Page 58 of Perfect Sin
“So they do share you,” a bitchy woman says as she walks past.
I toss my hand out, gesturing to the woman. “See what I mean?”
“Sorry, I stopped giving a shit about what people are saying. It’s been a tough day, and I just needed a friend.”
My fists clench. The truth is, their friendship still bothers me. I’ve tried to shove that feeling aside, but at this moment it’s difficult to accomplish. Especially seeing the look on her face in the picture. I’d done my best to avoid them that weekend. It was easier than to realize what my actions created.
I want her to turn to me for everything. I want to be her everything, just as she’s mine, but when I pushed her away that weekend, I made a space in her heart for Ford, one that I am starting to realize would always be there.
“You’ve never cared what anyone thought before. Fuck all of these people. They don’t know us,” Raven says, stepping away from Ford.
“I don’t usually, but it appears I do care when they question whether or not you are mine.”
She steps up to me and slips her hands up my chest. “I am yours. Them thinking otherwise doesn’t change that.”
I’m losing it, my temper, my sanity, and my edge. It’s the latter that scares me the most. Our independence hinges on Damien’s good mood. If the public doesn’t believe our marriage is real he could turn against us. We are only useful to him as long as he can use our relationship against my father.
Lucien is right; we’ve allowed ourselves to be distracted, and because of that we are no closer to freeing ourselves from Damien than when we ran weeks ago.
Grabbing her wrists I pull her hands off of me. “I need a minute.”
I know she’s hurt as I walk away, but staying would only lead me to say or do something that would make it worse. Lucien, Raven, and I rode to school together, so I choose to set out on foot. After a couple of blocks I find myself in front of the bar where I met Ford, Shane, and Ted.
“Haven’t seen you in here for a while.” The bartender sets the same beer I had on my one and only visit in front of me.
“Carlo, right?”
He nods. “You’re good with names, kid. What brings you in here today?”
I take a sip of my beer. Carlo nods. “I get it. Not much of a talker. I see you’ve added a piece of jewelry since the last time you were here.”
“Your point?” I ask.
“If your girl is willing to stand by you after the last time you were here, maybe this is the last place you should be.”
The stool next to me scrapes across the floor, and Tessa sits down. “Take it easy on him, Carlo, his wife isfriendswith Ford.”
I throw some money down on the bar and stand to leave. “I think you’re right, Carlo. This isn’t where I should be.”
Tessa reaches out and touches my hand. “Don’t run off so fast. I thought we could talk.”
“Did you follow me here?” I’m not sure if I’m more angry that she followed me or that she was able to do it without me noticing.
Tessa rolls her eyes. “Relax, I was across the street and I saw you walk in.”
“We have nothing to say to each other,” I take a step away from the bar. Nothing good can come from me chatting with her alone.
“Are you sure about that? I can help you,” she says.
“Like you helped by sharing that picture?”
She turns her body to face me. “I want Ford back. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make that happen.” She tosses her brown hair over her shoulder and continues to tug on it in a nervous gesture. “Look, I don’t have to be your enemy. I took that picture, but I didn’t send it out.”
“Then who did?”
Her eyes flicker. Despite her words there’s an underlying anger that makes her a wild card. “Who do you think? Your enemies are stacking up.”
“You gave it to Jesse.” It’s not a question.