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“Wine? Get me some fucking vodka.” I release her and straighten, accepting Aaron’s brief hug. “Congratulations,” I say to him. “You’re quite the badass now.”
He laughs. “Shh, Liv. Don’t tarnish my previous reputation. I don’t want my employees to know I’m really a soft bastard.”
I grin. “Oh, damn. I forgot to tell the baker not to put that on the cake.”
He laughs, and Tyler wraps an arm around me, pulling me into him. For a second, I close my eyes and savor the warmth of his body against mine. For a second, I relax into the way his hand curves around my waist and holds me to him with certainty.
Then the moment is broken by the sound of a voice cutting through.
“Tyler! How great to see you. I didn’t realize you’d be here tonight.”
He turns, not releasing me, and faces the newcomer. She’s brunette, her hair so dark it’s almost black, and her light-brown eyes are almost the color of honey. She’s slim where I’m curved, and I can’t help but notice that she’s my opposite in every way.
I also can’t help but notice my sudden and irrational desire to cling to Tyler like a freakin’ koala and tell this bitch to fuck off to the Grand Canyon. Or somewhere equally far away.
“My cousin is the guest of honor. Why wouldn’t I be?” he responds casually.
I catch the twitch of Dayton’s lips. My eyes flick to hers. Her gaze meets mine, the glint in her eye undecipherable.
“Of course.” Brunette Bitch smiles. “How about a dance? To catch up?”
“I don’t think so. I’m here with somebody.”
“Tyler Stone on a date? Wonders will never cease.” Her smile turns spiteful. “I’m sure she won’t mind us catching up for old time’s sake.” Her light gaze cuts to mine.
“Actually, she would,” I reply, my hand fisting the back of Tyler’s jacket. “But she’ll let him go as not to look a total bitch in public, because who would want that?”
My words wipe the smile off her face and a smug glow settles in my stomach.
Yeah. I know how this game is played. I get it—she fucked him. Well, now I’m fucking him, and she better believe he’ll be coming back to me in three and a half minutes when this song is over.
“Are you sure?” Tyler whispers in my ear.
“I’m your date, not your girlfriend. You can do whatever you want.”
When I let him go, he steps toward her with a reluctant glance back to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Aaron kiss Dayton on the cheek and greet another man in a suit, but my full gaze is on Tyler leading this woman to the floor.
I lean against the bar next to Dayton, and she hands me a glass of vodka and Coke.
“He doesn’t know her name,” we say simultaneously. A small laugh leaves us both.
“Seriously,” I say, sipping my drink. “I don’t know whether to be annoyed that he’s fucked so many women he can’t remember their names or impressed that he’s fucked so many women and can remember mine.”
“Both,” Dayton replies. “Definitely both.”
My eyes cut to him dancing with Brunette Bitch. Definitely both, all right.
“He doesn’t actually care about her, you know?” Day says, breaking into my thoughts. “He doesn’t care about any of them. You can’t care about someone you’d don’t remember or recognize.”
“It doesn’t matter if he does. We’re not in a relationship, Day. He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Okay. Like you once said to me, when you’ve come to your senses, we’ll revisit this conversation.”
I turn to her, but she studiously avoids me. Her eyes peruse the dance floor, pretending to look everywhere but at Tyler. Pretending because that’s the only place she’s looking. Because I know she’ll neuter the prick if he so much as lets his hand brush the top of the bitch’s ass.
“I’m not sure what you want me to say.” I sip my drink again.
“I want you to admit the truth. You’re as closed off as I once was. It’s how we lived, honey. But the Stone men don’t take that shit. Tyler will tear you apart until the only thing you can do is admit how you feel while the tears roll down your face.”
