“I think I’ll pass,” Lottie said. “Thanks, though.”
“Come on. Come on. Come on.” They both goaded.
“Grayson’s not even here, so why are you?”
And. Don’t. Fucking. Talk.
“You know exactly where Grayson is,” I blurted. “Shocker. You know, even if Grayson did get enough brain damage to go for one of you, you would never be his number one choice.”
They both tilted their heads, as if seeing me for the first time, eyes sharp and venomous.
“So, what’s it like going from wife to mistress?”
“I’m sure she feels…relieved,” Pipa said, tilting her head at me. “Right? It’s hard trying to fit in where you don’t belong.”
“It’s kinda sad, though,” Aundi said. “Everyone came to their senses and kicked you out and you…what? Clung to the family for dear life?”
I blinked quickly, looking at the floor so they didn’t see the pain they inflicted.
I didn’t want them to have the power over me and I resented it deeply.
I knew all the reasons I was doing this and I thought that should be enough to bulwark me from judgment. I thought about this moment a lot—how others would react to me. I knew I’d confirm all of the whispers, and that whatever smidge of respect I’d managed to scrape together in their eyes would disappear.
“Shut up,” Lottie mumbled.
Aundi swiveled. “What?”
“You guys are kind of assholes, you know that?”
Aundi’s eyes popped, then Pipa patted her. “Pregnancy hormones make you crazy. My stepmom turned into a total fucking bitch…”
They walked away, laughing and stumbling into each other.
“I suddenly feel really sick,” Lottie said, emotionless.
I blinked. “Do you need help getting back to your room?”
“I’ll make my mother take me.”
Like a waif, Lottie walked away without another word.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her, pregnant and abandoned. She told me not to say anything about what I saw, but every day she seemed to disappear more.
With her gone, and West distracted, I slipped out of the ballroom. It was only eleven, but I thought…maybe I could hide in our room. If I stayed long enough, he might find me, and I could have a midnight kiss.
Thirty-Five
STORY
The room was so dark, I could only see the outline of him—a silhouette against the velvet sky.
“You’re already here,” I said, more breathless than I intended.
Grayson turned instantly at my voice, closing the distance in seconds. He dragged me to him and kissed me raw, breathless.
With his lips still pressed to mine, he said, “I’ve been waiting an hour for you, Snitch.”
He pulled at the elaborate lace and tulle that had taken my girl thirty minutes to put on.