“You hate looking at dresses,” I remind her.
“But I love you, so I’ll suffer through it.” She smiles.
Charlotte’s gaze falls behind me, andI turn my head to see Emmanuel walking through the glass door with Paz right by his side. His eyes immediately find mine, and I give a little shake of my head.
“Do you think he has a tracker planted under your skin or something? That man is always wherever you are,” Charlotte says under her breath.
I wouldn’t put it past Emmanuel. I mean, if he could, he probably would put a tracker on me.
“Orthat manis your husband’s friend so that’s why you see him around a lot?” I suggest. Linking my arm through hers, I lead Charlotte towards the elevators, walking straight past Emmanuel and Paz. “Besides, I think the sidekick is way hotter,” I add loud enough for both men to hear and then give Paz a smirk. He just shakes his head at me.
“Shh… they can hear you,” Charlotte hisses.
“That’s the point,” I tell her. When I look back over a shoulder, Emmanuel is glaring at me. I give him a smile and I see his face soften ever so slightly. But I know he’s mad, and probably has a case of blue balls because he thought he was about to get laid.
Maybe Rachel was right. Maybe coming to see Charlotte is exactly what I need. When we get up to Charlotte’s penthouse, she shows me to the guestroom. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get you your own suite? Louie won’t mind.”
“Do you not want me here?” I ask her.
“Of course I want you here,” she says.
“Does your husband want me here?”
“My husband wants me to be happy, and you being here makes me extremely happy. So, yes, Louie wants you here.” She smiles. “Now, want to get drunk and forget the world?”
“Absolutely.” I nod. I need that. To forget the world, and day-drinking with my best friend is just the way to do it.
I throw my bag down on the bed and take out my phone. A text from E is already on the screen. I open it and skim the message.
E:
I’ll destroy anything that competes with my ability to have you completely.
My brows furrow. Is he talking about Charlotte? He better fucking not be threatening my friends. But then, like a lightning bolt, it hits me. An awareness that he is legitimately insane sends me into a panic. It was only a few hours ago that he told me he had burned Amy alive. I shoved that deep down, because for some reason, the man has a hold on me and it seems my morality knows no bounds when it comes to him.
Me:
My friends are off-limits, Emmanuel. Do NOT touch them. That is one thing I will NEVER be able to forgive you for. Also, don’t fucking threaten them again, because I might be tiny, and I might not like violence. But when it comes to those I love, I will become the person who digs holes all over the desert.
My fingers tap across the screen in rapid succession. “You okay?” Charlotte’s concerned voice has me looking up.
“Uh, yeah, just some asshole who has the wrong number,” I tell her, putting the phone back in my pocket.
I feel the vibration of another message. As much as I want to ignore it, I can’t stop myself from looking.
E:
Flawless and fierce. And MINE.
I roll my eyes as I shove my phone back into my pocket. He can sit and read for a while. “Whatever is bothering you, I hope you know I’m here for you, always,” Charlotte says.
“I do know,” I tell her. “Ditto.”
I follow Charlotte into the kitchen, where sheretrieves a bottle of chilled white wine and two glasses. We then head to the living room. Charlotte pours us both a very healthy serving of wine.
“So, tell me, how is it being married to Las Vegas’s bossman?” I ask her.
Charlotte blushes and smiles. “It’s… amazing.”
