Page 176 of The Last Good Man

It’s all good until something slips through their fingers, the masks slip off, and they show you who they really are.

My sweet Emile thought he’d spend the night with me.

After not making the cut on his list and him giving me a second thought, now he wants me?

I feel too good after that orgasm to deal with his histrionics, so I ignore his bitching and moaning, which irritates him even more.

“Perhaps someone has a pain killer,” he suggests. “Joanna?” he asks his friend.

I flick my gazetoher, giving her a warning look.

If she dares toevenpeek into her purse, I’ll finish her.

And how can he use her like that?

Can’t he see the woman is in love with him?

She sets her drink down, shaking her head.

“I don’t have any. I’m sorry,” she says softly.

I tear my eyes away from her and look at him. A muscle pulses in his jaw, and I’m thinking… He better get a grip and stop clinging, or he’ll have bruises all over his face by theend of the night.

“I can at least get a cab for you,” he offers, and I accept reluctantly.

I’m sure he wants to change my mind.

“Sure. Go ahead,” I say, having no plans to wait withhimoutside.

I’m hopinghe’s picking up his phone and moving away from the table while I wait.

No chance.

It’s like hischair is glued to mine, and we are both taped to them.

As he finds his way around his phone apps, I sense a stare on my face.

I lift my gaze and meet Jax’s eyes.

That brunette is still next to him,justas Emile is still next to me. I can’t tell what kind of relationship Jax and that woman have.

Or have had.

She can’t be the married woman he has talked about.

She doesn’t behave like a married woman as she openly fawns over him, touching his arm and laughing.

She’s friendly with the other men, which makes me think she’s not with him, considering how possessive henormallyis.

I see she is a bargaining chip, and I wonder for a moment whether we’ll get to that point where I’d do anything to make him mine.

Frankly, I wish we would.

“I need to step outside. It’s too noisy in here,” Emile says, expecting me to follow him.

That won’t happen.

Whiny and clingy, I muse while he pulls away.

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