Page 86 of Body

“You know, you’re better looking than I expected.” I twirl to face the female voice behind me and am face-to-face with Megan, “the Bitch,” O’Brian. I wait for her to continue. “I am surprised by the similarities between us.” She cocks her head to the side. “Looks like he never did get over me. Which is good for me,realgood.” Her tone is scathing and smug. I want to smash her perfect pointed face with my clutch. It’s heavy enough to make a dent or at the very least, scare the hell out of her.

Instead I choose to find out what she wants. “And why is that?” I ask, fully aware that I’m taking the bait.

“Because he’s going to be mine again.” My eyes squint in frustration. “Oh, I’m sure you’re nice enough, obviously pretty enough, but I was his first love. I was the woman he was going to marry,” she adds.

“You are his past; nothing but a distant memory,” I combat. It feels good to dig into her, even though everything she’s saying scrapes across my nerves like a metal scouring pad, feeding right into my insecurities.

“Ah, but you’re living proof that he isn’t over me. Why else would he choose to bring home a woman that could be my sister? He’s only dated blondes prior to you. I’ve been keeping tabs on him. I knew it was time to re-enter his life when I saw a picture of the two of you a few months ago in the society pages. I knew then he wasn’t over me.” She smiles evilly.

“Think whatever you want. Chase loves me,” I say with confidence.

“And you believe that? He tells every girl he wants to fuck that he loves them. He probably told you that you were his, right?” My eyes go wide. She knows she’s hit the nail on the head and goes in for the kill. “You’re a piece of ass to him. He probably fucked you saying, mine mine mine!” I almost threw up when those words spilled out of her perfect pink lips.

“Fuck you,” I tell her and tear off down the stairs. Tears build as the world as I know it crumbles. Holy shit. Everything she said, he did. Every single thing. He told me he loved me and then fucked me. He’s only said it twice but each time it was right before we made love or during. He’s never said it in the cold light of day. I bump arms with several people as I’m trying to get as far away as I can. A clearing opens and the moon shines down on me. I take a huge lung full of air, trying to catch my breath and calm the anxiety digging its evil claws into my heart and mind.

I think back to several of our intimate moments and the things he’s said.

You are mine.

You. Are. My. Woman.

I close my eyes and let the tears fall as I relive so many times where he’sclaimedme. I believed every lie. He just wants a replacement for her…for Megan. What the hell am I going to do?

“Hey, Red,” a deep voice whispers across my ear. I back up quickly, my balance teeters as the spike of my stiletto gets caught in the cobblestone path. Cooper’s long arm reaches out and wraps around my waist, his hand against my bare back. “Well, now I’ve got you in my arms, what am I going to do with you?” He presents me with a devilish boy-like smile.

“Thank you for catching me.” I pull away from him and wipe at the tears in my eyes.

“Why is such a beautiful woman crying at a happy occasion? Do I need to kick my cousin’s ass?”

I smile. Maybe Cooper isn’t as bad as Chase made him out to be.

“Because I will. Wouldn’t be a hardship for me at all,” he adds with machismo. “What’s the matter, Beautiful?”

I look over to where Megan was standing. She’s still there, only this time Chase is with her. That didn’t take long. He’s smiling and my heart is breaking. She puts her hand on his shoulder and slides it down his arm to his elbow. That one simple intimate touch is my undoing. Chase is willingly letting her touch him the way I would, the way a lover does. It’s over.

“Um, nothing really. I just…” My shoulders fall and I start to sob.

He pulls me into an embrace, “Hey, hey, it’s okay.” I spend long moments crying into Cooper’s chest.

His hands hold me loosely around the waist; his fingers gently caress the naked skin of my lower back. The touch is too intimate and sends chills racing up my spine. That’s when I realize I’ve leaned my face on his chest and he’s whispering sweet nothings in my ear about how pretty I am, how I deserve someone better, someone like him. Holy shit. This is not happening.

I look up into Cooper’s face and he’s staring at me with eyes heavy with lust. I’ve seen that look many times but he’s not the man I want.

“You don’t need him, he’ll only break your heart,” he says.

“Get the fuck away from her,” I hear Chase’s booming voice about ten feet away.

Cooper pulls me close. “Why? You’re the one who left her crying and heartbroken,” he counters snidely.

Chase looks at me, fear and anger at war in his ocean eyes. I’m certain my own eyes are swollen and red from crying, makeup smeared beyond recognition. My breath is erratic and my nose is running. His eyes find mine and are questioning, but I can’t hold his gaze, preferring to look away. I can see “the Bitch” high tailing it over here, running down the steps behind him.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Cooper?” Chase asks.

“You tell me, cuz. This beautiful woman is crying and where were you?”

“With me.” Megan’s voice says from the stairs just off our location. “Chase, honey, you don’t need a sugary substitute when you can have the real thing.” She comes up behind him and brings her hands to his biceps.

He shrugs her off. “Gillian, you’re coming with me. Now.” He comes over to me and pulls my hand. “And if you ever so much as touch her hand or a hair on her head, I will fucking ruin you, Coop. Stay away from my woman!” he yells and makes to drag me up the stairs. His grip on my wrist is tighter than ever.

---