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Disappointing is the word I would use instead. I swallow it down with a sip of bubbly.
It’s not that I want to have sex with Lochlan again. At least not voluntarily. Despite my weak threat about cutting off his dick, if he came into my room one night and climbed on top of me, well, I wouldn’t really have a choice but to let him take what he wanted, right?
Why hasn’t the bastard done that yet?
And what’s wrong with me that I want him to do that sort of thing?
“I figured Lochlan would manipulate you into sleeping in his bed, even if only for sleeping. That’s what some men I know would do,” Vanessa explains.
“Well, he hasn’t,” I assure her. “He also built a tennis court for me on his property.”
“That was sweet of him,” she agrees, although there’s still a crease between her brow as if she’s thinking the same thing as the guards—that the court comes with strings attached to it. It would be nice to actually get Vanessa’s opinion on that.
“I don’t owe him sex for the court, do I?”
Vanessa’s jaw falls open then closes. “No. No, of course not, sweetie. You don’t owe sex to anyone, ever. Don’t let him make you feel that way either.” She searches the crowd for him, her lips pursed as if she wants to give him a piece of her mind. We both find him surrounded by not one but four beautiful women of various shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. A kaleidoscope of sluts. No wonder there’s such a smug grin on his handsome face. He knows he could have any or all of them whenever he wants. Probably all of them at the same time. “Wow, he’s quite the ladies’ man, isn’t he?”
“Those are probably his whores.”
“What?” Vanessa exclaims, her face turning back to me, emerald eyes wide in shock.
“I meant literally, as in his employees from the brothels. I bet he’s slept with all of them. Maybe he still is…”
“Huh,” my stepmother mutters as she turns back to stare at my husband being idolized from every direction. “Even so, it’s rude of him to let them monopolize his time and attention like that in public, in front of you now that you’re married. If Dante did that…well, he would find himself locked out of our bedroom tonight.”
Shaking her head, her eyes flit around the ballroom again, before a slow smile spreads across her face. Gently grabbing my elbow again, she says, “Come with me. I have a wonderful idea.” While we’re maneuvering our way around the crowd of people to get to the other side of the room, she glances over her shoulder and says, “Cole is still here. He’s out of school for the summer.”
“Oh. Right.” I’m not sure what her son has to do with anything, but a moment later we’re standing in front of the tall, handsome blond college boy, and…Cass?
Both of her eyebrows raise when she examines my gown. “Wow. Look what the cat dragged in.”
“I’m surprised Daddy let you come down here for this,” I remark.
Her pale green eyes continue to take in my dress and heels, then my hair and diamond earrings. “Lochlan doesn’t keep you on a tight leash? Surprising. How is married life?”
“Fine.” I don’t tell her how much I want to leave my philandering husband and come home, mostly because I don’t want her to know I’m not happy with him. Cass relishes my misery.
Nodding her chin over near the door, she says, “Looks like your new husband is being swamped by sluts. Is the honeymoon already over?”
“We didn’t have a honeymoon,” I remark. “But he built me a tennis court on his estate.”
“No shit?” Cole says with a chuckle. “He just…built you a court from scratch?”
“Yes.”
“Cole,” Vanessa says. “You’ve complained about how bored you are during the days here, maybe you could go play tennis with Sophie sometime soon.”
Scowling at his mother, he asks, “Damn, Mom. Do you want me to die of heat stroke?”
“It’s shaded,” I add.
“See, it’s shaded. And don’t even try to pretend you don’t have an amazing serve,” his mother huffs.
“You’re a tennis player?” I knew Vanessa played, but I didn’t know her son did too.
“I taught him a thing or too,” she replies proudly. “Right, hon?” When Cole doesn’t respond she slips her arm around his waist and gives him a shove toward me.
“I guess I could get up early one morning…” he trails off, eyes now slits while glowering at his mother.
