06

I couldn’t wrap my brain around it because the handful of times I’ve been around him, have spoken to him, my blood would run hot. My insides would feel all twisted. The world would spin and stop. My heartbeat would speed up so fast I’d have trouble catching my breath.

« Does this have anything to do with that Castillano guy you were seen cozying up to at Herman Terrendale’s yacht party last weekend ? » Sidney asked.

Both Rachel and I swung our heads in his direction.

« Bobby Castillano ? That babyface brat who always reeks of cologne and displays his carefully trimmed chest hair every chance he gets ? » I asked, unable to help my gaggy expression.

« He’s a sophisticated man but you wouldn’t understand that because that’s not the kind of guy who goes for you, » Rachel gritted out, confirming our suspicions. « He’s worldly, extremely wealthy, and highly educated. »

I glared at her. « Last I heard from a reliable source, aka you, Stellan has a few PhDs. Founded his own think-tank at twenty-two. In line to inherit a large share of his family’s cruise line empire. Built his own tech and communication company from the ground up. Helped invent some kind of revolutionary monitoring system for cancer patients. Net worth’s about four billion, give or take. Has a fucking six-pack for a supposed nerd. Compare him to Bobby who hasn’t worked a day in his life. Who will probably blow through his trust fund before he’s thirty. Bobby who only got in and got through Cornell thanks to his family’s regular donations. Who is so vain he refuses to date a woman who is prettier than he is. How’s that for your ego, by the way ? »

« Bobby is serious about me, » Rachel shot back darkly. « And he’ll be worth so much more when he takes over the family business. He wants to have fun for now while he still can. He’s not spending all his time trying to save the world or make it a better place. He doesn’t dress like he’s poor. He doesn’t want kids right away. He doesn’t talk about the most boring shit all the time. »

« Clearly, you and Stellan are not on the same page, » Sidney said reasonably even though Rachel and I are both starting to seethe for different reasons. « Did you try talking to him about it ? »

« She can’t make him change into a different man, » I told him. « Because that’s what Rachel wants. A different man. She should’ve probably thought of that before she went out with him because he’s never posed to be anything else since day one. But I guess the shiny things that come with dating a billionaire were just too hard to resist. »

« That’s not fair ! » Rachel argued, her cheeks getting redder both from the alcohol and the anger. « I thought I could like all those things. I tried and for a while it seemed to work. But then I met Bobby and realized I could have all those too without turning into a dead bore. »

I looked at her in disgust. « You are so fucking selfish ! »

« And so are you ! » she blasted at me. « Don’t go all righteous on me, Kady. You’re the one who had an affair with a man old enough to be your grandfather and got a house to show for it. Talk about selfish ! »

Here we go again.

This supposed affair with Jonah Wallace is going to haunt me forever. I’ve explained it to a few people, Rachel included, but apparently, she’s conveniently forgotten it.

« First of all, I couldn’t have had an affair with a man who wasn’t married or in a relationship, » I started, trying to leash my temper so I wouldn’t end up punching the woman out cold. « Second, even if I had been with Jonah, I wouldn’t have two-timed him. I definitely wouldn’t have left him high and dry two days before our wedding for a guy who’s more child than man. »

« Why do you even care so much ? » she demanded. « You and Stellan don’t even get along. You think he’s too prim and proper and he thinks you’re a bad influence. »

« Sure, we don’t agree on a lot of things but it doesn’t mean I think he deserves to be treated like shit, » I replied acidly. « You could’ve refused a second date if he bored you to tears. You didn’t have to lead him this close to the altar only to ditch him for a rich, irresponsible playboy who’s only going to do you what you’ve done to Stellan. »

« You just don’t understand and you never will ! » Rachel slammed her empty glass down on the table and glared at me.

« Agreed because while the world might think of me as the crazy, cold-hearted bitch out of the two of us, I’m not the one cheating on a good man, » I countered, holding nothing back at this point. I was just so angry. Maybe too angry to some but I wasn’t going to start explaining to anyone why. « But you know what ? Maybe this is good. You’re doing him a big favor by letting him go. God knows if you could’ve even made him happy as miserable as you were being with him. »

« I don’t know how you put up with her treating people like trash, » Rachel told Sidney as she leapt to her feet in holy indignation.

« He doesn’t because I only treat people like trash if that’s what they are, » I snapped back. « And right now you’re getting the VIP treatment. I wish I can say you’re just being an idiot about all of this but we all know you’re more greedy than you are stupid so there’s that. »

« I’m leaving, » she huffed, grabbing her bag and sunglasses. « And when I leave you here, it’s for good. Don’t consider us friends anymore. »

I snorted. « Never did. I don’t consider users as friends. »

Rachel’s lips thinned. « You think you’re so cool and badass now but one day, someone’s going to bring you down to your knees. »

« Don’t hold your breath. »

She turned to go but a flash on her hand caught my eye.

« Hold up. You can’t wear that ring anymore, » I said. « You should’ve given it back to him. »

« He doesn’t want it, » she said.

« You should’ve left it there, » I argued, getting angrier than I would’ve imagined possible at the moment.

She gave me an incredulous look. « It’s a half-a-million-dollar ring. Like you said, I’m not stupid. »

« That’s right. Just greedy. But there are some things you can’t get away with, » I told her firmly. « So hand it over. We’ll give it back to him. And while you’re at it, add the keys he gave you to his place and that of the new convertible he bought you a few months ago. »

« No way ! He doesn’t want any of them back. They’re gifts. »

« No, they’re not, » I insisted, not caring if Stellan didn’t really want them back. I wasn’t about let Rachel take more than what she already had from him.

« If you try to leave with them, I’ll instruct the bouncers to grab you on your way out, » I said in a tone low enough to make my warning very clear and very real. « Even if you do sneak away, I’ll track you down to your new boyfriend’s villa and I’ll torch the place with both of you in it. »

« You know I can get a restraining order against you, right ? » she said, squaring her shoulders as if that would intimidate me.

« Try your best. You won’t be the first or the last to attempt it and fail, » I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. « Now, hand them over and leave. I’m sure Bobby’s waiting around somewhere to live out your happily-ever-after. »

Rachel studied me in a clear display of her inner struggle. She didn’t want to give anything up but she’d known me long enough to know what I was capable of.

« Fuck you, Kady Lynn Jones, » she finally bit out before pulling the ring off her finger and throwing it at me. It pelted my arm hard before I caught it. I made no sound as the pain registered. She dug out a couple of keys from her purse and threw them as well but Sidney caught them before they could hit me in the face. « I will never forgive you for this. »

« Won’t ever ask you to, » I said with a smile, only a little satisfied at my momentary victory over her. « Now, leave. Get your cheating ass out of here and never look back. If I see you around my usual haunts in the city, I’ll have you thrown out. »

Her mouth dropped open. « You can’t ban me from this city ! »

« Maybe not entirely but I’ll have fun doing as much damage as I can, » I promised her with a wink. « You can stay or you can go back to your little backwoods town where the only real estate you own is your parents’ double wide. »

Even in this light and with all the blood suffused in her cheeks, Rachel paled and I not-so-secretly relished her reaction.

« Yes, I know all about the real Rachel Miller, » I reassured her. « I honestly wouldn’t have given a fuck if you’d just told us the truth but you didn’t and that really only drives home the point of how much of a climber you are. I wouldn’t have cared about that much either except that you used me and good people like Stellan and his family to do it. Now I give all kinds of fucks. »

« Fine ! Fine ! » Rachel was practically yelling now, waving about her ludicrous handbag. « I’ll stay out of your way. It’s not like you do anyone’s reputation any good anyway. Most of the time, you’re just a batshit crazy cu—« 

« Say the word and I’ll punch you in the throat, » I cut in coldly, flexing my hand. It’s been ages since I’ve hit something and right now, Rachel’s face will more than do. « Then I’ll rip off your extensions and bash your veneers in. Your call. »

Unable to say more without getting wrung out for it, Rachel finally let out some kind of frustrated shriek, spun around and hightailed out of there.

People were looking from the dance floor below but I just narrowed my eyes at anyone whose gaze I caught.

Then I sat back, waiting for some measure of lasting satisfaction.

But no.

I still want to punch someone.