I saw her almost immediately. She was standing near a marble pillar with Sienna and two other girls I didn't recognize. Maya looked beautiful in a simple black dress that hugged her curves in a way that made my chest tighten, but her eyes were still guarded, scanning the room with that familiar, restless energy.
Maya f*cking René, if I can't have your heart, I will have your attention.
I would force her to see me, even if it was through a lens of hatred.
I walked toward the group, my posture radiating the cold entitlement that came with my name.
I didn't look at Maya.
I didn't acknowledge Sienna.
Instead, I turned my focus to one of the girls standing next to them-- a pretty girl with curly hair and a smile that suggested she’d been waiting for a St. James to notice her all night.
