Page 5 of Entangled

“Because it wasn’t a family thing,” Gian replied dryly.

“Still—”

“I wasn’t asked or invited to bring you, so I didn’t. Don’t act like that bothers you because we both know it doesn’t. The only thing that might bother you is not being able to buy something pretty to wear out for an evening. If that’s what you want, decide where you want to go next weekend, and I will take you. Not for my birthday, though.”

“Fine.”

Gian sighed internally, taking that as a battle won.

“Also, my birthday is coming up,” Elena added quickly.

“And what would you like for it?”

She smiled sweetly, as though she was pleased with his question. Another false invitation into her web.

It never failed to surprise Gian how easily men could be caught up and then subsequently killed in the maze of Elena’s games and manipulations. He had been one of those men, once. Years ago, it had been him who saw her distant eyes and perfectly-styled appearance and thought, something is wrong with her, she never smiles.

She seemed sad, alone, and too quiet. She had been young at just twenty-three, with no siblings and only her father raising her. Her mother had died long ago.

Her beauty, sweet nature, and soft voice had drawn him in easily enough. Her world had been a malevolent place, and certainly not meant for her.

He had been stupid.

A foolish man caught up in a hero complex.

It was a mistake Gian would never make again.

Not with Elena.

Gian wrongly perceived what he thought to be Elena’s innocence and naivety as a direct result of her upbringing, under the hands of her violent, awful father. He had never once considered that every single thing that Elena offered to a man, whether it be emotionally, verbally, or physically, was a game. Her words were meant to placate and soften. Her touch was meant to disarm and trap.

For her, men were a means to an end.

She had simply found the right man in Gian to use.

It was a particular sport that she had been taught all too well, and had yet to lose.

Gian hadn’t realized he had been playing Elena’s game until it was too late. He had fallen for all of her lies, they were only a few weeks short of being married, he was stuck in the agreement made, and his life shattered. Just like that, she ruined what should have been his free choice and will.

And she had done it for no other reason than to be free.

She trapped him so that she could fly.

“Well?” Gian asked. “What do you want for your birthday?”

Elena shrugged. “Nothing spectacular.”

“But something amazing.”

“That is what your wife deserves, isn’t it, Gian?”

“She certainly deserves something,” he said as he moved past her.

Elena reached out to pat his cheek. It took every ounce of willpower he had not to flinch away. He did not share a life with this woman beyond the one they were forced into, and they certainly didn’t share affection. He didn’t want her touching him, and he had no interest or desire to touch her.

Once, before they’d married, all he had wanted to do was touch her, and to save her. And then he’d figured out her games, but it was already too late.

“Don’t,” Gian murmured, stepping out of Elena’s reach.