 9:00 pm, the door opened, and Karen Desantis, my fiancé and soon to be wife stepped in. I could not deny her beauty. She had pinned up her rich dark curls in a French twist, and she was wearing the diamonds I had given her a month earlier. With her petit heart - shaped face, her generous and yet small cherry pink lips, and the dark hair that usually framed her face, she was a beauty to behold.

     Her eyes sought me out, pleading, begging – but begging for what exactly? Begging for me to avert the punishment she knew awaited her for betraying me? Even she had to know that it was impossible to betray Devon Grey and go without punishment, I didn’t get my fearful reputation by showing mercy.

   I smiled as I walked up to meet her, champagne flute in hand.

   “And of course, esteemed quests, the lady of the moment, and Queen of my heart. To Karen,” I toasted, and downed the contents of my flute while the guests made fluttering sounds to show their pleasure.

   Karen herself seemed uneasy, frightened. Good. I liked the fear I saw in her eyes, loved the fact that she knew she had been a fool to mess with me. I was going to destroy my beautiful, innocent – looking, soon – to – be wife, and I was going to enjoy every single moment of it.

   “Hello beautiful.” I said, pulling her closer to me as the life orchestra started playing a soft tune, and I led her to the dance floor. Her body seemed very small against mine, reminding me of just how easily I could break her if I wanted to.

   She molded herself against me, trembling slightly as her gentle curves fitted perfectly against my form. I smiled dryly. Even now, she was trying to use her feminine wiles to beguile me.

    Her breath was warm against my neck, and I turned her face to mine and pressed my lips against hers in the kiss I knew she desperately wanted. Her eyes misted again.

    “I’m sorry Devon.” Her voice was small, soft, and I had to press her closer to me to hear what she said.

   There was something about her pretentious vulnerability that ignited my anger. I pressed her against me - - not gently, but I made sure my voice was steady when I asked. “Sorry for what little Kitten? What have you done that I am not aware of?”

    There was confusion in her wide eyes. “I - - I don’t know. You just seem so angry with me, so distant. It’s like you’re an entirely different man from - - ”

    “From the man you once betrayed?” I finished for her, and she stopped immediately, stepping on my foot in her surprise. I smiled ruefully. The little liar did not even think I was going to find out her betrayal.

      For a moment, I thought about sending everyone in the room away, and dealing with her once and for all - - but no. That was not the way things should be done. I did not get to my status as the most powerful - - the most feared CEO in the country by being impatient - - I also didn’t get there by letting beautiful blue eye females who betray me get away with it.

     A month ago, if anyone had said I would come to hate the beauty in front of me, I’d have called them liars - - but then, she had betrayed me. The little minx had stolen the patent for a new product I was working on, and sold it to a rival - - not just any rival company, but a company owned by my arch enemy Steven Geth. The fact that I had actually believed her to be a vulnerable innocent woman was what angered me the most.

    The billions of dollars she had caused me to lose did not actually matter to me, no - - not as much as the fact that I had just been played, and for that, she was going to pay. I would make her suffer so much, she would regret ever knowing me. But first, I had my guests to see to, the night was for handling naughty little Karen.

    She may think herself smart, a cunning little pretender, but I was once ruthless, a heartless playboy before I met her, and now, I was going to become even more ruthless. I was going to enjoy causing her pain. I was going to enjoy watching her fake tears turn real. They were already turning real… I had seen the pain in her eyes when she was met with my indifference, but this was just the beginning.

    I disengaged from her and walked over to get a sniffer of wine from one of the passing waitresses. I felt a feminine hand on my arm, and the slightly musky perfume of Laura, one of my favorite mistresses teased my nose, making me smile. “Are you flirting with me at my engagement party Laura? “

    “Oh no! “ She exclaimed with mock surprise. To flirt with you, I’d have to do this –” tilting her face up in an invitation, so that I lowered my own head to meet hers, she pressed a kiss to my lips. All the while, her eyes searched mine.. She was trying to see if we could still go ahead with our affair even after I got married.

    Laughing slightly, I drew her even closer to me and devoured those experienced lips of hers. Somewhere, from the corner of my eye, I could see the pain this brought to Karen’s lovely face. Perfect. Things were just the way I wanted them.

    Camera lights flashed, as the press clicked away. I could imagine the headlines tomorrow. They would blame Karen not me, of course a billionaire was always right. They would say she has no shame, that she is such a gold digger, she is willing to get married to a man that obviously does not love her, just because of money.

   I laughed as I finally let Laura go and downed the sniffer in one gulp. Little Karen was in for a lot, and when I was done with her, I was going to make sure she wished she had never met me.