Julian opens the door wide enough for Billy to see only him and keeps me out of sight on the other side of the door. I almost swallow my tongue when he leans against the door like it’s his house.
“Can I help you?” Julian asks.
“What-” Billy sounds confused, lost. I get it. I’m confused and lost and I’m inside the house with Julian. “What the fuck are you doing here? Where’s Mare?” Billy tries to shove the door open. It swings inward just half an inch before Julian stops it with one hand. I hear Billy grunt which tells me he tried to shove the door again, but the door doesn’t move this time. I can’t see him through the wavy glass from where I’m standing. It stays right where Julian holds it. Holy shit.How strong is he?The vampire hasn’t even moved from his casual pose against the door.
“Get out of my way, man. Where the fuck is your shirt?”
Julian moves this time. He lets go of the door and steps forward. I lose sight of him but I hear the solid sound of a body hitting another before there’s a crash on the porch. I go to the door and poke my head around to see Julian standing over Billy’s body.
“Plant your feet next time,” Julian tells him. “It’ll help.”
Billy splutters and shoves himself back and away from Julian. “What the fuck? You just hit me!”
Julian holds up his hands and shrugs. “More of a shove really, but sure. We can say I hit you.”
I step to the side and a floorboard creaks under my foot. Billy looks past Julian and sees me. “Mare! What the fuck is this guy doing here? You knew I was coming over tonight.”
I hear the implied meaning there.You knew I was coming over tonight.
Billy was coming over because he thought he’d get to pick right back up where we left off. He thought I was going to fuck him. That gross idiot. I can’t believe I ever willingly let him touch me.
“I told you not to come here,” I remind him. “You’re not welcome here.”
“You don’t mean that. I’m the best you’ve ever had.”
When I laugh it doesn’t sound fake, mostly because it’s not and especially because I had better than Billy not five minutes ago. “Billy, come on. Don’t embarrass yourself. You have a fiancee, remember? You chose Minnie. Go home. I’m sure she’s waiting up for you like the little Stepford cunt she is.”
“You fucked him.”
“Not yet, but I plan to.”
“Oh my god, you totally fucked this asshole!”
“What I do isn’t your business, Billy. You made that clear when you proposed to my best friend like a psycho!”
Billy staggers to his feet and glares at me over Julian’s shoulder. “I don’t love her. She’s the fucking worst, Mare. You know that. You know I could never love her like I do you.”
My mouth drops open. “I don’t fucking know that. Holy shit, Billy Wright, just when I thought you couldn’t get any more disgusting you surprise me. You-youloveme? Are you insane? I can’t believe you.”
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. Just you.”
“I can’t listen to this shit. It’s pathetic. Make him go away,” I tell Julian.
“Gladly, wife.”
This time when I hear wife it doesn’t make me want to run away. There’s a warm feeling of satisfaction that sits heavy on me because now Billy has heard it.
“Wife?!” Billy gapes between us like we just told him the world was ending.
“Yeah, wife,” I say with a smile. “What’s the matter? Upset that I beat you down the aisle?”
“You did not marry him. Stop fucking lying, Mare. It’s not funny. I know you’re trying to get back at me because of what I did but we both made mistakes. We were both wrong and I’m big enough to forgive you for it.”
“I made mistakes?” I walk out onto the porch and stop at Julian’s side. “I made mistakes? What did I do that made you jump into Minnie’s bed?”
“We were on a break. You and me. It just happened, okay?”
“You’re lying. I know you were fucking her while we were together. Mybest friend, Billy. ” I’m lying mostly. I think he was when I think back on those times. The suggestive looks, the lingering touches, the way Minnie found excuses to just go by his place. None of that was normal.
