Page 26 of And Then Came You

“What?” I blink my eyes open, trying to recognize the shadowy figure standing over the bed. As I force the sleep from my brain, I gaze around, trying to figure out where I am. Then it all comes rushing back. The farm. Sam’s bed.

Oh, boy.

“What the fuck is another woman doing in your bed, Sam?”

Sam bolts upright, damn near upending me off the bed in his haste. Who says chivalry isn’t dead? “Sveta, I thought you couldn’t miss that club opening in Turkey. What are you doing here?”

“Catching you screwing another woman, apparently.”

“We weren’t screwing. We were sleeping.”

But the tall ice queen is unconvinced, as her pale blue eyes bore holes into me. “Who the hell are you?”

Hello to you too, bitch.

I take a deep breath as I try to regain my bearings. I can’t blame the woman for being angry. This looks suspicious. But, once she calms down and lets us explain, she’ll realize it’s innocent.

Right?

So very wrong.

Every time Sam attempts to speak, Sveta’s anger and attitude turn progressively more toxic.

And the looks she’s shooting in my direction?

I should be dead on the floor.

“Why would you even want to sleep with her?” Sveta asks, tossing a look of disdain in my direction.

“Whoa, that was uncalled for,” Sam argues, holding up his hands in an attempt to calm his girlfriend. “Lexi is my friend. There’s nothing sexual happening between us. It’s totally innocent.”

Sveta scoffs, tossing her blonde hair over one shoulder. “Doesn’t look innocent. Looks like Plain Jane took advantage of the situation… and you let her.”

Okay, that’s enough badgering for one day. I put up with enough toxicity from Carl, and at least I got laid once in a while. This bitch is offering me nothing but a one-way ticket to hell.

I stand up, smoothing my wrinkled blouse and wishing I was anywhere in the world but there. A war zone? Salem witch trials? All sound like good options at the moment.

What a change from an hour earlier, when despite the sorrow of losing Curtis, I felt more contented than I had in years.

Now, I need an escape and the third-story window is looking like a viable option. “I’m going to leave you two alone.”

“You never should have been here in the first place.” His girlfriend’s English may be broken, but I’m definitely feeling her vibe. It’s colder than the arctic in this room.

“I asked her to come, Sveta, and she did. Unlike you, who was too busy to bother.”

“I have real deadlines. What does Miss Mouse have?”

“Could you stop insulting me?” Time for me to throw my hat into the ring. Sam told me not to deal with assholes, and right now, she’s the biggest one in the room.

“Or what?”

Oh good, we’ve moved to this portion of the high school drama. No doubt we’ll be taking it to the parking lot in a minute. “It’s a bad look for you, Sveta, insulting strangers. Especially on a day like today. Furthermore, nothing happened. We’re both fully clothed.” With a grunt, I resign myself to the next words, although I hate the card I’m about to play. If I don’t, she may get more riled and Sam’s family doesn’t need this drama. “Look at him and look at me. Do you really think he’d cheat on you with someone like me? Come on, you’re smarter than that.”

Her eyes scan us both, her lips pursed in a Botox pout. “That’s true. He wouldn’t sleep with someone like you. But, I’m still angry.”

Actually, honey, at this point, we both are. Namely, because Sam has yet to negate my self-deprecating statements. Hell, even if he concurs with my observation, he could lie to my face and say that isn’t the case.

Sometimes, a white lie is better than the brutal truth.

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