Page 128 of Their Courtesan
“No.” By now more than one person from the smoking corner was looking at them. If they had missed the punch-out, they were making up for it now. “I don’t care what you say regarding your feelings for me. If you both loved me as much as you claim to, you wouldn’t treat each other like this. Because you’d know how it affectsme.” Her throat was starting to hurt. She didn’t care. “Acting like this isn’t making fools of yourselves. You’re outright disrespecting me, and I donottolerate that!”
They both looked up at her as if she had grown a second head.
“Furthermore…” Her voice lowered. “Neither one of you is better than the other. Neither one of you treats me better than the other. I’mhappywith you both! Don’t you fucking get it? I don’t care what you assholes say. No matter what, I would never be happy withjustone man! Why do you think I do my job so well? My brain and body don’t think like that. There isn’t a single man in this world who could make me happy all by himself, no matter how noble he thinks he is…” She glared at Seth. “…Or how big his fucking dick is.” The glare shifted to Miguel. “There’s no such thing as the perfect man. Even if there was, neither of you would be it!”
She stepped away. Neither lover reacted.
“Finally…” Judith turned, torn apart andtired.“I love you both, in different ways… but I love youboth.Either deal with it or get out of my life. I’m not a prize to be won in some pissing match. I am a fucking human being who deserves your respect and understanding. It’s a business contract! You’re both rich businessmen! Act like you know what that means!”
Seth crossed his legs and leaned his hands against them, head bowed. Miguel pretended that there was something fascinating in the woods. Judith wanted to smack them both again.
“I’m leaving. If I ever find out about you two fighting like this again, I will permanently eject you both from my life. There isn’t enough money in the world to deal with that bullshit. I may love you stupid brutes, but I’ve lived and made my way without you before, and I can do it again. Don’t contact me unless it’s for business and realize that I will only agree to see you if you’re acting like a civilized man who can think rationally and treat me like I deserve to be treated. You do me no honor behaving like children.”
Judith made good on her word and left the wedding, shoes slipped back on her feet. All she told Monica before she left, with leaves and dirt in her hair, was that something had come up and she and Miguel would be leaving separately. To her credit, Monica did not question what was going on.I’m sure she’ll find out later.
Taxis milled around the event. Judith found the first one that wasn’t paid to wait for a guest and got the hell out of there. She didn’t go straight back to the Château, though. Instead, she hit up a hotel downtown and rented a room for the night. Not before going down to the bar to drink herself into a stupor that would guarantee no dreams that night, though.
