Page 7 of The Sin of True Love
“Who do you think you are?” Taylor chimes in, giggling. “Michelle’s life coach?”
I hide my smile. She’s got a point. I’m probably coming off pushy, and Taylor’s just looking out for her friend. After all, she doesn’t know me from Adam.
“She’s not single,” she adds. “But I am.”
Michelle groans. Just then, there’s a commotion at the door. I look up and see Jerry and two of his friends heading right for us. Jerry does not look happy.
“Well, well, well,” he sneers, glaring right at me. “Look who we have here. Stalking my fiancée now?”
“Actually I was just out for a drink and I happened to see Michelle sitting here. So I came over to say hi.”
“Right. And I’m Spiderman,” he scoffs.
“Speaking of stalking,” Michelle chimes in. “How did you even know I was here, Jerry? Have you been following me? Do you have an app on my phone or something?”
Jerry bites his lip and shifts his feet.
Busted, buddy.
“Hey, if it’s just a big coincidence that you and Mr. Saw Boy over here ran into each other”—he gestures dismissively at me—“why can’t it be a coincidence with me?”
I’m getting heated. The arrogance is dripping off this bastard like condensation dripping off a tub of cottage cheese.
“Because a guy like you wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like this,” I say, standing. “Not without a good reason. Like, say, tracking his fiancée’s every move?”
Jerry’s wanna-be tough guy friend behind him steps forward. “Watch your mouth, pal.”
“Or what? You gonna throw Daddy’s money at me?”
Jerry laughs and steps right into my face. “Listen, pal. I get it. You don’t like me. I’m rich. My family’s rich. We could buy whatever shitty little neighborhood you grew up in and tear the whole thing down. You’ll never have a life like mine, and that kills you.”
His perfect teeth gleam as he talks. It looks like he’s had them whitened. Or maybe he’s just never had a cavity. Either way, even the way he speaks says “money.”
I can feel the rage inside me reaching a boil as he refuses to shut his mouth.
“But I know what really drives you crazy is that you have to build the house that I’m going to live in with a girl you thought you actually had a chance with.”
My fists clench at my sides. My jaw goes tight. My abs tense.
“You’re going to sweat and struggle every day to put that house together, and when it’s all done, I’m going to take that girl you want so badly inside it, and I’m gonna fuck her brains out–”
That’s it.
I swing.
The next thing I expect to feel is this son of a bitch’s cheekbone against my knuckles. But that’s not what happens.
I feel about six hands grabbing me all over and my crew’s voices loud in my ears.
“Whoa, take it easy! Take it easy!” Rodney says as they all pull me back from Jerry.
“You bastard!” I rage, completely out of control. I struggle, but my boys have got me. I can’t break free of all three of them.
Somehow, the old man at the door has woken up from his nap and is screaming loudly for us to get out.
“Yeah, get out of here, Saw Boy,” Jerry laughs as I’m hauled away. “Go back to the side of town where you belong!”
He and all his friends laugh as I’m dragged out of the bar and into the parking lot. The boys finally let me go, and I try to rush back inside, but Dave boxes me out.