Page 20 of A Smooth Operator

"No," she squeaked. "I was under the influence and when he suggested that we…you know?"

"Suggested that he fuck you in the ass, you said sure?" I kept the rage out of my voice because it was all but consuming me. How could she do what she did and now lie about it? Was she so spoiled that she didn't see her actions had consequences?

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Remi, I love you. I made a mistake. Can't we work through this?"

I couldn't help the scoff that escaped me. "You didn't make a mistake. You made a choice. Alex told me how you both have been fuckin' since the spring party we had at Paint the Town Red."

"He's lying," she cried out. "He's an asshole and—"

"No. You're the one who's lying. See, Alex took responsibility for nailing you. He didn't make excuses, Marina."

"How can you believe him over me?" she screeched, standing up so quickly that the barstool fell with a crash onto the floor.

So, there was going to be a scene. I had been relieved when I'd had a conversation over the phone with her, telling her it was over. She'd been crying, saying she wanted to see me, explain herself. The truth was that I didn't want to see her. It hurt to see her. It hurt to see Alex. It wasn't just my ego that was hurt; I was as well.

Two people I cared about had done this behind my back. If Marina had ended us and then fucked Alex, I would've had no problem with it. I would've even supported it. But fucking in a storage room like that? That was some disgusting shit.

"We're done, yeah? You should go, Mar." I walked to my door and opened it.

"No." Marina stood like a toddler, her back straight, her hands curled into fists. "You're going to forgive me, and we're going to get back together. Remi, our mothers have already planned the wedding. Come on, this is just a—"

"I was never going to marry you. That's not a new development because you cheated on me."

She looked so stricken. "But Sierra and Lani, they said you were going to pick out a ring."

Of course, they had. Lani thought Marina was the cat's ass, and my mother wanted to cement her friendship with Kiki Sims—two vapid socialites planning the wedding of the year between their versions of Ken and Barbie.

"I'm sorry they got your hopes up. I never told them that. We only dated for eight months, Marina. That's not enough time for me to make that kind of commitment regardless of who you were fuckin' on the side."

Tears streamed down her face. "My father is expecting this wedding. He's expecting a partnership with your dad."

"The partnership is not going to be impacted because of us," I assured her.

"But you don't understand." She hugged herself as if she was the victim.

I had been halfway in love with her. How could she have sex with Alex a few hours after being in my bed with me? What kind of person did that?

"What don't I understand?" I leaned against my open doorway.

"I have to get married."

"Why?"

She licked her lips. "My parents want me to move out."

"You're twenty-five years old, Mar; it's high time you did."

She cleared her throat. "My father expects me to live on my income."

Marina worked at the Sims charitable foundation—and I was sure her father would pay her whatever she wanted, so this was suspect at best, manipulative at worst. "Then use your inheritance. I know your grandma left you plenty."

She shook her head, panic written on her face. "It's in a trust. I can't touch it until I turn thirty or get married, whichever comes first."

I shrugged. "You get paid well, so—"

"I get paid nothing. It's just…." And then she told me how much.

"That's more than my restaurant manager gets paid, and he has a family that he can take care of with that," I retorted.

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