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It hits me like a fucking wrecking ball. The people. He’s more than happy to have me in private, but he’s too ashamed to be seen with the help in front of his rich friends.
That fucking bastard.
Everything inside of me shatters. How could I have been so stupid?
I pull back from him and stare into his eyes as every little fiber within me breaks. “So, I’m just going to be your dirty little secret then?”
“Come on, Jade. It’s not like that,” he says, sitting up so he can get a bit closer.
“Oh, really?” I grunt, watching as his eyes harden, realizing that I hit the nail on the head. “Then please tell me what it’s like because I’m fucking dying to know.”
Colton stands and looks down at me as a frustrated groan pulls from deep within him, making it appear as though dealing with my drama is some kind of chore. “Jade,” he murmurs, trying to keep our conversation private as he reaches for me.
“No,” I say, pulling out of his reach. “If I’m not good enough to have in front of your pathetic friends, then I’m not good enough period. Whatever this is, it’s through. Nic was right. You’re just looking for some bitch who’s going to bend to your will, but that’s not me. I don’t get hidden away.”
I turn and go to walk away but he catches my wrist, pulling me back to him. “Jade, come on,” he urges, staring down into my eyes but keeping a distance between us that makes it look somewhat professional. “You know what the fuck I’m facing with the board. If they knew we were … you know?”
“If we were what, Colton? Friends? Together? Screwing around? What would it matter? You’re the fucking boss, if they don’t like it, they can fuck off, but you’re choosing your precious reputation over everything else, just like your father always did.”
His stare hardens and anger pulses through him, his hold tightening on my wrist. “That’s not fair.”
“No?” I question, tearing my wrist free. “Then prove me wrong. Kiss me right fucking here for the world to see.”
“I can’t,” he whispers, silently begging me to give in, the way he’s so used to the rest of the world doing.
I shake my head. “I don’t come second place to anything, Colton. Just forget about it. I’m done.”
I walk away and find myself back in the kitchen wearing my heart on my sleeve. I grab what’s left of the vodka bottle and throw it back, feeling the burn as it travels down my throat. “Uh oh,” Hendrix says. “Trouble in paradise? What happened?”
“Nothing worth mentioning,” I tell her, tearing open the door to the private bar and welcoming myself in as my heart sits heavy in my chest. I grab the first bottle I can wrap my fingers around and walk back out, holding it out to her, “Now, are you going to be a little pussy or are you ready to get really fucked up.”
Hendrix takes the bottle from me and uncaps it with a tight smile. “You better fucking believe it.”
A body steps in behind me and I’m crowded against the counter, a hand on either side of my hips keeping me caged. “Are you alright?” Charlie murmurs in my ear. “That looked rough.”
Fuck.
I turn in Charlie’s arms and look up into his caring eyes, knowing damn well that a man with such a pure heart is way too good for me, but at the same time, if he wants to play with fire and ignore the warnings, then that’s on him.
I push up onto my toes and raise my chin so my lips hover just in front of his. “Dance with me, Hot Sauce.”
Charlie’s eyes narrow as he stares down at me. He knows there’s only one right answer and that’s to tell me no. He knows that Colton’s going to be pissed and he knows that he’s going to come after him the second he steps out of my arms despite the way he denies that there’s anything between us. Hell, Charlie even knows that I’m using him just to make Colton jealous, but damn it, he’s not pulling away.
“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”
“So fucking much.”
“Then you better give me all you’ve got.”
Chapter 17
The afternoon sun streams through my bedroom window and I groan, wondering why I had to go and prove some ridiculous point to Colton last night.
Charlie and I practically screwed on the dance floor while I watched Colton’s eyes get darker by the second. Charlie sure as hell wasn’t too ashamed of me to show me off in front of all his friends. Though, knowing Charlie, having a rumor attaching him to me would most likely be the perfect ‘fuck you’ to his dickhead father. After his third time asking me to slip out to the pool house with him, I decided enough was enough.
