Filthy Little Pretties - Trilina Pucci Page 0,79
Her hair swings over her shoulder as she motions to the waitress for another glass of champagne. “Did it ever occur to you that there may be reasons bigger than her need to fuck you that gives her pause? No? Of course not. God, men are so fucking simple. Always thinking with their dicks.”
Liam looks down at his plate, stabbing a sliced piece of the flank steak with the tines of his fork, obviously irritated at being called out, and I almost laugh. Caroline is telling him things he’s never considered. But I did. Donovan is insanely complicated, but I don’t give a fuck. I knew she wouldn’t cave when I issued my ultimatum last night, because I know her as well as I know myself.
I’ve waited five years for her, wished for her, dreamed of her. And not even she gets to tell me no.
Caroline pushes her salad around, bringing up a forkful to her petite nose to smell, only to set it back down, wiping her hand on the white cloth napkin.
“Did you two ever consider she doesn’t want to ruin your friendship? If you haven’t paid attention, she only hangs out with you two idiots, and vice versa. If she picks one of you, the other one becomes a memory.”
Liam waves her off, wiping his mouth. “No way. Losing our friendship would never happen.”
Caroline huffs, snapping her fingers at the waitress and holding up her glass again before turning back to Liam.
“Right. Because everything’s moving so smoothly now? Think about it—if she chooses you, then are you saying you won’t care when Grey does that thing where he basically pisses on her when any other guy is around? And what do you think Grey will do if she chooses him? Because I’m fairly certain you won’t be playing with the feathers in her hair anymore.”
Liam and I stare at each other, as her words grow our worry from all the seeds she’s planting. No matter how much we tell each other we’ll weather the storm, we’re unprepared for the destruction a particular set of blue eyes and shiny red lips would do to our twelve-year-old hearts. Because this is exactly like our first fight when we were twelve. We’re right back in the same place, fighting to be the one she wants. Except now we punch harder and below the belt.
Caroline’s new glass is delivered, and after it’s placed in front of her, she runs a finger around the rim, shaking her head.
“Like I said, that girl is out of your league. She’s haunted and beautiful but too damn much for either of you to handle. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when she chews you up and spits you out.”
Liam swallows hard, rocked by everything she’s said as I wipe my mouth and stare at Caroline.
“You underestimate me.”
“No, Grey. I don’t. You’re impatient and unreasonable, and that will come back to bite you. Especially with her. You’re going to push her away and then hate her for letting you. And all the while, you’re both ignoring the most obvious answer.”
“And that is?”
Caroline locks eyes with me and shrugs.
“She doesn’t love you.”
Twenty minutes later, I’m staring at my partially uneaten food, still hearing Caroline’s words on repeat. She sucked all the air out of the room with that sentence, even if we are outside. I can’t get it out of my head. I know what I feel, and I am absolute in my certainty that she’s feeling the same. She has to.
“Your Uber’s here, Miss McCallister,” Kai’s voice booms from the street with him half hanging out of the limo, garnering our attention.
Caroline smirks as she wipes her hands on her napkin and begins to gather her things. The car pulls to a stop, parking directly in front of us, and Kai ducks back inside, flinging the door open before emerging again to take quick steps across the sidewalk.
“What up?”
Liam and I nod our hellos, both trying to hide our underlying tension, as Caroline stands.
“Everybody good?” he throws out, looking between us.
“Never better,” I answer, placing my fork down and staring back at Liam.
Caroline grabs her purse and turns to walk back around Liam when he looks up at her and back to her plate.
“You aren’t going to eat?”
She waves him off, but he reaches out to stop her. Liam gives me another glare, this one for a different reason, so I push her plate forward, but she shakes her head again.
“I’ll grab something while shopping.”
I’m not surprised at her answer. She and food have a complicated relationship. Even in my anger, I still dusted half my plate, and I’m certain Caroline made a point to rearrange her food rather than eat it. She walks around the back of Liam as Kai grips the railing with one hand and motions with the other for the tiny leftover toasts. “Hook it up. I am hungry. What are you guys doing today?”
I don’t respond, letting Liam answer because my eyes have drifted to the familiar set of legs I see inside the limo.
My voice carries over the outside space, cracking the wind. “Are you getting out?”
Donovan’s fingers tap against her bare knees, which are taunting me through a slit in the dress she’s wearing. Memories of last night fill the crevices of my mind.
“Too chicken?”
I watch her black Doc Marten start to bounce before she scoots toward the exit of the car. So predictably brave.
“She’s here?” Liam questions just as Kai moves from blocking his view.
Donovan ducks out of the car and stands in the black limo entrance, locking sunglassed eyes with me, and lets out a deep breath. Her long dress clings to her body, dipping low in the front, but her cleavage is hidden by an indulgent amount of delicate gold chains. The iron patio gate clangs from behind me, and Caroline walks a few steps taking her place next to Donovan, smirking as she looks back at Liam and me.
“Good luck with that.”
“Are you making new friends?” I question, leaning back into my chair. “Trading us in so soon?”
She moves aside to let Caroline into the limo just as Kai pushes off the railing saying, “And I’m out,” under his breath. His hand taps Donovan’s waist as he moves past her, ducking inside and leaving her alone to face us.
“So what if I am? I didn’t think we were friends anymore, right? That’s what you said. I mean, can you blame me?”
Wrong answer.
Liam’s face darts to mine and I stand, but he follows suit, throwing his napkin on the table. Donovan’s chin raises before she takes a step back, cautious about our reaction. She turns to slide into the limo when we both jump the iron restaurant gate, coming to stand over her before she can escape.
“Not so fast,” I growl, as she turns back around and looks up at the both of us. “You know what I meant. Don’t do that.”
The freckles behind her sunglasses peek out, and I want to run my thumb over them.
“Ignore Grey. Look at me, Van.” Liam’s voice is tender with her, but she doesn’t listen. That beautiful face stays on mine as he continues, and I see it—everything I already fucking knew.
“We need to talk. Air it all out,” he says to the back of her head.
“God, and I thought having one boyfriend sounded awful.”
“Shut up, Caroline,” is said in unison by the three of us.
Donovan holds up her hands and steps in close to both of us, forcing us backward, before reaching behind herself and shutting the car door.