Page 105 of Unhinged

Simone’s blonde eyebrows pull together. “We never vowed to forsake all others, so it’s allowed.”

Infuriated, I move my hands to her hips and push them away before slamming into mine. Simone gasps, and I do it again. And again. Simone then rebounds on her own, and my hands go back to her ass.

Simone keeps up with me and gives it as good as I give it, making me the one underestimating her. Striving to match her tenacity, I seethe, “I don’t allow it. Did you fuck Officer Manwhore?”

She purposefully widens her eyes, taunting, “I guess it’s a mystery, isn’t it?”

We argue, grinding in front of a crowd who knew me with braces, acne, and zero real friends, as I discovered my senior year. In my aunt’s floundering bar for all the city’s dumpster elite, I’m dry-humping a waitress I married for a reason that doesn’t even matter anymore. And dancing with Hadley suddenly feels like playtime shit.

On the verge of burning this place to the ground, I take a detour and grin. “No, you didn’t because you’re madly in love with me.” That hits a raw nerve for me, but I don’t back down.

With Simone constantly rubbing against my crotch, I harden more. I’ve now exited my comfort zone, where I think she’d be daring enough to go further in front of a crowd.

“Nope. But I warned you about falling for me.”

I breathe against her mouth and say, “You wish, sugar. The only thing I love is torturing you.”

Annoyance fills her eyes. “No. You just love fucking me.”

As the song ends, I fume, “Who doesn’t?”

Simone shoves me and storms off to the kitchen. Candi asks, “What the hell was that?”

I ignore Candi and the people saying things to me as I go to the kitchen. Seeing the door closed to the restroom, I take a gamble she’s in there and wait.

Candi yanks my arm. “What’s the problem?”

I nod toward the other restroom. “Toilet’s clogged.”

She rolls her eyes. “What are y’all fighting about now?”

“Nothing.”

“You need to sort it out, Greg. Quit being a dumbass. Simone loves you. Now, act like newlyweds, not mortal enemies.” Even if I accused Simone of being in love with me, I’m not as dense as she threw back at me.

Simone barrels out of the restroom, but I catch and spin her around in a now too familiar battle. I push her, but she shoves her back into me while clutching the doorframes. I bark, “Go!”

“Stop!”

Knowing I’ll catch hell when Simone’s hands slip from the doorframes, I shove her forward, forcing her to stumble into the storage room. I turn to shut the door and, from the hallway, Candi says, “Do not come out until you confess your—”

I slam the door and lock it. That shit’s not happening, either.

Leaving the overhead light off and only with the glow of the bright exit sign, I stalk toward Simone, and she says, “No. I’m not doing this.”

“Not doing what? Telling people we’re married?”

“My brother and Hadley didn’t tell everyone they got married. Maybe it’s better off that way, so we don’t have to lie about why we are.”

“We’re still living one, so what the hell’s the difference? Do I repulse you?”

Surprised, she blinks up at me, whispering, “No.” As I stop in front of her, ready for her to slip past me. Simone then snaps, “Get out of my damn way.”

“You want to fuck random guys? Fine. You don’t know me.”

“That’s dumb.” When she ducks one way, I go with her. “Move, dumpling.”

“I’m not anything to you. Isn’t that what you said I was out there? You even fucking laughed about it.”

---