Page 34 of Undeniably Enemies

“Exactly. You’re a billionaire heiress who lives in a huge penthouse. You just proved my point.”

“It was Mason’s penthouse before I moved in. I lived in a three-story walkup before that.”

I shake my head. “Doesn’t count. You hated that place and didn’t pick it out. That was all your ex. Your grandparents live on a compound. Owen’s house is a freaking mansion. Stone lives next to Mason in a similarly enormous penthouse. Keegan and Kenna have a giant place. Your people don’t live in average-sized one-bedroom apartments in brownstones.”

“Umm… yeah, we do, Mr. Judgy.Wren does.” Her eyes widen as she emphasizes that to nail her meaning.

My stomach drops, but I quickly dismiss it. “That’s Dr. Judgy, and it’s not the same building. That would be improbable.”

“But not impossible. I don’t remember her building number, but maybe you should check with Owen. I think it was near Exeter. Or was it Berkley? Shit, I can’t remember now. This pregnancy is destroying my brain.”

I shake my head. I own my condo. I just bought it. It’s the first good thing that’s truly mine that no one can take from me, and I’ve worked my ass off for it. I refuse to allow Wren Fritz to enter into that at all. There is no way that spoiled princess lives in my building. No way.

“Speaking of…” Her eyebrows bounce suggestively, and I already know where this is headed. “How are things with my little cousin?”

“Which one?” I quip. “You only have ten thousand.”

She rolls her eyes. “Come on. Spill the tea before Estlin gets here.”

Estlin and Wren are good friends and have become closer since Estlin moved back home a year ago. And since Estlin is engaged to my best friend, I unfortunately have to suffer through Wren more than I’d like when I hang out with them.

“I want to know how things are with you and Wren,” she continues. “I didn’t see much action today, which frankly was disappointing.”

I toss my arm around her shoulder and covertly steal more popcorn. “That’s because there’s nothing to tell.”

She scoffs and takes more popcorn for herself. “You’re such a liar.”

“You’re her cousin.”

“I’m your friend,” she argues, looking hurt as if I’d keep things from her based on that. “I promise. It’ll stay between us.”

I know it will. It’s why I talk to Sorel. I trust Owen with everything in my life except this because I can’t talk to him about this. I can’t talk to anyone about this, and it’s been eating at me for far too long. Maybe that’s what I need to expel Wren from my system once and for all. A good purging.

I throw her a warning look. “Remember, I did the pregnancy dipstick on your urine. That’s true friendship.”

She rests her head on my shoulder. “Best friendship. I mean it. I’m a vault.”

“You can’t react.”

“Okay.”

“I slept with Wren.”

She gasps, and her head shoots up, her eyes wide and her lips puckered, making her look like a goldfish.

I point at her. “You told me you wouldn’t react.”

“Shit. Right. Sorry.” She drops her head back to my shoulder. “But you can’t drop that on me and expect menotto react. How? When? Give me all the details.”

“It was a long time ago. I was still in LA, and she was… fuck, she was only a college kid. I didn’t know it was her. We were at a masked Halloween party at some Hollywood producer’s house. We shared this crazy drink.” I pause here, debating if I should tell her what the drink was called or the lore behind it, and decide that’s not important since it was all bullshit. “One thing led to another, and I… god, Sorel, I took her virginity. I didn’t know,” I quickly continue when I feel her stiffen against me. “We, well, we started, and I saw she was in pain, and that’s when she told me. I pulled off her mask and freaked out when I realized it was her. But…” I trail off because this is the bad part. The worst part. The part that still haunts me.

“But?” she prompts when I don’t finish that.

“But even after I realized it was her”—I blow out a strained breath—“I didn’t stop.”

“Jack.”

“I should have,” I rush out before she can say anything. “I know that. I fucking know that. I’ve felt nothing but guilt and regret since. I hurt her, and I did it all wrong, and she’s Owen’s little sister. Anyway, it didn’t end well. She stormed off, and Ididn’t follow after her.” Another regret. “Now she hates me, and I hate her. It’s easier that way.”

---