Page 26 of Fake Crown

While we wait for Imani and her bridesmaids to appear, I scan the crowd. Posey is sitting beside Natalie, and the two of them are deep in conversation about who knows what. My gaze lingers on her for a beat before I check to see who else is here. Most of the people I saw last night on the terrace, but long dark hair on the opposite side of the aisle stops my heart cold. She’s twisted around speaking to someone behind her, but I’d recognize her anywhere.

What the fuck is Val doing here?

The music starts for Imani to come down the aisle, but instead of watching the wedding, I’m trying to figure out how Val wrangled an invitation or if she’s truly crashing. When the crowd rises for the bride, the guy Val is sitting beside clicks in my mind. Trevor’s sleazy cousin. Her talons are wrapped around his forearm as she watches Imani.

That’s a new low. Even for her.

The whole ceremony, I can barely focus. Val’s here, and instead of being happy Posey is present to run interference, I’d prefer they didn’t meet. They’re as different as two people can be.

Their only similarity is a lack of filter. Where Posey’s boldness tends to be playful; Val is vicious. A wildcat cornered. I’ve seen her take down more than one woman who expressed too much interest in me. While I have no doubt Posey is quick enough to hold her own, she shouldn’t have to.

The vows conclude, and Trevor and Imani file down the aisle. I’m jittery waiting for my turn to take the arm of the bridesmaid who’s my partner. Somehow, I manage to make it to the cocktail area to grab a drink.

Do I rush to warn Posey, or do I avoid her to keep Val off the scent? Earlier I was patting myself on the back for taking a risk on the chat server, and now I’m sweating bullets at the idea of the two women meeting.

The decision is snatched from me when I catch sight of Posey approaching from the right while Val zeroes in on me from the left. I close my eyes and send up a prayer to a higher power.

Val reaches me first, and I cringe inside. I shoot a quick glance in Posey’s direction, and I hope she somehow realizes I don’t want her to come over right now. Her pace slows, and a frown sits between her brows.

Yep, it’s Val. Stay away, Posey.

Val has dragged Stephen, Trevor’s cousin, along with her. Her nails are half-moons in his arm, but he’s either too drunk or too high to care. Where did she dig him up?

“No date?” Val asks, and she peers around me with false innocence. She turns to Stephen, and she cups his cheek. “Stephen heard you and I broke up, and he swooped in to rescue me from heartbreak.”

“A woman on the rebound is not something you turn down,” Stephen says, and his drink sloshes over the edge of his cup. “Am I right?”

“Lucky you,” I say. Turn down, huh? Sounds like someone swooped, but it wasn’t him. She probably sent him a DM and invited herself. Her attractiveness is a weapon she wields with ease. “When did you two arrive?”

Val glares at me. She wants me to respond like I normally would. Consumed by jealousy, I’d cart her off for a conversation that would turn into a hot reunion against the side of a building.

“This morning,” Stephen says, and he takes another gulp of his drink.

“That’s right.” Val straightens. “We watched them set up the chairs for the wedding from our room. We have a great view.”

“Sure do.” Stephen stares at the cleavage spilling out of her dress.

His focus is clear. Get drunk. Get laid.

A twinge of something stirs in my gut. Not jealousy, but I can’t pinpoint the emotion.

Her focus is also obvious. Make me jealous. Knowing her, she’ll do whatever it takes to provoke a reaction. We’ve done this pattern before. Dysfunctional to the nth degree. Trevor was right last night. Val and I are always one wrong word away from breaking apart. Even if we’d loved each other, there was no longevity there.

I’m in for a long, uncomfortable evening filled with excessive PDA between her and Stephen through drinks, dinner, and the after party. While I might have come to my senses about us, she hasn’t.

She’s after me, whether I want her to be or not.

“I hope you two have a good night,” I say, and I try to extract myself from the conversation.

“I need to speak to you privately for a minute.” Val grabs my arm before I can get past her.

“Brent,” Posey says from a few feet away. “I’ve been looking for you.”

The tightness in my shoulders eases at the sound of her voice, but a stone of dread drops into my stomach at Posey and Val meeting.

Val’s expression rotates from seductive to suspicious. “Who’s that?” she spits out.

Posey arrives, and she wraps herself around me. She extends her hand to Val and gives her a wide grin.