Chapter 34 #2
Scanning the space, I spot the DJ setting up in the corner.
There’s no way in hell I’ll be able to dance in these shoes without breaking an ankle.
Any chance of getting lucky is a bust, but I could quickly head back to the room to change out of my wedges.
Unicorn slippers are probably out but I could wear my flip flops.
It’s better to drag my dress along the floor than risk making a total idiot of myself and breaking an ankle.
Shrugging Mario’s arm off my shoulder, I lay a hand on Swayze’s chest to get his attention. “Just gonna run to our room to change my shoes Wolfie.” Pressing a kiss to his cheek, I turn to walk away.
He grabs my hand, tugging me back. “Wait, I’ll come with you.”
“No, you stay and talk to Mario. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes, don't worry.”
We won’t have time for any extracurricular activities now, but he’s reluctant to let me go, I can see it all over his face.
I’m not sure I want to let his hand go either, but I’m being ridiculous.
I can’t drag him everywhere with me. What am I gonna do when we’re back home if I can’t even walk to our hotel room alone for god's sake.
I brush my lips against his and walk away just as Mario’s pretty friend joins them.
Ughhh, now I wish I’d let him come with me.
Don’t be stupid Mia. You can’t keep him away from every woman you see. That shit’s not rational.
Ignoring the sound of her giggling with my cousin and boyfriend, I stride towards our room—the balls of my feet screaming in protest—determined to change and get back to him as fast as I can.
Just as I walk up to our bedroom door, a pair of arms wrap around my waist and for a split second my heart skips a beat thinking Swayze followed me here after all.
But no. The hold is all wrong.
Swayze holds me securely, reassuringly. His touch somehow makes me feel both owned and safe simultaneously—this hold is tight. Hostile even. Fingertips dig into my stomach, slowly drawing up the fabric of my dress.
I freeze, my heart thundering in my ears as sirens blare in my head.
Fighting every urge in me to panic, I close my eyes tight and grab the hands halting their progress, my floor length dress fluttering just below my knees now.
Stabbing my nails into the back of his hands, I yank them off and whip around to find Pete there.
He takes a step closer, crowding me against the bedroom door.
My vision gets spotty and my breaths quicken while I struggle to suck in any air at all.
No.
Not now.
“Finally lost your guard dog?” He spits out—for real. A spot of his DNA lands on my damn cheek. Revulsion roils through me at the contact and my panic morphs into fury.
How fucking dare he corner me like an animal.
Acid burns low in my belly as I clench my fists and jut my chin up to face him.
“What do you want?” Stealing my spine, I snap back, matching every inch of his hostility with my tone.
“I thought it was time we caught up, honey.”
“I’m not your honey. Don’t call me that.”
“No, clearly not. You’re busy spreading your legs and giving that nectar to any old cunt these days aren’t you?” His eyes burn with anger, the cold rigid set of his face making my blood run cold.
How did I ever think I loved this man?
“Go to hell Pete. I’m not the one who cheated, you are.
Who I fuck now is of no concern to you.” I try to turn so I can get my room key in the door but he grabs my arm, his fingers digging into my skin so hard, I’m surprised he doesn't draw blood.
He snatches my room key with his other hand and tosses it to the floor.
“Oh no honey, that’s where you’re wrong. Do you really think your little guard dog is gonna stick around once the novelty wears off? He’s used to pussy throwing itself at him. You’re just another notch on his bedpost.” He laughs derisively.
“Men like him don’t marry girls like you Mia. They want a good little wife who’ll stay home to raise their kids. Put dinner on the table. Iron their shirts. They don’t want some degenerate sex writer who spends more time preaching about orgasms than keeping her man satisfied.”
He’s lying to you Mia. Don’t listen to him.
“Fuck off. You know nothing about Swayze. He’s a great man. The best. Nothing like the psychotic narcissist you are.”
He snorts. “Yeah, sure he’s such a great man.
He looked really great while he was flirting with Mario’s pretty little friend over there.
Who can blame him, you can’t miss her tits in that dress.
A saint couldn’t resist looking at those.
I had my eye on her myself, but it looks like she prefers dirty dogs. ”
He’s lying. You know he is.
My heart cracks wide open and I see the victorious smile spread across his evil face when he realizes he’s winning again.
No. I can’t let him this time. He doesn’t get to see me break. I can do that in private.
“Go. To. Hell. Pete. I don’t give a shit what you think you saw.
It’s total bullshit. Swayze has more integrity in his little finger than you have in your entire body.
He’s not a serial cheater like you are. If you want to cheat on my cousin like you did to me, go right ahead.
I’m not gonna pretend to feel sorry for her.
She deserves anything karma wants to give her.
But I’m not gonna make it easy for you.” Heart racing, I bunch my dress up in my hand—the thigh length split making it easy—and swiftly knee him in the junk, hard.
The force sends him careening to the floor at my feet, squealing like the little pig he is.
I grab my room key from where he tossed it before turning to face him again, slamming my foot down on his junk.
He groans in pain while cowering on the floor.
“I don’t know what I ever saw in you and I’m sure one day my cousin will wake up and realize the same.
You don’t get to make me feel small anymore just because you’re an insecure, bitter, twisted little man.
Don't you ever come near me again because next time, I won’t just knee you in the balls.
I’ll rip your tiny dick off. Do we have an understanding? ”
He groans but doesn’t answer me, so I press my foot down harder. My whole body trembles from the anger and adrenaline coursing through my veins, but I have to see this through.
“I said, do we have an understanding?”
“Yesssss, you bitch,” he hisses out. I dig my foot in once more for luck before spinning around and getting into my room as quickly as I can.
Slamming the door shut behind me I lean against it and slide to the floor, hugging myself until the shaking stops.
I want to crawl onto the bed and cry. Pete knew exactly which wounds to stab to hit me where it hurt most.
My arm stings, the skin red where he grabbed me so tight and twisted it. Rubbing the tender spot, I suck in a deep breath, hold it for four, then release it and do it again, repeating it over and over until my heart rate calms and the urge to cry subsides.
As much as I want to let it out and wail, I can’t. I’ll ruin my make up and everyone will know something’s up. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I do anything to mess up my twin’s wedding.
With trembling fingers, I fumble to undo my wedges, finally managing to remove them on the third try, before sliding my feet into the flip flops I stupidly came back here to get. Now I wish I’d just suffered through the heel torture. A broken ankle would have been preferable to seeing him again.
I take a shaky breath—my whole body shivering so much my teeth chatter—and, quiet as I can, pull the door open a crack to peer out and make sure the asshole is gone.
The coast is clear, so I pull up my dress, shutting the door silently behind me, and run down the walkway as fast as my flip flops allow. Just as I round the corner, I spot Swayze walking towards me, a wide smile spreading across his face as he sees me.
“There you are. I was starting to worry you snuck off for a nap without me.”
He walks up to me, wrapping me in his arms, and I bury my nose in his chest, his familiar woodsy scent washing over me.
“Hey, baby, you're trembling, are you okay?”
Well shit. Of course he noticed.
“All good, I’m just a little cold. I’m sure once I start dancing, I’ll warm up again.”
Straight away, he whips his jacket off and wraps it round my shoulders, rubbing my arms.
Thank goodness the years of masking paid off. I manage to keep my voice even, so he doesn’t notice anything untoward, but I keep my face buried in his chest. If he looks at me too long, he’ll figure out something’s wrong and the second he asks I’ll end up sobbing like a baby before I can say boo.
“Let’s go whirl you round the dance floor then, Angel.” He keeps me curled into his side and walks us back towards the pool.
Staring blankly at the ocean, I focus on my breathing, counting to ten and restarting in a useless attempt to find some sense of calm.
But inside, the heart I was only just starting to believe in again is already crumbling to ash.
I was stupid to hope for something else. I should’ve known better. I promised myself I'd never let a man hurt me again.
And now, not only did Pete get close enough to attack me, but I’ve dropped my guard around Swayze too.
What happens when he realizes I’m not the fantasy angel he’s built in his mind?
When I stop being enough?
I’ve stupidly handed him the power to not just hurt, but utterly destroy me. There’s no way I’ll survive that.
Swayze squeezes my hand, pulling me out of my bitter thoughts.
“Wanna dance, Angel?” He smiles warmly, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face.
Swallowing the emotion trapped in my throat, I force a smile and nod.
He draws me close, his arms curling around me while we slow dance to a song I can’t even hear.
Instead, I focus on the warmth of his palm resting on my bare skin and the slow, rhythmic thump of his heart.
We stay wrapped in each other, slow dancing for what seems like hours, but in reality is probably closer to four or five songs.