Page 41 of Fiancé for Hire

“Be careful, Kendall,” Drevon warned, his voice an octave lower.

“I just want to make sure she knows that I had you first.” She looked around Drevon to see Antika. “You should be thanking me. You’re probably benefiting from everything I taught him in the bedroom. So you’re welcome.”

What did he ever see in this witch?

“Jealousy is not a good look on you, Kendall. Now move out the way.”

“Not until you and I talk. I’ve been calling you.”

She sighed loudly and put a little space between them and flashing him one of her smiles that she used to use to get stuff out of him. He already knew he wasn’t going to like whatever she had to say.

“I wanted to congratulate you. I heard that you’re working on producing a movie. That’s incredible. I hope you consider me for one of the roles. It doesn’t have to be the lead, but I’m sure I’d nail it.”

Drevon stared at her, assuming she was joking. When he realized she wasn’t, he laughed in her face.

He inched toward her, but Antika held tight to his hand, probably trying to keep him from doing something stupid, like strangle his ex. He squeezed her hand back, hoping to reassure her that he had himself under control.

Leaning in, he said to Kendall, “You insult my fiancée, and you think I’m going to offer you a part in my movie? You’re even more delusional than usual. You willneverbe a part of any of my projects. Not only that. If someone in the industry contacts me about you for any potential roles, I plan to tell them the truth. Find someone else, because Kendall Monroe is not worth the stress.”

She reared back and gasped. “How dare you! If you even think about spreading lies about me, I’ll—”

“See, that’s just it, Kendall, they won’t be lies. Now, I suggest you stay the hell away from me and lose my damn number or else.”

He turned from her and gripped Antika’s hand tighter. “Let’s go, baby.”

ChapterTwenty-One

The moment they stepped outside, Antika exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She didn’t like drama. She tried to keep it out of her life as best she could and being around Kendall reminded her why. It made people look like fools.

The woman had issues—and the sad part was that she probably didn’t even realize it.

Then again, maybe she was trying to get into character for a reality show. One of those where people were always at each other’s throats, tearing down one another, or physically fighting. If that was the case, she was nailing the role, because her behavior in that restaurant was deplorable.

How Drevon ended up with someone like Kendall was a mystery. They didn’t fit.

Antika knew in many relationships, opposites attract, but those two? Nah, there was no way their relationship would’ve ever lasted.

Drevon was kind, generous, and didn’t hesitate to step up to help someone in need, while Kendall came across as self-absorbed, inconsiderate, and dumb.

The fact that she was acting like a jerk in public—not caring that some of her fans might see or hear her—said a lot about her. She lacked common sense, and it was clear that the two women with her weren’t really her friends. Otherwise, they would’ve tried to stop her from making a fool of herself.

But the kicker was when she asked Drevon for a role in his movie? Who does that? Especially after insulting him and his woman.

“So that was Kendall, huh?” Antika finally said to Drevon as he hailed a cab.

He snorted. “Yeah, unfortunately. Sorry for the crap she said and the way she acted. I wish I could say that wasn’t her norm.”

“No need to apologize. At least I see why your aunt was anxious to get you a date with arealwoman.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down the way he often did to get her to laugh.

Drevon stared at her for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed. People walking by looked at them in amusement, and he didn’t pull himself together until a taxi swerved out of traffic and stopped on a dime in front of them.

She loved making him laugh because he laughed with his whole body, and it stirred something powerful inside of her. Except for running into Kendall, this had been a fun night.

Actually, the entire weekend was turning into one of the best she’d had in a long time. She couldn’t remember feeling so happy and relaxed, and it had everything to do with Drevon. She loved pretending to be his woman, even though she knew it was temporary.

Still grinning, Drevon wrapped his arm around her neck, pulled her close, and placed a tender kiss against her temple. “God, you crack me up. That’s why I lo…” he stopped abruptly and jumped back as if someone had burned him. “I mean I—I…” he started again, then cursed under his breath.

In the weeks that they’d been spending together, she had never seen him less than cool, calm, and collected. Until now. Now, his anxiousness was palpable, and it was clear he didn’t know how to handle what he almost said.

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