My nose scrunches in irritation. “Don’t act stupid. Of course, there isn’t.” They all know my history with Bettina and why I’ve vowed never to be in a relationship again.
“He’s lying,” Giulio says, waggling his brows. “He’s getting pics of some redhead on his phone,” he adds, totally throwing me to the wolves.
Cristian eyeballs me over his scotch, scooting closer to my left side. “Something you want to share, buddy?” he asks in a low tone.
I look around, ensuring no one is paying us too much attention before I press my mouth to his ear. “Gia is on a date with that douche. I asked for updates.”
“Did you now?” Cristian grins.
“It’s not like that.”
“It’s totally like that,” Caleb says, eavesdropping.
I flip him the bird. “It isnotlike that,” I whisper-hiss, keeping my voice low on purpose. The other guys are discussing football and no longer interested, but I need to be careful what I say when I’m in a public place. “I promised Mom and Frankie I’d keep her safe. This is me trying to keep that promise.”
“Liar.” Caleb flicks hair out of his eyes. “You arranged it before they asked that of you.”
I run my finger underneath the collar of my black shirt. “I didn’t need it verbalized to know they’d want me to do this. Back the fuck off.”
My phone pings again, and I’m almost afraid to look.
“I’m only messing with you,” Caleb says, sensing my irritation. “We know you don’t date.”
I swipe my finger to access the message, almost vomiting when I open the picture. My fingers clutch my phone in a death grip, and my nostrils flare as I glare at the image of Gia pressed up against the wall outside a bar. Liam is devouring her mouth like an animal while his hand travels up her thigh. Her skirt has been pushed up higher, and she’s showcasing a lot of skin. What the hell is she playing at? She’s supposed to be acting coy, not letting him paw at her in public like a horny teenager who cannot control his hormones.
I’m beyond enraged.
Why? I have no fucking clue, and that only makes me angrier.
“I know that face.” My twin pushes the bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle across the table to me. “Drink up, brother. You look like you need it.”
Grabbing the bottle, I pour a generous measure in my glass and knock it back in one go. It does nothing to quell the inferno swirling inside me.
“You sure you haven’t got a thing for her?” Cristian asks. His brow is puckered as he examines my face. “She sure seems to have you tied into knots.”
“I don’t have a thing for her,” I snap, refilling my glass. “I just don’t like seeing good women getting treated like trash by trash.”
That’s all it is.
Right?
Chapter Thirteen
Gia
Vigorously scrubbing my skin in the shower does nothing to alleviate the itch clinging to every inch of my flesh. Memories of Liam’s disgusting hands all over my body sends shivers crashing over me, and I’m chilled to the bone despite the hot water raining down on me.
I am only a couple weeks into dating him, and it’s already painful. But I know the worst is yet to come, and I need to find better coping mechanisms. I’m able to deal with his touch in the moment because I zone out, forcing my body to cooperate while my mind goes someplace else. It’s the aftermath of our dates I have the problem with. Then I can’t stop my brain from replaying everything. Knots twist my insides as I turn off the shower and get out. I wrap a fluffy white towel around my body as I remove the shower cap from my hair and toss it on the vanity.
Swiping at the condensation on the mirror, I stare at my reflection. I’m still not used to my new hair. It suits me, and I’m glad I had to change my appearance. It helps to separate “‘real me” from “work me.” Now, if I can just learn how to leave “work me” at the door when I come home each day, I’ll be happy.
I drag a comb quickly through my hair before padding out of the bathroom into my bedroom.
“Oh my fucking god!” I screech, slapping a hand over my chest as my heart pounds painfully against my rib cage and blood thrums in my ears. “You almost gave me a heart attack! What the fuck are you doing here?” I glare at the tall, broad frame of the brooding man sitting bolt upright on the side of my bed. “And how the hell did you get in?”
“I have a key,” Joshua says, running his eyes over me from head to toe.
“You can’t be here! What if Liam has someone watching my place?”
