Page 84 of Unleashed

The raw jealousy and hatred I felt toward that scumbag in Durham before I attempted his murder return without so much as an RSVP or a save-the-date flyer. Now, seeing her all over this new loser enrages me beyond reason. I’ve watched her dry-hump Mud and Junior, but tonight is different. Maybe it seems more real than the stunts she’s pulled in front of me because she doesn’t know I’m watching her right now.

Simone doesn’t want me, regardless of my apologies, but agonizing torture burns my chest so much that it’s hard to breathe. I try swallowing, but a fire blazes a tunnel down my throat. I close my eyes, but pain sears my eyelids. The last place I want to die is in Tansy’s arms, with the image of Simone tonguing another man. The fucking rage floods me while in the arms of another woman.

When Tansy finally ditches my mouth, she looks at me with a scary grin before sticking out her tongue and undulating it with the ball piercing in the middle. As people break apart for a fast song, Tansy cocks her head and says, “It looks like you really need something.” I would love a baseball bat to my head right now.

She doesn’t allow me to respond, but anything I say can and will be held against me in a court of law as I plot to murder any man who touches my ex-wife.

What an idiotic waste of time when I don’t give a shit about her.

Tansy grabs my hand and tows me off the dance floor. Simone left the bar. Sylvie is still there, making a baby with Captain Morgan while Simone’s hump of the night watches.

As we cut through wannabe, drunk, and dirty dancers, I see our table and Simone’s blonde hair bobbing as she screeches to Rhonda. Nico and Hadley aren’t at the table. Thank God and Wayne Brady because I don’t want either of them there for the next ten seconds.

Stopping, Tansy rubs her hands up and down my chest. “You’re worked up. I’ll go to the restroom, and then we can leave. I can’t wait to feel you everywhere.” She pulls my head closer to hers and licks my chin. If this were a regular night, I’d flinch and question why she did that. However, right now, nothing matters to me but one thing.

Tansy leaves me, and I storm to the table. I don’t even have an actual argument to be this mad, but I couldn’t give a rat’s ass, and I’m sober.

Since Simone is facing Rhonda, she doesn’t see me, but Rhonda does. Maybe it’s the fast walking or the deranged look on my face, because Rhonda backs against the wall and away from Simone.

I hook Simone’s arm and flip her around to face me. “What the hell was that shit at the bar?”

Her blue eyes flare, but she inhales as if I’m a breath of fresh air. Soon, my anger’s putrid scent will assault her nostrils and haunt her forever.

Simone’s eyes fall to my throat, and she frowns, jerking her arm out of my hand. “Fuck off.”

She turns, but I go to her side, getting in her face as I point toward the bar. “Don’t even think you’re going home with some loser you met five seconds ago!”

“It’s none of your damn business, Rod! Are you spying on me?”

I grit my teeth. She’ll never stop calling me that, so showing her any compassion is out of the question now. “What will your dad think if you aren’t with me, Garrison?”

Simone cringes, and I refrain from pumping my fist and high-fiving anyone within arm’s reach. “You have a goddamn date, so spare me your brotherly concern. I already have a bossy older brother and a grouchy stepbrother who both think I’m a baby. I don’t need you lecturing me about how girls should behave.”

“Yeah, and I bet they wouldn’t want some asshole who bought you a drink to attack you when you’re alone! It’s like you don’t fucking care!”

Simone laughs and lifts her gaze to mine. The colorful lights hitting our table transform them her eyes into flashing rainbows. “You should talk? You can’t deal with what those fuckers did to you when you were eighteen! They pilfered a chunk of your soul!”

She shakes her head with an almost sad look on her face. I growl, “Shut your—”

Her anger returns full blast. “I hope you told your side piece. Because if she pressures you before you’re ready... It’ll kill what’s left of you.”

Though I want to choke Simone, my throat chokes me first, and I can’t argue, as right as she is.

With a frown, Simone bolts away from the table. Rhonda scoops up her purse and jacket, muttering a goodbye as she rushes past me. Fuck. Does she know everything now too?

“Rod, who hurt you?”

I shake off enough of my stupor to see Hadley gaping at me with a look that outdoes Rhonda’s horror.

I avoid eye contact with her and force a laugh as I watch gyrating zombies on the dancefloor. I miss dancing with Hadley and... “What? No one. I didn’t know you were back. I thought you fell in.” Feeling trapped and exposed, I grab the back of my neck as I scan the area around the restrooms for Tansy. I hope the fuck Hadley heard nothing. It’s horrendous that Simone blabbed.

I will kill Simone. She did this on purpose. My soul hardens, remembering how she climbed on top of me in my bedroom, pressuring me for sex before I was ready. As she said.

Lilith Czar’s Anarchy plays, and Hadley crosses her arms, not buying the shit I’m shoveling.

“Where’s Ferrera?” I ask, dropping my arm and grabbing the back of my chair as I dodge my head through dancing scarecrows, trying to see the bar.

“I saw him making out with Simone.”

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