Page 29 of Big Boss
“And?” I say, again with a polite, casual tone that is the exact opposite of the boiling lake of rage currently burning a hole in my stomach.
The woman scoffs and waves her hand up and down along the shape of Erica’s body. “You really expect us to believe thattheDonovan Tate is with someone like this?”
I smile wider, toothy and dangerous. “And yet here I am.” I move until I can wrap my arm casually around Erica’s shoulders, tucking her body against mine. It feels really fucking good, but this isn’t the time to get distracted. I can see by the glint in her eyes that the woman in front of us isn’t ready to give up.
I give her a tight smile that reeks of condescension. “I’m completely failing to see what the controversy is.”
The blonde bully snorts, a rough sound that sounds like she’s getting ready to hock up a loogie. “Look. I went to school with this girl. Nobody’s going to buy that someone like you”—she pauses to lick her lips, swollen with filler— “is ever going to be with a mess like Weirdly Ridley.”
I can feel my pulse thrumming in my ears. I’ve never been so angry in all my life, and I feel like I might explode.
Is this how people treat Erica usually? Is this how she has always been treated? Something in the way her body is curled up protectively on itself tells me the answer to both of these questions has to be yes.
And is Erica a little out of the ordinary? Absolutely. But she has the fiercest protective streak of anyone I’ve ever met, even including my best friends. There’s no doubt she would fight anyone who was coming after someone she cares about, including me for whatever reason. But who’s going to stand up for her?
The answer is obvious all of the sudden. It’s me. I’m the man who’s going to stand up to any and all people who try to make Erica Ridley feel small or shitty or sad.
I force myself to take a deep breath before I respond. “I’ll have you know that I’m lucky to be the man who is with Miss Ridley. And I’m surprised that someone like you has the nerve to think anything different.”
An entire crowd has gathered at this point, front desk staff and clients, staring at us and watching the drama unfold. I’m pretty sure at least two or three of them have their phones out and are filming the entire saga.
All the while, my younger voice blares out across the spa’s reception area. “I want to lick you everywhere between your knees and waist. I want you screaming out my name when I make your legs shake.”
Definitely not subtle, and all these years later, it’s still beyond embarrassing that this awful song is what I’m best known for. But I don’t have the luxury of leaving the scene just yet. This moment isn’t about me, not even a little bit.
I level a hard glare at the crowd of people who stood by and watched as Erica was publicly humiliated by a woman who clearly thrives on being a bully.
“Please believe I will be telling everyone I know about the way we were treated here. And we’ll be taking our business elsewhere, obviously.” I pull Erica closer then slide a finger under her chin and make her meet my gaze. “Ready to go, sweetheart?”
Her eyes are shiny with heavy, unshed tears. Her mouth quivers as she takes in a sharp breath, and finally she nods.
“Good girl,” I purr, then without another moment’s hesitation, I lean down and press my mouth hard against Erica’s, claiming her publicly for everyone to see.
11
Erica
Donovan Tate’smouth on mine sets off explosions in my brain, like the cannon fire at the end of the1812 Overture. His kiss feels like the percussive aftereffect of fireworks, echoing over and over again through every cell of my body.
Tate’s kissing me, his two hands cradling my jaw like I am someone precious to him, someone who needs to be kissed by him, the guy I was just thinking turned out to be the best friend I’ve ever had. My incredibly sexy, much older boss.
Oh shit.
We’re still kissing. In the entryway of Glitter. Right in front of the mortal enemy of my entire painful adolescence—Carolyn Moyer.
I don’t know how the stars aligned in such a way that I ended up at the fancy day spa where she now works, but she hasn’t changed a bit. She is still stop-and-stare beautiful and as mean as a rattlesnake with its tail on fire. Ready to spit venom and strike at any given opportunity.
Unfortunately, I was easy prey for her back then, with all of my awkwardness and twitchy behavior. And the passage of time apparently hadn’t changed that part of my life at all. As soon as she got aggressive with me today, I froze.
I hate it so much—that feeling of not knowing how to make a bad situation come to an end.
Because what do you say to the bully from your growing up years? Is there some way to convince someone like this that I’m an actual person with human being feelings now that I’m an adult?
Apparently yes. And it involves making out with a billionaire rock star who just so happens to be my boss.
I stiffen, panic racing along my nerves for a different reason, but he’s unrelenting with his demanding, destructive kiss.
Donovan’s teeth nip at my mouth, and I open to him with a gasp. He immediately takes full advantage of the situation by deepening the kiss and sliding one of his hands into my hair. I can’t help it, and a tiny moan rises in my throat.
