Page 177 of Her Defiant Warrior

He took three deep breaths, then pulled out Lainey’s chair. “Your mother would like you to sit next to her while the toasts are being made, so we’ll change seats. Okay?”

She gave him a grateful smile and slid into the seat he had just vacated. He sat down in hers. Lainey was already switching their dessert plates, like that mattered. He knew what he was hungry for, and that was vengeance. This motherfucker had taken advantage of Lainey when she was in a spot where she could do nothing about it, and was doing it while he was seated right next to his pregnant wife. It didn’t matter that his wife was a snide, jealous bitch. She was his wife. The woman he married and had children with. This man wasn’t even worth the title.

Trey gave him a cautious look when Mateo settled down into Lainey’s seat. Mateo took a few bites of his food, not even knowing what it was he was eating, just biding his time. He wanted the asshole to get a little complacent. After Trey took his second sip of scotch, Mateo leaned over. “Put your hand on my thigh,” he commanded.

“What?” Trey looked at him in shock.

“It’s what you were doing to Lainey,” he whispered quietly, not wanting either of the two women to hear. “Now I want you to put your hand on my thigh.”

“What, you want me to jerk you off?” Trey gave a harsh laugh. He picked up his glass of scotch to take another sip.

“Put your hand on my thigh, and maybe I won’t arrange to have your hands cut off tonight.”

Trey dropped his glass.

“What the hell, Trey.” Bennett hissed. “My God. You’re a mess. Don’t have another drink tonight.” She waved for a server to come over with a towel, and they cleaned up the mess.

“Now, drink water for the rest of the night,” Bennett said.

“Put your hand on my thigh,” Mateo whispered.

Trey put his trembling hand on Mateo’s thigh and Mateo held his hand down with his right hand.

“Now, Trey, I’m going to need you to be really quiet. Can you be quiet?”

“I was just complimenting her.” Trey mumbled.

“You were touching her, weren’t you?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Is this the first time you touched her?” Mateo whispered the question as he looked across the crowded room.

“No. I mean yes.”

The servers began taking their dessert dishes, and Mateo knew the toasts would soon start. It would be Lee, Bennett, Bart, and Lainey. There would be applause. He would time things just right.

“How many women have you touched when they haven’t wanted you to touch them?” Mateo asked.

“None!”

Mateo listened to the clinking of the glass and heard Lee’s voice as he said something that he couldn't care less about. Soon, there was clapping all around the room.

“We need to clap,” Trey hissed.

“Actually, we don’t,” Mateo smiled. “Just nod your head.”

Lee had been on the left far end, now it was Bennett’s turn on the right far end. She got up and Mateo again tuned out what she was saying.

“We need to clap.”

Mateo smiled. “No, we don’t.”

“You should have clapped,” Bennett hissed when she sat down.

“Sorry, honey.”

Bart was up next, and again Mateo ignored the toast. He could feel Trey squirming in his seat, wondering what the hell Mateo’s game was.