Page 103 of Playing My Rivals

“You and I aren’t together. And we weren’t then.” Her eyes cast to the counter. “At the time, no. I didn’t think of you.”

I’ve heard the term bitch-slapped before and now I have a clear definition of what it means.

“Wow. I’ve got to hand it to you. I thought I was good at bed-hopping, but you put me to shame.” It was a dick thing to say, but I’m beyond hurt.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that. There’s no hidden meaning.”

Her eyebrows come together. “Are you trying to tell me you’ve been with other women since you’ve been with me?”

Her audacity is incredulous, so I toss her a look of apathy. “And if I have, then what?”

“Then this is a different situation altogether.” She jumps off the stool, face burning red and fire in her eyes.

Happiness takes over for just a sliver of a moment with the knowledge she cares.

“Sit down. I haven’t been with anyone since the day we first got together.”

“Then why are you looking at me like you’re proud of yourself?” She pops her hands to her hips as if she has any justification.

“I didn’t realize I had that look. If I do, it’s only because it’s nice to see you care enough about me for it to matter.” I lean closer to her. “In case you’ve forgotten, I love you. Just because we’re dealing with this fucked-up situation doesn’t mean that goes away.”

Her shoulders relax instantly. “I know, which is why I want to talk about this. I don’t want you mad at me and I don’t want you to take it out on Jami.”

My hands fists at the sound of that name. “Oh, I’m scorching mad at you and there’s no saying what I’ll do to him when I see him next. He’s lucky he’s out of his probationary period.”

She gasps. “Hunter, please tell me you won’t mess with his career over my actions. Like you, he doesn’t deserve any of this.”

“He doesn’t deserve any of this? He had his dick in you. In my book, that’s the definition of deserving whatever wrath I decide to lay upon him.” My blood boils. Hate fires off my skin.

“Please leave him out of this.” Her voice trembles.

“Not gonna happen. He could’ve said no and respected our relationship, but he didn’t. He wanted to get laid and took what wasn’t his.”

“It wasn’t like that.” It slips out of her mouth.

I know it does because as soon as she says it, she covers her mouth as her eyes widen like she doesn’t want me to know about the intimacy of their night together.

It wasn’t just a momentary slip of judgment or a night based on a need for comfort. It was something deeper, something emotional. It causes a whole new level of agony to seep into every crack and crevice of my heart.

I swallow the acid that’s rising in my throat. “How was it, then?”

Her eyes, wild with a thousand fleeting memories, fill with more tears. “It wasn’t some thoughtless act.”

My eyes narrow as I prepare to be slaughtered. “Are you telling me you didn’t just fuck him? You made love to him?”

I didn’t think it could get worse.

She’s like a never-ending hurricane. Blowing out windows and ripping off walls, taking down buildings until there’s nothing left standing but a filthy, water-soaked mess. Lives destroyed, lives lost, but it’s over and done with. Gone. The aftereffects are left for somebody else to deal with.

She sniffles. “I wouldn’t call it that…exactly.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Sirens blare, warning me not to push this, but I can’t stop myself. “I’m going to regret asking this, but?—”

“Then don’t ask. It’s in the past.”

“Is he leaving it in the past?” I step to the edge of my counter like I’m about to scale it and go after him.

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