Chapter 23
Sloane
“So… how was the sex?”
I coughed, choking on the water I’d just taken a sip of. “Jesus, Cami! You couldn’t have asked that before I took a drink?” I cursed, grabbing a napkin and wiping the liquid from my lips and chin. I fucking knew she would just know. “What the hell are you talking about?”
My best friend rolled her eyes, slumping back into her chair and crossing her arms. “I’m not fucking stupid, Sloane. You guys totally boned last night. And there’s a hickey on your neck.”
Dammit. I thought I’d applied enough makeup to cover it. “Totally boned? Are you twelve?”
“You’re deflecting!”
“Am not!” I totally was.
Cami was obviously used to hearing all about every little thing I’d ever done and with whom, but I couldn’t decide if I was ready to tell her that this was real.
She sipped her mimosa, narrowing her eyes at me. “No boning?”
I shifted in my seat nervously, making myself as small as possible in my chair. We weren’t exactly in the best place to have this conversation. My favorite brunch spot was just a few blocks from my apartment, and one that we frequented in the summer.
The patio was covered and had ceiling fans, making it the perfect spot to escape the heat while being able to relax outside. There was ivy coating the white-washed bricks, French music playing softly in the background, and tiny vases with a singular rose on each table. This place was my favorite.
It was also very public.
Cami’s face lit up, her eyes widening, and a hand clamping over her mouth. “There was definitely boning!”
“Stop saying ‘boning’!” I buried my face in my hands, groaning softly.
“Wow! Oh my—Sloane. You slept with Rhys!” The reminder of last night and this morning sent a bolt of electricity through my body.
Sitting up straight, I met Cami’s wide eyes and sighed. “A little bit.”
She squealed loudly, pinching her arm, as if I would lie about something as big as this. “Oh my god!”
“Camille!” I whined, dragging her name out while she lost her mind. “It’s not that big of a deal!”
Cami laughed wildly. “Not that big of a deal?” She asked incredulously. “This is huge! Speaking of huge… How was it?”
I sighed, twisting my lips to the side to suppress a grin.
“Oh, bitch. That good?”
“That good.” I nodded, laughing while Cami fanned herself with her napkin.
“Details. I want them all.”
I, of course, spent the rest of brunch unloading every single detail about everything Rhys and I did last night…
and this morning. There wasn’t a TV show or movie in existence that had the ability to compete with her reactions.
Watching her facial expressions was far more entertaining than I’d predicted.
The way her eyes lit up and doubled in size, or the way she would gasp at specific details was hysterical.
Our waitress came by with the check, flushing when she overheard the last detail of my sexcapade: “Just this morning… Three times in the shower, one more by the vanity. Cami, I truly do not know how I’m walking today.”
My best friend laughed, and the waitress darted away. I felt terrible that I hadn’t seen her coming. “Leave her a big tip.”
We signed our checks, Cami teasing me about Rhys the entire time.
“So are you guys like… an actual thing now?”
“I think technically, yes. We didn’t come out and directly say it… But yes.”
We stood at the same time, but she blocked my path, her hands resting on my shoulders. “You look happy.”
“I am,” I answered honestly, trying to stop myself from grinning. “I can’t believe we went this long without… considering this. It just—”
“Makes sense? Feels completely natural?” She interrupted, a knowing smile on her lips.
As much as I hated everyone for being right about Rhys and me the whole time, I nodded with a small smile. “All of the above.”
Cami wrapped me in a hug and swayed slightly. “I’ll take my payment in size seven Louboutins.”
I rolled my eyes but hugged her back. “You’re sure you don’t want to come over?”
She threw her head back and groaned. “You know we’re going to Martina’s today.”
Cami could pretend all she wanted that she hated spending time with her in-laws, but she loved them, especially since her parents were across the country.
“Let me know when you get home?”
She kissed my cheek. “Ditto.”
We parted ways in front of the restaurant, and I started the short walk back to the apartment. Rhys was due home soon, and it was embarrassing how much I was looking forward to that. It was just Rhys after all.
The man I’d known for my entire life. The man who took me to prom and threw punches at the first boy who ever picked on me. And after one night, just the aspect of him coming through the door had my whole body vibrating with anticipation.
I rounded the corner to my street, smiling softly as I neared our building.
My phone vibrated with a text message from my mom, letting me know that she and Lisa had decided on blue hydrangeas instead of pink.
But before I could respond, a familiar pair of work boots cut in front of me, forcing me to a stop.
My heart sank into my stomach, adrenaline spiking through my bloodstream as my gaze pulled upward. Stu stood in front of me, a smug look on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Sloane.”
Just the sound of his voice made my stomach churn. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Stuart.”
He snorted sarcastically. “Stuart. So formal.”
“It’s your name. What do you need?” I tried to control my breathing, to keep him from sensing the fear emanating from my body, but he was a shark in the water, and I was bleeding.
Stu reached out, his intention to grab my bicep, but I flinched away and took a few steps back. “Don’t. Do not touch me. You need to leave me alone.” I couldn’t even threaten him with the fucking police. Or a restraining order. It would never fucking happen.
Cops only protect and serve their own best interests, and staying in the good graces of the chief was definitely in their best interests.
He held his hands up, jaw ticking with frustration, while he tried to keep his anger under control. “Easy. I just want to talk somewhere more private.”
I shook my head, gripping my phone tighter in my hand. “No. That’s not going to happen. Rhys is going to be home—”
Stu crowded my space, backing me into a brick building. I could see my building. It was just a block away. Apparently, one more thing Stu could take away from me was walking outside in the middle of the day.
I should’ve known better.
“I don’t give a fuck about your loser, coke-head boyfriend!
I could have him put away in five seconds if I want, you hear me!
? You have no fucking clue the power I have in this situation.
” The vein in his forehead grew more prominent, throbbing erratically while he spoke down to me. This was all too familiar.
But he was wrong. I did know. I was a lawyer, and I knew exactly how much power he had and how little we did in this situation.
It was his word against mine. And he would be protected in the end.
I closed my eyes and bit back the whimper building in my throat. Stu’s stale coffee breath was warm against my face. It made me want to puke—the smell and the fact that he was threatening Rhys. “Just leave us alone. Leave me alone.”
He reached up, stroking my cheek with his knuckles.
“We belong together, Sloane. We would be unstoppable. We are unstoppable. Inevitable. I know you don’t love him.
Not like you love me, at least. Just—Just leave him.
Kick him out, and I’ll pretend like none of this ever happened. We can go back to the way it was.”
I took a shaky breath as dread flooded my system.
I could never go back to the way things were with him.
“No,” I answered firmly. “Leave me alone, Stu. I won’t ask you again.
And I won’t stop Rhys next time.” That was a promise.
If Rhys wanted to rip him to shreds, I would let him.
We could deal with the consequences later.
Stu laughed humorlessly, stepping away from me and placing his hands on his hips.
“You’re a goddamn disappointment, Sloane.
” He shook his head. “You’ll come crawling back to me.
You’ll fucking see.” He pointed his index finger at me, a snarl curling at his lip, before he turned and headed toward his squad car.
I took a shaky breath, trapping it in my lungs until he pulled away.
Once his taillights were finally out of view, the tension flew from every muscle, joint, and tendon in my body, and I folded over.
My hands trembled as I rested them on my knees and fought to overpower the panic sweeping through my body.
I knew I would never go back to Stu. But the way he threatened me sent a shiver up my spine. Something told me he wasn’t planning on giving me a choice.