“What?” Marguerite breathed.
Juvie let out a low whistle, “That’s that hurt right there.”
Braeden nodded. “Finding out you were just currency.”
Marguerite shook her head hard. “No.”
“Yes,” Targen said.
He shifted closer to me again, but I stepped sideways before he could touch me. I was angry with him. I was still a little scared... and a little impressed.
Damn, I was tired of being impressed by this man!
Marguerite looked around. Then her eyes came back to me, and the hate in them was evident.
“You think this is over? You think you safe? You ain’t safe, Theory. Not from what you married. You think that nigga loves you?” she demanded.
I lifted my chin. Marguerite smiled, sensing she had found a weak spot.
“He don’t love you like that. He loves owning what another man wanted. He loves winning. You ain't nothing but a pretty little trophy.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Targen growled, voice low.
Marguerite ignored him. Why not? She knew it was over for her.
“Chauncey broke you first. Disciplined a soft, spoiled bitch the hard way. This nigga just gets to scoop up the spoils.”
Targen’s hand was around her neck before I could stop him. The room blurred around the edges before I forced myself to breathe.
“No,” I said hoarsely. “Let her go.”
Targen turned fully toward me then. “Theory.”
I shook my head once.
“Let her go,” I repeated, then focused on Marguerite once he did. “You don’t get to use what Chauncey did to me like a weapon. You don’t get to call me broken when I’m still standing, when I’ll stillbestanding after you disappear into dirt.”
“Bitch—” she hissed.
But I smiled and stepped closer. Targen reached out, but he let me.
“You wanted me scared, embarrassed. You wanted to walk into my cousin’s wedding reception and make me feel small in front of my family.”
Marguerite’s nostrils flared.
“You don’t get to do that, though. Not when I survived Chauncey. Not when I’ll survive you.”
Marguerite lifted her hand like she wanted to slap me. She didn’t get close. Targen was between us before I could blink. So was Juvie, which would have been funny if his face wasn’t so dark.
“Don’t touch her. You don’t wanna find out how equal rights for women work tonight,” he said quietly.
Marguerite glared but dropped her hand. Targen looked toward Mikhail. That was all. Mikhail moved. So did several other men I hadn’t even noticed until then. The men who abandoned Marguerite were escorted away first. They went quietly.
Virginia grabbed Marguerite’s arm. “Please. Please, stop.”
Marguerite shoved her off. “Weak bitch.”
Virginia stumbled back, tears springing to her eyes.
