“No. God no. I love both of you and I’m glad you’ve found each other.” Her admission of her feelings towards Cello caused me to miss Matteo. He had only been gone a couple of hours but my heart ached for him. Something twisted at my gut suddenly but I couldn’t quite place what it was.
“What’s wrong?” Nika asked me, her brows furrowing.
“Just a weird feeling.” I shrugged it off, shaking myself. “It’s probably nothing.”
A half an hour later, Emily Griffin, showed up. I hadn’t seen her since Matteo and I went to Duncan’s BDSM club.
She smiled at me. “How are you?” she asked, embracing me in a quick hug.
“I’m fine. How are you?”
She winked, fluffing her long dark hair. “Oh you know. Same old same old.”
Emily was more Nika’s friend. I always found that she was hiding something. The tall woman with her alabaster skin and ruby red lips was beautiful but there was an underlining threat hidden behind her pale blue eyes.
I liked her. But I didn’t trust her. “Where are the other girls?” I asked, sitting down.
“Cello needed them to work,” Emily said, grabbing the glass of wine that Nika had handed her.
“More girl time for us,” Nika said, clinking her glass against Emily’s.
It was odd though. I wasn’t close with any of the other girls but we got along. We had hung out before but I found it strange that they wouldn’t have at least texted me to say they couldn’t come.
“Is that an engagement ring?” Emily asked, her gaze landing my hand.
“Um…yes. Yes it is.” The scrutiny she was giving the ring on my finger made me think that she couldn’t believe someone would want to marry me.
“Huh…interesting,” her voice dripped with icy contempt. “I hope he makes you happy.”
I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting at the intensity she was giving me. “He does.”
Her eyes bored into mine.
“Mae is also pregnant,” Nika exclaimed. “Oh shit. Was it supposed to be a secret?”
“No.” I smiled. “It’s fi—”
“You’re pregnant with…his baby?” Emily asked, a flush of pink creeping up her neck.
“I am,” I said slowly, wondering why the hell she was questioning it.
“And you are sure it’s his?” She sat back, crossing her long leg over the other.
“Emily,” Nika scolded.
“Of course it’s his. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well cheating is a new norm. I wouldn’t be too excited if I were him until I knew for sure the little brat was mine.” Emily shrugged. “Just saying.” She rose to her feet. “Where’s the bathroom?”
“Down the hall, first door on the left,” I mumbled.
“Thanks!” She blew me a kiss and headed inside.
“What the hell was that about?” Nika blew out a breath.
No kidding. I didn’t know what her issue was or why she cared.
“Did you fall in?” Nika teased Emily when she walked out onto the patio a couple minutes later.
Emily didn’t answer as she sat back on the bench across from us. “Did you have fun at the club?”
“The club?” I frowned.
“The one we ran into each other at.”
“Oh. Yes, I did.” Memories of Matteo’s whip lashing across my skin sent a flush of heat over my body.
“Do you go there often?” she asked, tapping her red nails on the arm of the couch.
“I’ve only been there once,” I answered. I could see from the corner of my eye, Nika looking back and forth between us, probably wondering what was going on. But even I didn’t know.
“Did you like it? Did you enjoy being dominated? Do you submit every time you fuck your fiancé or do you play the Domme at times too?” She sat forward, licking her full gloss injected lips, her eyes roaming down my body. “Baby or not, I would love to tear your body open.”
Nika gasped from beside me, spouting question after question at Emily but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. I could only focus on Emily’s words piercing into my heart.
“Does Matteo like it when you scream for him?” she asked, a wicked grin spreading on her face.
“Who are you?” I asked, an icy cold shiver of fear gripping my spine.
Emily held her hand out in front of her, inspecting her nails. “You’re not stupid, Mae. Tell me, Marketa. Do you enjoy seeing my marks on your fiancé’s body?”
Morgan.
Matteo
Flipping through the papers, I let out a heavy sigh and a long string of curse words. This was why I had Cathy in the first place but even she was