Holy shit. My entire body tensed up.
"Never mind, Dex," I hissed. I didn't want to hiss but it came so naturally, it didn't matter.
"Ritz." The tip of his nose touched my cheek. "Jealous?"
He was out of his mind if I was going to answer that question when he sounded way toopleased.
"Most these girls have been around the Club for a while," he explained like that was a reasonable excuse I'd want to friggin' hear. "It's nothin'."
Nothing. It was nothing.
It probably wasn't. That tiny logical part of me accepted that as the truth, but the other part—the hormonal one—craved castration.
God, I hoped my period wasn't coming sooner than it should.
I didn't need to sit there and stew over the fact that I'd probably be stuck facing women that he'd slept with at these sort of gatherings. I was nauseous. And an idiot. What else would I expect? I needed to get away from the reminder of where Dex's pubic piercing had been, and as I looked down at my lap, where it hadn't been.
Forcing a nod, I came to my feet slowly so that I wouldn't accidentally hit him in the face. It wasn't his fault that he had a history while I practically had a negative one. But wouldn't he at least understand that I wouldn't want to face stuff like that? Even if the girl seemed to hang on to whatever man gave her any attention.
Okay, that was rude. For all I knew she was probably a nice girl that had daddy issues I couldn't hold a flame to. I needed to quit being a jerk.
"I think I'm gonna take a dip for a little bit," I said, averting my gaze to the kids around the oval shaped pool. If I looked at Dex, he'd be able to tell that something was bothering me.
With my luck, he already did.
He grabbed onto my wrist, tugging at it. "Iris." My name came out as a grumble.
I touched the top of his head with my other hand, still unable to look at him. "It's fine. I'll be back."
Dex would make a scene if he wanted, but luckily he didn't. His grip loosened enough until I was able to slip out of it, plate in one hand, my pride wounded and clinging to the other. I threw my trash into the nearestcanand went to grab my bag from the pile of stuff on one of the tables closest to the back door.
With my towel in one hand, I made my way to the pool, smiling at some of the women that I recognized with enough enthusiasm that I hopefully didn't look like a raging, jealous bitch in a bad mood.
I needed to calm down.
Chill out.
Relax—
Someone smacked my ass.
I didn't even have to turn around to see the little boy, probably around five, zipping passed me like there was no tomorrow. "Booty!" he shrieked.
I must have stood there for at least a couple minutes digesting the fact that I'd just gotten fondled by a kid who more than likely still peed in his bed at night.
And the laugh that burst out of me kind of hurt.
It was only natural that I took off running after the little turd.
~ * ~ *
"Uncle! Uncle! UNCLE!" Dean wailed at the top of his lungs, thrashing carefully enough not to kick me. Well, kick me again. He'd already got me in the stomach at least three other times but that was the risk you took when you were tickling the crap out of a little kid. Getting smacked and peed on. I'd take a smack over pee any day.
I dug my fingers into his sides even harder. "What'd you say?"
"RIS! Ris is the master!" he gasped.
"Who's the master?" I laughed, tickling him even more.
