Page 131 of Chosen Road

An hour later, Minty and I snickered and laughed as we scanned the shelves in the romance section looking for inspiration for Aphrodite’s Harem. Usually, we chose to focus on Indie Authors, but occasionally, we picked up someone mainstream.

Making our choice, I picked up three copies, and left the aisle, nearly bumping into Jacqueline. I gasped and jerked back, colliding with Minty behind me, who placed a steadying hand under my elbow while moving to stand beside me.

The blood drained from my face as that woman stood and stared at me, her perfect lips softly curved, lips that had wrapped around and tastedmycock. Rage boiled in my belly, churning up memories.

Like all the years I knew how she felt but wasn’t sure enough of my own gut to insist Gus take me seriously.

The outfits she wore to work that bordered on inappropriate as she sought Gus’s attention.

Her wide-eyed, innocent looks that I never once bought, but he did.

That day in the coffee shop, when she approached us, oh so fucking brazenly.

Luring Gus to the open house and presenting herself naked, on her fucking knees.

Ambushing him at our lowest point.

Showing up at his work.

And now, standing in front of me, the sly look on her face declaring she knew something that I didn’t.

She believed she had the upper hand. She was completely unaware that I knew what happened.

“How are you, Amber? You look…piqued,” she said kindly, her eyes wide, a mask of concern on her plastic face.

It was plastic. I’d always thought her lovely, but seeing her now, me worrying about her this past year was almost laughable. Or it would have been if nothing had actually happened.

I looked at her steadily and saw the moment she realized I could not be cowed.

I rolled my lips between my teeth, thinking, then said quietly and succinctly. “You took advantage of a time in my life when I was exhausted and burnt out. You swooped in like a scavenger and picked over the remains of my carcass. You should know, you insolent little bitch, that I am a phoenix, and you will never get your hands on my husband.”

Her mouth gaped open making her look like a landlocked fish. “How dare you call me a bitch!”

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” Minty murmured.

Despite her hand on my elbow, I’d forgotten Minty was there. I turned to find her smiling coolly at Jacqueline.

“What? What are you even talking about?” Jacqueline sneered.

Minty smiled at her coolly, and Jacqueline’s eyes skittered over Minty’s beautifully composed face, trying and failing to read her.

Minty continued, her voice perfectly modulated. “You know you’ve been insulted, but you’re not quite sure how. Allow me to dumb it down for you. A bitch by any other name would smell as foul, but if you prefer, we could use a more accurate name and substitute whore, or homewrecker, or my personal choice, cunt,” she enunciated clearly.

I swear Jacqueline’s inhale caused a tsunami halfway around the world. Fortunately, she failed to find her voice before Minty linked her arm through mine and led me away.

We walked to the front cash where Minty dropped the books on the counter to be put away before leading me out the door. It wasn’t until we were in the car that I started to shake.

“I hate her so much,” I confessed through chattering teeth.

“Of course. So do I. So would any self-respecting woman,” she agreed quietly, backing out of our parking spot.

We didn’t talk as she drove, and I almost laughed when I realized where she was taking us. When Minty and I were in school, we went to this hole-in-the-wall gyro place every chance we got. I swear it got to the point Yiayia was smelling my breath when I got home, astounded that I would eat gyro rather than her homemade Greek food.

We stepped inside and I was swept back to a simpler time, before Gus, before Jacqueline, before even Ruby and Vander. After ordering, we sat at a tiny table to wait.

Finally, I met her eyes. “You knew?”

“Of course,” Minty replied coolly.

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