“How fast?” I add, turning toward them with scrutiny. Pierce smiles proudly, but Colin looks like he’s trying to fold in on himself.
“What was it, baby?” Pierce asks. “Two weeks?”
“Two weeks?” I repeat, this time glaring at Colin.
It’s wrong of me to feel so surprised.
What the fuck did I think was going to happen? That Colin and I would share a moment, and Pierce would just fuck off? Obviously not. That’shisfiancé. Not mine. I can’t speak about another man’s lover and expect it not to take a turn.
But this? To hear that he let someone else take such intimate, devoted control of him after onlytwo fucking weeks? Colin can feel my disappointment, because he won’t look at me. He’s ashamed of letting someone else take his trust without earning it. I taught him better.
“Did you ever have him collared?” Pierce asks with arrogance, and I’d like to punch him. Collaring is intimate and significant, and he’s treating Colin like a show dog who’s changed owners. I could wring his fucking neck for the way he’s looking atmyColin right now.
I don’t bother answering his question because the next time I open my mouth, I will certainly spew brutal honesty at this insincere prick.
I can’t stand to be in this room anymore. Frankly, I don’t care if Pierce is bored or if I’m supposed to keep them entertained. I can’t take another fucking minute of hearing about them together.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I say brashly. Turning on my heel, I walkbriskly out the door, feeling Colin’s eyes on me as I go.
I’m marching toward the kitchen when I hear the harsh click of Pierce’s shoes behind me in the hall. I let out a groan when he calls my name.
“Barclay.”
I stop in my tracks, letting out a disgruntled sigh before turning around to face him.
“Can I help you?” I ask with as much forced enthusiasm as I can muster, as if that last twenty minutes didn’t happen. As if we didn’t just openly discuss my sex life with his fiancé like it was nothing.
He smiles as he approaches me and wraps an arm around my shoulders, and I find it disgustingly annoying just how charming he is. Everything about him feels fake, like a viper luring me to my death.
“Hey, don’t sweat it,” he says cooly. “If you think I was bothered by that conversation, I promise you I was not.”
“I’m relieved to hear that,” I mutter through clenched teeth. In reality, I couldn’t care less about his feelings. That has nothing to do with my sudden disgruntled mood.
“You do realize I’m not one of those uptight, jealous types, right? In fact…” He glances back toward the room where we both just left Colin. “Listen, can I be frank?” he asks as he pulls me to the end of the hall.
“Of course,” I mutter with hesitance.
“Watching the two of you together is hot. I can see the history you have, and there’s clearly some chemistry there. And he’s assured me that it was always just physical between you too.”
“What is your point?” I ask with a grunt.
“Well, you should know that Colin and I have a special relationship.”
“Special?”
“How do I put this?” he says as he crosses his arms. “I love my fiancé very much. I think he’s fantastic. He’s sexy, smart, andbeautiful. Everybody wants him.”
My spine stiffens as I listen to him talk about Colin this way.MyColin.
“And I take great pride in the fact that he’s mine,” he says, his voice lower and more menacing. “It’s sort of like having a nice car. Something really rare, maybe even a classic. And rather than keep it in your garage, you like to take it for drives and show it off a little bit.”
What the fuck is he getting at? Every muscle in my body is stiff and uneasy.
“I like lending out my car too. I want to show off how nice it drives. You get me?”
My blood turns molten with rage. I don’t respond as he leans in with a smarmy grin.
“Do you understand what I’m trying to say, Barclay?” he asks, and I tilt my head to the side, afraid that I knowexactlywhat he’s trying to say.
