face distracted me from the knowledge that she was here in New York, and she was here for me.
“Vicky,” I mumbled, confused and…well, worried.
Her hateful green gaze shot towards Simone and I watched her take a deep breath, calming whatever demons were in her head.
Then I watched in horror as Vicky walked towards Simone with her hand out, presumably for a handshake. “Hello,” she said. “I’m Victoria McGrath.”
Simone took her hand. “Hi. I’m Simone Lockwood. It’s nice to meet you.” Of course, Simone would say it’s nice to meet her because Simone knew all about Vicky. Nalia has been teasing me for weeks over Vicky and I hadn’t been safe from Simone’s teasing either.
Vicky dropped Simone’s hand and turned to face me. “Damien lent me G&C’s private plane,” she started to explain. “He felt we had a few things that needed clearing up.” She glanced at Simone really quick before directing her attention back towards me. “Thank you for clearing things up for me, Will.”
She turned to leave, and I finally snapped out of my man-moment. I reached out and snatched her by her arm. “Vicky-”
She wrenched herself out of my hold. “Do not touch me,” she seethed.
I absolutely despised the words that were about to leave my lips, but they were the truth. “Vicky, it’s not what it looks like.”
Her brows shot up. “So, it didn’t look like I walked in on you and another woman with your hands on her hips and your face in her crotch?”
“Whoa…hold up,” Simone jumped in. “It’s-”
Vicky turned towards Simone. “No need to explain,” she said. “You’re not the one I expected to keep their hands to themselves.”
“Vicky!” I bit out, trying to take control of this clusterfuck. “It’s not what you fucking think!”
She was so wrapped up in her fears-come-true, she wasn’t even bothering to listen to me. “And you had the nerve to accuse me of not being able to go without sex,” she added, complete disgust in her voice.
“Uh, he’s telling the truth,” Simone said, no doubt trying to come to my rescue. “It really isn’t what it looks like.”
Vicky ignored her and kept throwing her well-aimed daggers my way. “Tell me, Will. What would you do if you had walked in on some guy with his hands on my hips?” she asked.
She made her point, but that didn’t help dispel my anger at the image she planted in my head. “I’d fucking kill him,” I growled out.
She smirked and had the fucking nerve to give me a little head bow. “Exactly,” she replied. “Don’t treat me like I’m being unreasonable, Will. Not when you’d jump to the same fucking conclusions.”
Before I could comment, Nalia walked into the room and I saw her pause as soon as she took in the tension in the room. But after her misstep, she made her way over to Simone. Her eyes landed on each one of us before she asked me, “What’s going on?”
Simone spoke, and I suspect it was so that Vicky couldn’t call me a liar. “I raided Will’s candy jar and smudge some chocolate on my dress.”
“Jesus, Will,” Nalia scolded. “I’ve told you before to put that damn candy jar away whenever you know Simone’s stopping by.” Nalia reached out and wrapped her arm around Simone’s waist. “If I have to stick her with diabetic needles later, I’m blaming you.”
Simone sighed dramatically. “It was only three pieces,” she said, defending her love of sweets. But then she got serious again. “Anyway, Will was helping me get the stain out with some club soda and, uhm, his girlfriend, Victoria, walked in.”
Simone and Nalia were a striking pair, with Nalia exotic Asian heritage and Simone’s blonde hair-blue eyes, All-American girl look. They were both beautiful women, but you could only see love between them when they were together. They weren’t all PDA, they just glowed around one another.
Nalia cocked her head, reading the situation correctly, and doing her best to give me and Vicky some privacy. “Well, we’re going to be late for the charity gala if we don’t hurry up and get a move on,” she said, already grabbing Simone’s hand. She turned towards Vicky. “I’m Nalia, by the way. I work for Will and Damien.” She lifted her and Simone’s joined hands. “This is Simone, my wife.”
Victoria’s voice gave nothing away. “Nice to meet you. You both are incredibly lucky women.”
Simone couldn’t help but smile even though the situation was an awful one. “I know I am.”