Page 121 of Dirty Rock

“Are you kidding me, Rhett?” JJ glared at me like I’d just shot a puppy. “Her? Really?” She turned her devil eyes onto Julia, and I instantly moved her to my side to protect her. “Beige Betty over here!”

“What the fuck did you say?” I snarled.

JJ folded her arms over her chest and cocked her hip. “I thought we were hooking up. We always do when we’re in town together.”

“We’ve fucked twice, JJ. Twice.”

She took a step closer, acting as though Julia wasn’t even there. “On two occasions, Rhett. We fucked way more times than that.” Her mouth kicked up at the corner, smug and victorious.

We were gathering some spectators; groups of women and men turning their heads to eavesdrop on a bit of scandal they, thankfully, weren’t a part of.

Letting go of Julia’s hand, I ran mine through my hair.

“What can I say? You were forgettable.”

“Whatdid you just say?” JJ gasped.

“I said you were forgettable.”

“How dare—”

“No.” I cut her off and took a step closer. “How dareyou?” My face creased with all the shitty anger I had for her. “Who the hell do you think you are, coming over here and parading that shit in front of my girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?” JJ’s eyes popped as she stared up at me.

“Yeah. My girlfriend. You think you get a free pass to make people feel like shit because you’re pretty and used to getting your own way, JJ. Nuh-huh. Not on my watch. It doesn’t work like that.”

“Rhett,” she said, much softer.

“Save it. I don’t want to hear it. The best thing you can do is turn around and leave.”

JJ’s eyes searched mine for some kind of softness she could break through. I knew her type. Hell, I’d been her type before. I could see when someone was looking for the weak spot on a hard face. She could keep looking all night. She’d find nothing but disdain.

“I’m… sorry for troubling you,” she eventually muttered.

“Your apology belongs to the woman behind me.” I took a step back, reaching out for Julia’s hand without looking at her. She took it, too—her cool fingers tangling with mine as I stepped back in line beside her.

JJ kept glancing between the two of us before she eventually rolled her eyes and settled them on Julia.

“Whatever,” she muttered pathetically. “Have a nice life together.”

Julia waved a flippant hand in the air, dismissing her, before JJ turned on her heels and began to walk away.

A few of the spectators continued to stare, but not for long as I made a point to give each and every one of them a pointed look until they turned their backs on us again.

“You really didn’t need to do that for me.” Jules said with obvious pride shining from her eyes.

I drained my glass, dropping it to a nearby high table before I cupped her neck. “That shit was for me. I can’t stand how entitled that woman is.”

“Yet you slept with her how many times?”

“She was nothing but a trophy screw. Something to brag about. I thought it would make me feel good.” I scrunched my nose up. “How wrong was I?”

“That bad, huh?”

I smirked. “They’re all bad compared to you.”

“You’re doing it again. Being cute.”

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