The Wrong Mr. Darcy - Evelyn Lozada Page 0,33
large ruby ring face out. “I’m Kitty.”
Hara realized she was talking to the famous young heiress Kitty Morretti. Kitty kindly went out of her way to introduce her to the other women. None needed Hara to give them publicity, since many of them were recognizable models or TV personalities, but most were friendly. One woman was a famous trial lawyer, another owned a successful fashion line. All of the women were draped in gold and diamonds, to the point that Hara felt like she was in a jewelry commercial.
Kitty said to her, “These fine ladies are known as the Wives Association. No one messes with them, not if they want to keep their hair extensions. They’re our Queen WAGs.” At Hara’s raised eyebrow, the woman added, “WAGs. The Wives and Girlfriends. The wives and fiancées rule the kingdom, then the girlfriends.”
“And, of course, there’s always a coupla hoes hanging out, trying to be a WAG.” A woman with cute bleached curls pressed against her mocha skin laughed and added, “We like our men to be good with their balls. But we good with everything else, including managing the money, the families, and their extracurriculars. They have capable hands—”
“Very capable hands!”
“—but we are the ones who make sure they survive. And that those hands and balls don’t get into trouble.”
“Nobody can bounce me like my man. I’m gonna make sure that don’t stop.”
Names were thrown at Hara, but she simply smiled and nodded, her brain on overload. These were the long-time partners of the players. She sensed they were a tight crew.
“Speaking of hoes, you need to get ahold of your girl.” One woman pointed a long, zebra-striped nail at Naomi, still cuddled up to the Fishers’ star player. “You came in with her, right? Tina goin’ to scratch her eyes out. And if she don’t, I will.”
Hara shifted back and forth, worried for her friend. And her own immediate safety. “Tina? I thought I read somewhere they broke up?”
Kitty shrugged. “They break up twice a week. That doesn’t mean Tina is going to be lenient.”
“You son of a bitch!” someone screeched from behind them.
“Uh oh. Too late.”
Charles leisurely glanced over but didn’t move. Naomi, on the other hand, rose from the couch slowly and stood with her feet apart, a firm stance. A basketball stance. Hara almost smiled.
“Baby…” Charles started to say, as if bored.
“Shut your face.” Tina, a famous reality TV star a few years older than Naomi, was hourglass shaped with a dreadlock high bun and perfect wing-tipped eyes. She reminded Hara of her mom, when Hara was young and her mother would still get made up and go out with her father.
“You. You bitch.” The woman poked Naomi in the chest, hard. “That is my fiancé. I’m gonna snatch that Afro bald. You do a sister like this?”
Naomi, big-eyed, looked to Charles. Hara heard her whisper, “I thought you said this was done?” He didn’t answer.
Tina snorted. “Uh huh. That’s what I thought.” She tugged out her earrings—large, dangling plates of ivory—and handed them to the person closest to her. That person was Derek.
Derek raised an eyebrow. “Really, Tina? You’re not on camera. Give it a rest.”
In response, she handed him her stilettos. It was so over-the-top dramatic, Hara looked around to make sure there really wasn’t a film crew taping them.
Derek stepped between Naomi and Tina, thrusting the shoes and earrings back at the raging fiancée. “This girl is here to see me. She was just talking to Charles.”
“Now that Charles is intimately familiar with this little bitch’s bra size, it’s time for the conversation to end.”
Derek grabbed Naomi’s hand and drew the young woman to his side. She slid under his arm, tucked against him, using the rookie player as a shield.
Hara’s heart hammered. Partly because she had no desire to be part of a battle scene. But oddly, it was also because of a surprising spike of jealousy. Derek had his arm around Naomi. They were a perfect fit, a beautiful couple.
One of the WAGs grabbed Tina and whispered something.
Tina swung her head toward Hara and slit her eyes. “Oh, you idiots invited a reporter in here and then didn’t have the decency to squash this shit?” She flipped her fingers at Charles, still lounging on the couch, placid. “Fine.” She turned to Derek. “I’m gonna pretend your heartwarming little story is true, Derek. For now.” She grabbed back her shoes and earrings. “But I’m gonna ask you to get outta my face.”
Derek shrugged,