Chapter 59
SKYLAR
Both men turned to block my view of the women.
It was a simple gesture, hardly worth noticing. And yet I did.
When had a man ever wanted to protect me?
My gaze moved from Pierce to Greyson. Both flawed but good men.
Perhaps it wasn’t all about the man.
Madison and her violent friend stared back at me from over the men’s shoulders.
Perhaps I needed to work harder to be the type of woman worth protecting.
I met Pierce’s glare. “You look well.”
Madison stepped around him. “No thanks to you, you psychopathic bitch.”
Pierce swept his arm out and pushed her behind him. Turning his back on me, he cupped her jaw and whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek. Whatever he said, she calmed before giving him a soft smile.
I wasn’t used to the emotion, but damn if I wasn’t feeling something close to jealousy.
Pierce turned his attention back to me. “Good evening, Skylar. I see you got our invitation.”
I reached into my purse and pulled it out. I smoothed the wrinkles and flipped it over in my hand as I looked between him and it. “The same invitations I chose for our wedding. Nice touch.”
“Well, you did try to kill me, so consider us even.”
“I didn’t try to kill you.”
Technically that wasn’t true. I had no idea Jameson had sent me in with a knockout drug and not straight-up poison. I thought I’d killed him, but he didn’t need to know that.
Madison stiffened behind Pierce. He reached behind him for her hand in yet another annoyingly sweet and protective gesture. “Come again?”
I cleared my throat as I broke his gaze. “I said I didn’t try to kill you. The poison was only meant to put you in a coma.”
Pierce glanced at Greyson who shrugged. “News to me. As far as I knew you were dead to rights.”
Pierce shook his head. “You’re really earning that billion-dollar merger.”
He smiled. “What I lack in information I make up for in charm.”
“Do you though?”
Hailey interrupted. “Why are we talking to this bitch?”
I stepped forward, my hands on my hips. “Watch your mouth you dime-store cunt.”
Greyson matched my energy. “Hey, that’s Mrs. Dime-store Cunt Stockford to you.”
Holy shit. He married her? Greyson Stockford, perpetual playboy and bachelor, had married a townie bitch he barely knew.
I had pedigree, beauty, money, and all the right connections.
These two women, who clearly dug their wardrobe out of a bargain bin and had probably never been to Paris, had beaten me?
Again the uncomfortable sensation that perhaps the problem was with me crept over me.
Hailey rounded on him. “When I need you to fight my battles, I’ll ask.”
He grabbed her around the waist, picked her up, and kissed her—all over her cries of outrage. “But I shined my armor just for you, little bird.”
“You as my knight in shining armor? Don’t make me laugh.”
Still holding her high around the waist he kissed the space between her breasts. “I’m not trying to make you laugh. I want to make you—”
Pierce stepped forward. “While Greyson starts his honeymoon on my carpet, can you tell me what you want?”
My gaze traveled to Madison and then back to him. “Is it too late to say…you?”
Pierce shifted to bring her against his side. “Yes.”
I spread my arms as I blinked at the moisture behind my eyes. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“What do you want, Skylar?” This time his voice softened with something that sounded dangerously close to pity.
It was time to cut my losses. I still had my pride.
Stiffening my spine, I tossed the invitation on the side table and closed my purse. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend. I have a flight to Paris to catch. I think it’s time for a…new start.”
Ignoring Madison and the rest, I approached Pierce.
He started as I stepped into the light. Apparently, the makeup didn’t cover the black eye as well as I thought.
He frowned. “Skylar…”
I shook my head and quoted from my favorite movie. “‘I never did mind about the little things.’” I then leaned forward and kissed his cheek, ignoring Madison’s hiss in response. “Watch your back tonight. He’s…not well.”
Before leaving, I turned back one last time. “Be kind to Tompkins. He had no idea what my plans were. As you know, he’s always had a soft spot for me.”
Throwing my shoulders back, I tossed them a small smile and left.
If there was any redemption for me at all, I’d never return to Cliffs End.