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I glance at Demetri who has a grin on his face. Their banter amuses him. The glimmer in his eyes is filled with mirth. It’s something I’ve never seen on him before. “What does dolcezza mean?” I turn in Demetri’s arms and ask.
But it’s Lilah who answers. “Sweetness.” She mischievously grins. “Because I have a sweet ass cookie between my legs. Don’t I, baby?” She pops up and plants a kiss on his lips.
I have all of two seconds to process the thought that she has an affectionate endearment whereas mine is referring to me as a puppy before I’m ripped out of Demetri’s arms and pulled across the room to the steps with five stunning women in tow. I glance back at my husband. He doesn’t look happy, but he doesn’t stop it either.
“Welcome to the family,” Lilah yells as she leads the way down the private stairs. “You know Sofia and Jessica, right?” She stops and points at the two women laughing at her.
“You know you’re in big trouble, right?” Sofia yells over the music.
“I love being in trouble.” Lilah laughs. “Anyway. That right there is Nikki, Sofia’s and Antonio’s sister. The redhead is Isabelle, Giovanni’s wife, in case you didn’t know. And you clearly know Paisley because she’s your bestie.” She whoops. “Now let’s dance ladies!” She looks up at the balcony where all the men are standing, watching like salivating vultures and yells, “I love you, wolfie!” Then blows him a kiss as she hustles down the steps.
I shake my head and continue following her. The dance floor is packed. Heavy beats vibrate the space. Smoke machines fill the air. Fire shoots out from torches every fifteen minutes.Womanby Doja Cat blasts from the speaker. Lilah and Sofia start jumping around and rush the dance floor. Paisley grabs my hand and pulls me along. A few times I see her glancing up at the balcony while we dance. I think nothing of it until I see my brother slowly shake his head and move away from the balcony. I can’t help but wonder what that is about as we dance to song after song. I make a mental note to ask her later. The men continue to stand at the railing, watching us. When the beginning beats ofConsensualby Landon Tewers starts to play, morphing into another sensual song, I face Demetri and start to move seductively. The DJ mixes it with a third song that’s perfect. I lift my face to meet his heavy gaze and move my body to the music as if we are the only two in the club. I watch him adjust his stance and flex his fingers against the chrome railing. His watchful eye is solely on me. Smoke billows above him from his cigarette, creating an even more mysterious aura around him. He takes a sip of his drink then swipes the remnants off his bottom lip. Our connection is lost when I see him lift his phone to his ear. His features morph from a tense sexual expression to one of anger. Then he turns away, our connection lost. I turn back to the girls and set my attention on them. I glance up at the balcony a few times, but he doesn’t return. My feelings are a bit bruised, but I also understand he doesn’t live a typical lifestyle. The call may have been important, so I turn my attention back to my bestie.
I grab Paisley’s arm and yell over the music, telling her I need to use the restroom. I need her help with my dress. Sofia and Lilah overhear me and decide to go with us. When I ask if we should go back upstairs, I’m assured that we have enough discrete security that it is okay to use the bathroom on the main floor. We’re a loud gaggle of drunk women as we walk down the long dim hallway. We break off and slip into our own stalls. Paisley helps me with my dress in the handicap one at the end. Sofia and Lilah finish way before we do. Instead of waiting for us, I suggest they go back out and dance. Lilah tells us to meet them at the back bar where she will have drinks waiting for us. When we exit, women primping in the mirror complement my dress and how flattering it is on my figure as we wait to wash our hands. I feel good. Happy. Giddy with a confidence I haven’t felt in a long time. And it’s not just from me being more than tipsy. I feel like I belong.
We leave the bathroom and make our way towards the bar, laughing the whole way there. My plan is to get a drink with the girls and then head back up to the lounge and see if I can get Demetri to dance with me. We only shared one slow dance right after we completed our vows. Then we were pulled in two different directions only meeting up for a few minutes here and there.
Paisley and I are joking and laughing, talking about trivial things as we make our way to the back bar when I stop dead in my tracks after passing a hallway. It takes me a second to process and Paisley continues walking, not realizing I stopped, but I take two steps back to make sure I saw what I think I saw. In my heart I know I wasn’t mistaken. How could I be? I just married the man.
There, standing in the hallway, is Demetri with a woman, her back forcefully pushed up against the wall by my husband’s hand. She is same woman that was just upstairs with him and had a heated one-sided conversation with him before he cut her off and sent her on her way. Looking up at him, her hand movements are sharp and expressive as she talks. When she points at the door directly to the side of them, he releases her chest and grabs her upper arm and pushes her into the room, slamming the door once he passes through.
Paisley, who is now standing next to me grabs my wrist and calls my attention to her. “Was that Demetri who just went into that room with that woman?” I can only nod before I lift my dress as best I can and start in that direction, Paisley right behind me. “What are you going to do?”
“I have the right to know why my husband of only four hours just went behind closed doors with another woman. Why he had his hands on her. Don’t I?”” My heels stomp on the concrete floor.
“Haven, seriously, slow down. Think before you do something you’ll regret.”
“I’ll regret nothing.”
“There has to be some kind of reasonable explanation.”
“Isn’t there always.” My voice dry as I continue my path of fact finding.
“Haven, you need to calm down. It’s your wedding day. I mean, he wouldn’t, would he?”
“I’m about to find out.”
I come to a complete halt outside the door. When Demetri slammed it shut, it must not have latched because the door is slightly ajar. Paisley is so close she is practically under my skin.
“I fucking warned you to mind your business,” he harshly thunders.
“I don’t care what you do to me, Demetri. She’s my best friend, and I won’t let you fuck her over.”
“You like your job?”
“Antonio won’t fire me because you can’t keep your dick in your pants.”
“I didn’t see you complaining while I fucked you and her.”
Her?
“She’s pregnant, you asshole!”
“Good for her. I hope she enjoys her life.”
“It’s yours!”
“Not mine,” he firmly disagrees.
