Josh lifts my hand, his thumb and forefinger toying with the diamond. “Actually,Igave her this ring.”
I blink slowly, unsure if I heard correctly. Katt gasps, and my parents look at him wide-eyed. Even Chad opens and closes his mouth a few times. “Um. About that. Er…” he begins finally.
“Hey, Chad. Long time no see. How’s your nose?” Josh’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes.
Wait…Josh and Chadknoweach other…?
“It’s fine,” Chad grinds out.
“Your plastic surgeon must be pretty good at his job, unlike you.”
Chad turns crimson. “Stay out of this.” He puffs his chest, although the move is counterproductive since it only accentuates the fact that he’s shorter than Josh. And thinner too. Chad got his body from running and swimming mostly. Josh is built like he could rip Chad in half and throw both pieces to the North Pole.
Katt steps in between the two men radiating enough testosterone-laden hostility to start World War III. “You don’t have to lie to protect Ailee, Josh.”
I almost nod—for once, she’s correct.
She adds, “I’d never ask you to sacrifice your integrity, not even to protect my family.”
“Your family?” he says blankly.
“Yeah. Ailee’s my twin sister. Fraternal, of course. And you know my mom, and that’s my dad.”
Josh gives her a funny look. “Huh. Would’ve never guessed you and Klein were twins.”
I press my lips together, ignoring the small pang in my gut. Nobody realizes we’re even sisters, so it shouldn’t bother me that he didn’t, either. We’re just too different in appearance and temperament.
Then his gaze cools. “But what makes you think you’re in a position to ask me anything?”
Katt turns white. “Josh—”
He puts his arm around my shoulders. His body heat envelops me, chasing away the chill. I shouldn’t let him hold me like this, but I can’t bring myself to pull away. Suddenly my family’s betrayal doesn’t seem so painful.
“It’s absurd.” Mom lets out a shaky laugh. “She said the ring was an engagement ring.” The subtext is clear:Why would a man likeyouwant a girl likeher?
Thanks, Mom. I bite my lip, feeling small.
Josh’s eyebrows pinch tightly, forming deep lines between them. “Yes, it is.” He shoots my parents an even look. “Because I proposed to her.” He turns to me with the most saccharine look in his eyes. “Didn’t you tell them, honey?”
Chapter Eight
Josh
The whole table falls silent. Klein looks at me like I’ve just lost my mind. But I’m not letting a bunch of donkey-butt lickers bully her, especially not on Chad Buell’s behalf. I’ve met a lot of trust fund babies—hell, Iamone—but he’s the worst. Entitled, spineless and prone to cheating to get what he wants.
He and I belonged to a kickboxing team in high school, and he once tried to punt my balls in a bout that he wasn’t going to win otherwise. He said, “Sorry,” when his foot missed—because he was that foolishly uncoordinated—but his eyes gleamed with disappointment.
So I punched him in the face. It was fun to listen to his high-pitched, gurgling scream. And satisfying as hell to hear his knees hit the ground. Not my fault his nose was so fragile. He dropped out afterward and joined the golf team. Heard he wasn’t very good at that, either—probably couldn’t hit a ball that small. I didn’t realize he’d became a dentist.
I resist the temptation to strike him in the mouth, just because it touched Klein’s. Actually, he slept with her.Disgusting. That poor girl’s going to need a whole-body bleach. He’s probably more diseased than a wild dog covered in fleas, and far less redeemable. The bastard couldn’t even buy a ring for Klein. What kind of asshole not only cheats but gives his wife’s ring to another girl?
Now I want to break his balls. Don’t even feel guilty about it, since he already managed to procreate. God have mercy on his wife.
Karina finally jumps to her feet. “What?”
“You heard me. Klein and I are engaged.” Why is she so upset?
“You don’t have to go that far. Or…wait. Is this because you fucked my sister once? Oh my God, don’t worry about it! I won’t hold it against you.” Karina’s voice says every man makes mistakes, and she’s magnanimous enough to let it go.
