Page 18 of Love to Hate You

The guy is really something else.

This girl doesn’t realize it, but I’m about to do her a huge favor by outing this player.

Moving forward with the plan, I jump down from the counter. At the sound of my feet hitting the floor, they both turn and spot me in the kitchen. Interest flares in Carter’s eyes.

Getting into character, I plant my hands on my hips and stomp into the living room. Neither of them move. Hookup Girl’s eyes widen in surprise. Carter’s expression turns to one of curiosity. He’s known me long enough to realize that something is coming down the pike. You’d think he might try diffusing the situation by hastily introducing me, but he remains silent.

A smirk lifts his lips at the corners.

Trust me, it’s going to be a real pleasure to wipe that look off his smug face.

“What?” I say in feigned outrage, allowing just a hint of pathetic whininess to fill my voice. “You’re going out again? That’s four nights in a row.”

Caught off guard, Hookup Girl’s gaze bounces between us. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

I press a hand against my chest and repeat, “Who am I?” I laugh shrilly, adding just the right amount of bitterness, and jerk my thumb in Carter’s direction. “Did lover boy forget to mention that he lives with his girlfriend?”

Her mouth drops open. “Girlfriend?” She points at Carter as if there must be a mistake. “You’re his girlfriend?

I blink until moisture gathers in my eyes. “Unfortunately.” My voice wobbles. “Although, I’ll be honest, he’s not much of a boyfriend.” I shake my head sadly and swipe at a tear that has yet to fall. “He just can’t seem to keep his dick in his pants.” I sniffle. “My advice is to get tested right away. He came home with something nasty last month. I don’t want to be too graphic, but oozing was involved.”

Hookup Girl’s hands fly to her mouth as she gasps. Anger ignites in her eyes. “Is that true? Do you two live together?” She doesn’t mention the possible STD I’ve just alluded to.

Since she’s busy glaring at Carter, I flash him a full-wattage grin and wiggle my brows.

His gray gaze doesn’t waver from mine. “Yes, we live together.” Even though Hookup Girl didn’t ask, he adds, “And I’m disease-free.”

I almost lose it at this point, but somehow manage to keep it together.

Adding the pièce de résistance, I turn sideways and pooch out my tummy, settling a hand on the forced curve. “You’re always going out and leaving me and our unborn child home alone.”

Outrage colors her face and her eyes round until they look like they’re on the verge of falling out of her head. “What?” she shrieks. “You’re pregnant?”

Ignoring her, I stare at Carter with tears shimmering in my eyes, and wail, “Do you have any idea how much it hurts when you bring your one-night stands home to throw in my face?” I rub my belly and add, “And what about Junior? He’s going to need his daddy around at some point. You can’t keep acting like we don’t exist.”

Just as Carter snaps his mouth open to finally deny my accusations, Hookup Girl whips around and slaps his face. The resounding crack fills the charged air.

“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” She bristles with outrage. “How could you do that to the mother of your unborn child?”

I clap a hand over my mouth and gawk in shock.

Sure…I was expecting anger, just not violence.

“And you can forget about meeting up tonight!” she seethes. “Or any other night, for that matter! In fact, I never want to see you again, Carter Prescott!” She spins toward me and says in a softer voice, “I’m going to give you the number of my dad’s firm. He’s a lawyer who goes after deadbeat dads.” She glares at Carter like he’s the scum of the earth while rooting around in her purse and pulling out a crumpled receipt along with a pen. She scrawls on it and shoves the paper into my hands. “I have a feeling you’re going to need this. Just tell him that you’re a friend of Jackie’s.”

I’m a little taken aback by how far this prank has spun out of control.

I should clear this up and tell her it was nothing more than a joke. But before I have a chance, she storms out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

I shift from one foot to the other and reluctantly look at Carter. If the air had been charged before, it’s all but crackling now. His stoic expression looks like it’s been carved from stone. Every muscle in my body tenses as I suck in a breath, waiting for him to lose his temper.

I hold up the scrap of paper Hookup Girl shoved in my hand. “I’m, ah, just going to throw this away.” I clear my throat. “Obviously, I won’t be needing it.”

With his lips pressed into a tight line, Carter stalks closer until we stand toe-to-toe and glares down at me. His irises have turned an unnaturally striking silver hue that make it impossible to look away.

Self-preservation makes me take a hasty step away. I search his face for the tiniest clue as to what he’s thinking, but his expression is closed off. The red stain from the slap has spread across his shadowed cheek, leaving a handprint.

When I continue trying to retreat, Carter advances until my back hits the living room’s brick wall and I have nowhere else to go. He places one hand on each side of my head, caging me in. My heart stutters a painful tattoo under my breast as his face looms closer. My breath wedges in my lungs. I’m not sure if it’s from his nearness or his barely restrained anger. In all the years I’ve known Carter, not once has he frightened me. But he does now. I’m half afraid that he’s going to wrap his hands around my neck and strangle me.

---