learn?”
“The student who thinks he’s become the teacher.” I snicker at him. “I was you once, but I’ve learned, as will you at some point.”
“Shit.” He sneers as if what I described is not even a remote possibility. “How is one pussy better than any pussy I want? You cannot refute that logic.”
“Oh, you’ll see.” I gesture to his date. “Probably not with fake tits over there, but some day.” I look right at Mary and can’t picture myself even thinking of another woman.
I turn back to Penn. I used to be just like him and thought I was on top of the world. Thought I could never limit myself to just one woman. Now, I can’t think of anything but one woman. The rest do not exist.
“Bitch,” Penn mumbles.
I laugh. He can call me whatever he wants. I’m happier than anyone else here at this party, by far. And that’s the point of life—happiness.
I give him a friendly little pat on the shoulder. “I’m gonna go steal my girlfriend from your date before she talks her out of sucking your little Earthworm Jim tonight. You’re welcome, ho.”
Penn laughs hysterically and says, “Much appreciated,” right to my back.
It doesn’t take much to pry Mary away and we head inside. As soon as we walk in, Mary catches me staring at all the bottles lined up across the bar.
“You’re a grown man, you know?”
I turn to her. “It’s not that I don’t want to offend you or think I need permission to have a drink.”
“What is it then?”
I pin her with my gaze. “I don’t want my mind altered for one second when I’m with you.”
Mary’s pulse speeds up a little, most likely because of the way I look at her.
I take a step to close the distance between us, and my hands go to her hips.
“Is that so?” She whispers the question in my ear.
Instead of responding with words, I kiss her, long and hard, right in front of everyone at the party. A public display that works better than anything I could possibly say. Show not tell, and all that artsy bullshit.
I think it drives the point home well enough, judging by her reaction when I pull away.
“Now, let’s do what we need to do, so I can have you home in my bed soon.” I growl in her ear. “Where we belong.”
Everything is awesome for the next hour or so. We say congrats to Abigail and Dex, talk to everyone, mingle.
Then, the one fucked up thing that could ruin my entire night happens.
I silently prayed all night that it wouldn’t, regardless of the fact I knew it was inevitable. It’s the one voice I don’t want to hear, and I have to tamp down my anger the second it rings out through the crowd.
“Fuckers!”
I wince the second I hear it, and slowly turn my head to verify with my eyes.
Wells Covington walks through the door with a woman on each arm.
Covington has glared at me every chance he’s had for the past hour. I haven’t left Mary’s side.
Fuck him and whatever he knows.
I’m aware that ridiculous attitude won’t get me anywhere. He’s powerful and has money and no doubt has people covering his interests the same way Decker has me doing the same. I can’t ignore this problem, no matter how bad I want to.
Decker and Tate walk up and take Mary to the side for something.
Now, I’m at my table all alone, exposed. It’s about to happen. I can see it all unfold beforehand, a chess play three moves in advance.
Sure enough, Covington sees the opportunity and pounces.
The anxiety builds in my chest the second I notice him snaking his way through the crowd of people. He does it slowly and methodically, doesn’t seem one bit intimidated or rattled.
I notice every minute reaction with his body language. He’s tough to read, but I don’t see any worry with anything he does.
Not good.
He takes a seat right next to me like he owns the place.
I look straight ahead, doing my best not to give anything away. I want to interrogate him, ask a million questions, but that would give me away in a heartbeat. I can’t let that happen.
Truth be told, I don’t mind this dude that much, he’s even funny sometimes, but I’m not going to deal with any of his bullshit. My face heats up and I can’t stop it. If this was work, it’d be easy, but I’m emotionally attached to this and you can’t