Hostile Territory - Marie James Page 0,86

years they were married.

“I can’t believe I chose you over him.”

“Chose?” she snaps, her eyes finally showing some heat. “Has he contacted you over the last month? Deacon doesn’t want you. Whatever you two had, even though you’re continuing to lie about it, wasn’t real. If anything, he tried hooking up with you as a second-place replacement because he lost me.”

Slap, punch, kick.

That’s exactly what it feels like she just did to me.

“Wow.” I turn up my drink, draining the last of it before flagging down the waitress. I hand over the payment for my drinks, making sure she knows I’m not paying for Dani’s. It’s a petty move, but this woman has sucked enough from my life already. If I’m going to walk away with a clean slate, it starts here and now.

“You can’t be serious,” she hisses when I stand and offer the credit card slip back to the waitress.

“That guy over there will probably help you out. Let him know before you climb into his bed tonight that you don’t love anything or anyone but yourself.”

She has the audacity to chuckle at me.

“Anna, wait!” I don’t get more than a few feet from her before she’s calling after me, but when I turn her way, it isn’t the death of our friendship that has her beckoning me. “Are you really not going to pay for my drinks?”

“Fuck you, Dani.”

Like I’ve told a hilarious joke, her laughter follows me out of the bar.

I’m gutted for the second time in the last month. I knew the “breakup” with my oldest friend was coming. Honestly, I’m shocked it took me this long to stand up to her when the regret of being linked to her started the day my condo got trashed. Dani will be just fine, however. She’s like a cat with nine lives, and she always lands on her feet.

What kills me most when I walk away is the hate and disgust I had for Deacon because he had her attention for so long. Now I feel sorry for the guy because he was somehow the long con, living his life through her manipulation. I never should’ve pulled away from him when he reached for me. If things were different, if I could turn back time, I would’ve asked for privacy without even climbing off his lap when Dani barged into that hotel suite.

Now I’ve gotten rid of the most toxic thing in my life, only I wasn’t brave enough to do it before it poisoned what Deacon and I could’ve had.

And that’s a regret I’ll have to live with forever.

Chapter 37

Deacon

Another Month Later

“I’ve been wondering where you go every evening.”

“Shut up,” I hiss.

“I’d like to say I would never have predicted this, but honestly I’m not surprised at all.”

Flynn’s British accent is even more annoying than normal for some reason today. If cuffing my hands over my ears wasn’t immature, I’d do it just to be able to sit here in silence for five damn minutes.

“Are we expecting a problem?”

“You said you’d keep your damn mouth shut if I let you tag along,” I mutter. “Do I need to shove you out of the fucking car?”

“I thought we were going to a movie. My silence would be required for that. This?” He points toward the building I’ve become all too familiar with over the last couple of weeks. “This doesn’t require silence. How often are you doing this?”

I don’t answer him, but that in and of itself is his answer. His chuckle tells me so.

“Every day?”

“Not every day,” I argue. “Some days I’m caught up with work.”

“And?” he asks with a snort because he knows me all too well.

“On those days, I have one of the other guys do it.”

“You’ve never asked me. I think I’m offended by that.”

“The other guys don’t give me shit.”

“To your face,” he clarifies.

I wouldn’t doubt that the guys are gossiping about me behind my back, but I don’t even look over at my friend for confirmation. Taking my eyes from the front of the building means I may miss the ten seconds I’ve grown to live for.

“And why do you sit outside of Anna’s building every evening?”

I narrow my eyes but don’t take them from the man holding the front door open as the chauffeured sedan slows to a stop in front.

“I don’t think this is healthy.”

“Shh.”

Another laugh I refuse to acknowledge.

“Ahh,” he nearly whispers when the back door of the sedan opens and a tanned leg emerges. “She looks amazing.”

I’d