AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Neither is jealousy.”
“Me? Jealous of you?” She rolls her eyes and scoffs. “You’re fucking Beck. That doesn’t make you special. Nine women out of ten that you pass on the street in Seattle have seen the inside of his bedroom.”
“And yet ten out of ten of those women have had to find someone else to love. Including you.”
Her sneer ticks up a notch. “I should’ve left you in that shithole of a diner where I fucking found you.” She adjusts her posture, leaning in closer, floral breath wafting over me like sweetness sprayed on top of rot. “Tell me, how much did you and your trashy little friends make in a night at that dump? How many customers did you all have to fuck to make rent?”
Oh hell no. No, she didn’t.
“Don’t talk about my friends.”
And then, because I can picture the face Cassie would make, the hurt that would cloud her eyes if she heard anyone talk about her this way, I channel my inner Monroe and give Vivian a shove.
It’s not much, but it’s enough to make her stumble back. Her arms pinwheel and she pretends to go down. But it’s fake as hell, because I damned sure didn’t push her hard enough to make her fall.
She cries out as her ass smacks the concrete floor—that part probably hurt more than she intended—and all hell breaks loose.
The employees in the tunnel, one of the team’s training staff, and a guy in a bright blue shirt that reads STAFF all run over and check on her. One of the security guys inserts himself between me and Vivian.
She leaps back to her feet, spitting mad. “You little bitch! You’re fired. You’resofucking fired.”
I expected nothing else. I’m honestly amazed I’ve made it this far. “Good! Then I can beat your ass for real now.”
Before Beck, I wasn’t a fighter. I’d see trashy reality show girls ripping out hair and clawing each other’s faces off and I’d laugh.Who would ever do such a thing?
Now, though, I get it.
It’s just about having something worth fighting for.
So I channel my innerReal Housewifeand lunge for Vivian’s throat. All I can think as I go is that Beck would be so proud of me.
But the security guy loops an arm around my waist and snatches me back before I can get close enough to do any real damage. My hand closes around nothing but air.
“Easy there, miss!” he cries out. The other Good Samaritans pull Vivian out of reach. But I don’t look away from her, not for a second. If looks could kill, she’d be a smoking pile of rubble right now.
She crossed a line. I don’t care what she says about me, but bringing Cassie and Monroe into is out of bounds.
Nobody fucks with my friends.
“I’m going to sue you and your fucking boyfriend!” Vivian hisses.
“Go ahead!” I call right back. “See how many clients want to work with you after that. Beck’s going to burn you to the ground.”
The security guy starts carrying me away down the hallway. “Miss Reeves, please.” His voice is stern but soft. “Let me get you out of here before the press sees…”
That’s a valid point. I sigh as we round the corner and Vivian disappears from sight.
The last thing Beckett needs in light of all of his new endorsement deals is to have his name in a headline about a catfight in the arena.
But I can’t be here knowing Vivian might still be in the building. I need fresh air. I need to decompress, before I murder some innocent bystander who doesn’t deserve my wrath.
So when I’m finally calm, I peel myself free of the concerned security guy. “I’m fine,” I tell him. “I’m just gonna get in my car and leave, okay? Thanks.”
I pat him on the back. He’s frowning, but he lets me go.
The sun is setting when I emerge. I meander through the parking lot until I find the car. Then I drive straight to the diner.
Roe is gonna be so proud when she hears this story.
