I wish I didn’t immediately wonder if he’s slept with her. I wish I didn’t wonder how many of the women in here have shared his bed. He swears I’m the only one he wants now, but it doesn’t stop my insecurity from flaring.
“You’re Emery,” the blonde says, still watching my husband.
Her nose scrunches like my name sours her mouth.
“I am.” I take a sip of my drink, wishing it would cool my nerves. “And you are?”
“Reina.” It’s followed by a huff, as if I’ve insulted her by not knowing.
Her name does sound vaguely familiar. I believe the girls mentioned she’s been around the club for a while.They said something about her being difficult to get along with. Territorial.
“Of all the surprising things Soul has done, I didn’t expect playing house to be one of them,” Reina muses, stirring her drink with her straw; her perfectly outlined eyes narrow on me. “Then again, I thought he was smarter than to knock up some random girl.”
“Do you have a point?” I ask, my irritation spiking.
“Hmm.” Her smirk turns malicious. “You’re not as meek as I expected. I suppose that makes sense.”
My fingers tighten around my drink as I take another sip. At least this conversation has temporarily lifted the fog of alcohol. With every sideways comment, I sober up a little more.
A group of girls circles Hayes and Venom, one brushing her hand down Hayes’s arm. He takes a step back at her touch, but it does nothing to stop her advances as she continues to laugh and chat with him.
“This isn’t the place for jealousy.” Reina watches the girls surrounding my husband. “Even if he does care about you, he’s a Twisted King. They do what they want. If you can’t get used to it, this isn’t the world for you.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a fact.” She shrugs. “Take it however you want. But as you can see, there’s no changing what this is. You either accept this place or you leave. It’s rare these men are faithful.”
My stomach turns, and while I suspect Reina is simply trying to get under my skin, I don’t think she’s completely full of shit. Most of the guys here are moving between women like they have no attachments. How many have girlfriends or wives somewhere else?
Is that what Hayes expects of me? For me to look the other way?
He didn’t approve of his father cheating on his mother, so would he really marry me just to do the same? Infidelity tore his family apart, but we haven’t discussed his boundaries.
The beautiful girl standing near Hayes is a pillar of proof that, at the club, he’ll be surrounded by endlessoptions. While I’m at home with Charlie, what will he be doing here?
It shouldn’t matter after my conversation with my uncle. I don’t know how long we’ll be here. Still, this painful tug of jealousy is a living being inside me.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure he won’t get bored.” Reina shrugs like she’s proud she made her point.
A malicious smile crawls up in the corner of her mouth.
She wants to scare me off, either for her amusement or because she wants Hayes to herself. A month ago, her attempts might have worked. Back then, it was safer to hide behind my defenses than stick up for myself.
But I’m not that girl anymore.
Reina doesn’t know me, and while she’s trying to convince me she knows Hayes, she only knows the side of him he shows at the club. There’s a whole other person when it’s just the two of us.
So she can try to provoke me, and she can call me out for being jealous if she wants.
Maybe I am. Maybe I’m a little possessive as well. But maybe Hayes doesn’t mind it. After all, he was the one who said he wanted me as is. He’s never asked me to change.
I throw back the final sip of my drink, setting the empty glass on the bar a touch harder than necessary.
“I guess we’ll see if he gets bored or not.” My smile isn’t anything close to sweet, and it makes hers fall.
Good.
It’s not her Hayes is watching as I cross the room. He doesn’t even spare her aglance.
