Page 87 of Billionaire Devil

“Jessie said you’re with Brittany now.”

“Oh. Yeah.” He says it sort of disinterestedly. “She’s here somewhere. It’s just a casual thing. Nothing serious. I’d ditch her for you any day of the week.”

How romantic.

Troy reaches to touch a long strand of my hair, which he rubs between two of his meaty fingers.

I’m almost surprised by how repulsed I am by his touch, but before I can take a step back, a fist grabs his hand.

“Take your hands off my wife,” comes the low warning, “or I will drop you like a fucking stone.”

Troy pulls back, rubbing his hand with his other fist, like it hurts. “Dude, chill.” Recognition dawns. “Hey, I know who you are. Harvard, right? Yeah, that’s it. None other than the revered captain of the Crimson, Colton Maddox.”

“Is there something you need?” Colton seethes darkly. The cold menace in his tone makes the tiny hairs on the back of my neck lift.

“Never quite made it to the NHL either, huh, Maddox? Sorry to hear about the knee.” Jeeringly.

Was Troy always this obnoxious?

Yes, is the answer to that question.

My “crush” is officially and completely dead.

“Beckett,” Colton says, his voice low. “I’m going to ask you nicely once and once only.Fuck. Off.Go back to whatever cubicle you crawled out of and do it now. If you don’t leave this wedding immediately I will beat you to a bloody, unrecognizable pulp. And if you ever come near my wife again I’ll fucking kill you with my bare hands.”

“Wife?” Troy grins but takes a step back. “Where’s the ring?”

Colton punches Troy in the face.

Oh my god!

Troy stumbles backward into a tall hedge.

A few people nearby look over at him, but the party has revved up several gears and most people are dancing or talking and haven’t noticed. They might just think he’s drunk a little too much.

Troy is holding his bloody nose. One of his false teeth has fallen out. When Colton takes another step toward him, Troy holds his palms up and starts walking away. “I’m going, I’m going.”

“Hurry the fuck up.”

As soon as Troy is out of Colton’s easy reach, he calls out to me, “If you change your mind, Lila, you know where to find me.”

I grip Colton’s arm to stop him from going after Troy and it takes all my strength. “Colton.It’s Jessie’swedding. Stop it right now.”

“He fuckingtouchedyou.” Like there’s never been a worse crime.

“Barely. You didn’t need topunchhim.”

“Of course I did. You’re mywife.” His eyes are blazing. “If he hurt you, I’ll go after that fucker and kill him right now.”

“He didn’t hurt me.Please,Colton. Donotfollow him. He’s leaving.”

“He fucking better be.”

Troy pointed it out, that I’m not wearing my ring. But I notice then that Colton still is.

Of course I can’t help comparing the two of them. Colton is dark and handsome and perfectly built. Glowing with male virility. Troy, as he slinks away, pulling his protesting date along with him, seems smaller than he used to be, in every possible way. Unformed, somehow. Like a guy who peaked a long time ago and who’s now, slowly but surely, being consumed by his own shallowness.

Once, they might have been similar men. But now they inhabit different universes.

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