Page 17 of The Best Man

I just don’t think it matters that it wasn’t my fault.

I know Joey. I know what he’s like, how particular he is about things. Anything that isn’t precisely to his tastes is bad and unworthy.

He’ll never be able to love a fiancée who was used by his whole family, even if it wasn’t what she wanted.

Even if she was set up.

Even if she wouldn’t have given into it and enjoyed being used by them.

Which I did.

Shame causes my stomach to twist itself up in knots.

Thankfully, not for long.

The bedroom door opens.

My fate is sealed, now all that’s left to do is face it.

I haven’t decided whether I’ll let Joey fuck me, though I suppose I don’t have a choice. It’s up to Marcus. He’s the one bringing all these men in here, deciding what they’ll do to me.

“What is this? Why…?” Joey trails off as the sliver of light hits me. “You brought a fucking girl into mybedroom? Is this what you assholes have been sneaking off to do all night? Fuck some random-ass girl in my bed. That’s fucking disgusting, Marcus. This is the bed I sleep in with myfiancée. What were you thinking?”

“Well, I was thinking you were busy with the stripper and the rest of us deserved to have a little fun, too.”

I expect Marcus to entice him the way he has his other brothers, but instead of selling him on me and bringing him over to touch and fuck me, they remain by the door.

“Well, you’ve gotta get her out of here,” Joey says irritably. “I’ll have to burn these sheets now.”

“You don’t want a go at her?”

“No, I don’t want a fucking go at her.”

Guilt wraps around my heart, but the mantle doesn’t hang there for very long.

“Wore yourself out with the stripper, huh?”

“Can you just pay her so she can go? The stripper was one thing, but Jess and I sleep in this bed.”

“Ah,” Marcus says, leading him. “But you don’t cuddle on that couch watching movies? You didn’t seem to have a problem fucking the stripper on that, or over the armchair where Jess drinks her morning coffee, in the living room where you also spend time with your fiancée. Just the bedroom is sacred, huh?”

“Fuck you, Marcus.”

“Doesn’t sound like you can fuck anyone right now,” his brother says lightly. “Guess you blew your whole load with the stripper, huh?”

“Just get her out of here.”

My heart pounds furiously.

Why isn’t Joey saying anything about all that stuff he said about the stripper? That couldn’t possibly be true, right?

Marcus sighs. “I have a confession to make, Joey.”

“I’m not interested. I’m tired, I need a shower, I need to get some sleep. Now I need to remake the fucking bed before I can do any of that. Can you please just save this shit—”

“When you sent me back here to grab a condom out of your bedside table, your bed wasn’t empty. But it wasn’t because I hired an escort to take care of us while the stripper entertained you like I told the guys.”

Joey is quiet for a second. “What are you talking about?”

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