“You stupid little ho. I’m standing on your front step in a suit, ready to pick you up. Where the fuck are you, Bethany-Melissa? I’m coming to get you, and you’d better be ready by the time I get there.”
“Go home, Caleb. I told you, we’re done—”
“And I told you we weren’t and that you needed to be by my side tonight.”
I could picture it. Me, putting on a pretty dress, like I had every other time he’d told me to. We’d go to the country club, where he’d spend the entire night ignoring me, while he laughed and joked with his work colleagues. I’d smile dutifully at their sexist comments and pretend they weren’t insulting.
Caleb didn’t want to show up alone. People would ask where I was, and he would have to say I’d broken up with him. It was a bad look for a businessman in his thirties if he wanted to be taken seriously. It made him appear unsettled and untrustworthy if he didn’t have a steady relationship to flaunt at such events, even though everybody in the room knew that married men cheated.
I don’t know why I’d thought Caleb would be any different. But I knew what he was now, and I didn’t care about his wounded pride. I was free from him, and I wasn’t going back. Goddamn him for even thinking he could call me. “We’re not together, Caleb! You don’t get a say in what I do anymore!”
A shadow fell over me. Nash’s eyes were fire, his entire body ready for a fight even though the fight was miles away, standing on my doorstep. “Is everything okay? The entire bar can hear you shouting.”
“Who the fuck is that?” Caleb growled. “Is it him? The piece of trash you’re sleeping with?”
“Oh, if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black. Did you forget how your dick accidentally fell into Lucinda?”
“Because you’re a frigid bitch who couldn’t please a man if you had a guidebook by your side. You think he wants your used-up pussy? You think any man is going to want you when you don’t even have the self-control to stop putting food in your fat fucking face? You ugly bitch, no man will ever want—”
Nash yanked the phone out of my hand. “You want to know where she is, rich boy? She’s at my bar. Spread out naked on my desk. I stripped every piece of clothing from her body, and then I worshipped every inch of her. I erased every trace of you with my tongue. I went down on her, licking her sweet, wet, juicy pussy until she screamed my name loud enough for the entire bar to hear. My name, fuck boy. Not yours. Has she ever even uttered a sound when you fucked her with your tiny dick? You could never even get her wet, could you? And yet you call her frigid because you don’t know how to please her. You’re an embarrassment, Caleb. You’re a little boy, with a small dick, trying to play with the men. She doesn’t need you. She doesn’t fucking need anyone.”
He slammed his finger down on the red cancel call button.
I gaped at him.
His breath was ragged, his fingers clenched so hard around my phone I thought it might crack. His eyes were wide and wild, gaze darting around his office like Caleb might appear at any moment and challenge him.
All I could think about doing was kissing him.
His eyes turned downward, his expression morphing into something more apologetic. “Fuck, Bliss. I’m sorry. But I could hear every word he said to you, and I just fucking lost it.”
I couldn’t even speak. My nipples had turned into stiff peaks at the thought of him laying me out naked on this desk and tongue-fucking me with an entire bar outside to hear every moan.
He squatted in front of me so we were more similar heights, his eyes filled with anguish. “Shit. You’re mad. I didn’t mean it, Bliss. I just know how men like him are. They don’t back off until another man calls them on their bullshit.”
The bubble broke.
I didn’t mean it.
I cleared my throat. “No, thank you. I appreciate you standing up for me.”
He rocked back on his heels, his expression changing to one of wary hesitation. “You aren’t mad? I was kind of graphic. And out of line.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I get it. You said it in the heat of the moment.” I pushed out of his chair and pocketed my phone. “Is Rebel done? We have plans.”
“Yeah, I think she’s just grabbing her coat.” He stepped aside, leaving a wide berth for me to get by him without us touching. “Have a good night.”
“Thanks. We will. You too.”
I scurried by him, grabbing Rebel at the coatroom on my way out, and hustling her along with me.