Page 90 of Loved By You

She's up on her feet, pulling me to mine and heading towards the dance floor, and to my shock, Harry and Ali are following us.

A female singer is singing “Love” with a live band and the carefree smile and laughter coming from Ria as I dip her andtwirl her around the dance floor hits me right in the heart. This is it; this is what I want. Seeing her like this every day.

I glance over at Ali and Harry, who, to my surprise, are dancing together, both sporting sour expressions. I see one of the other guys from our table offer his hand to Gabby and she accepts, and they make their way over to us. Brad is being the boring bastard he usually is, drinking a whiskey on the rocks and scrolling his phone.

I lean down and whisper, “I need you. Let’s break away for a minute. I know a little spot.”

“Let me freshen up and then I’m all yours,” she whispers back before pressing a kiss to my cheek, causing my dick to twitch again.

The effect she has on me. I nod and she walks away and heads for the bathroom, glancing over her shoulder and smiling at me as she exits the dance floor.

One thing I hate is Ria walking away from me, but God damn, does she look good doing it.

Chapter Forty

Ria

I look back at the woman in the mirror in the hotel bathroom as I touch up my lipstick. I feel giddy. I can’t wait to spend the night with Jack. He booked us a suite, and if I’m being honest, I just want to ditch the rest of the wedding and ride him likes my own personal show pony, but I can’t. I need to get through the next couple of hours, and then he’s all mine.

With a quick powder of my nose and ruffle of my hair, I exit the bathroom and make my way down the hallway back to the man ballroom. My phone vibrates and I reach in my purse. I smile seeing Jack's name.

Jack

Change of plan, get your fine ass up to suite 410

I change direction and head towards the elevators and hit the button to take me up to the suites.

I exit the elevator and walk down the lit corridor, taking in the detailing of the cream walls and the gold and gray carpet. I've never stayed anywhere so fancy before. I follow the signs to the suite when an all too familiar voice fills the hallway.

“I fucking knew it was him.”

I freeze. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and it feels like a lead ball has dropped in my stomach. I turn slowly to see Alex leaning against the wall.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, shaking my head and blinking.Is he really here? How?

“I’m on a date,” he answers. “I think you know her… Tara. Right little fire cracker.” He has a smug look on his face.

“So, you are here with another woman, but you are going to give me shit for being here with someone else?” My blood is boiling.How dare he?

“Wow, someone’s got fucking brave, haven’t they? Remember your tone with me. We are still legally married, Maria Kennedy.”

I grit my teeth. “Don’t full name me, you prick. You've got days left to call me that. I haven't been your wife in a very long time now, so I suggest you build a bridge and get over I. I’ve moved on, you clearly have too, so why are you still making my life hell?” My nostrils flare.

He pushes away from the wall and stalks towards me. I turn, making quick steps to head to Jack, but Alex reaches for me, tugging my arm and pulling us down another corridor and pressing me to the wall. He's trying to intimidate me again, but it’s not going to work.

“You will be my wife for as long as I say. I’ve applied for an extension on our divorce papers. I’ll drag this fucking thing out for as long as possible. You could have just marched your perky little ass back home but no, you had to go and think you could dobetter than me and fall into bed with the first man to pay you a little attention,” he sneers.

“Fuck you, you had me, and you lost me. I tried to make our marriage work, be the wife you needed, the wife you wanted, but you didn't try, you didn't try at all so don't you dare be mad at me now I’m giving someone everything I wanted to give to you.” My voice is laced with anger.

“And Jack’s the one you want to give it to? He’s your brother's fucking friend. How twisted is that? He might be your new little fuck toy, but he will never play daddy to my girls. I’m going for custody.”

The laugh that erupts from me comes from deep within as if I have kept it buried for so long. “That’s a good one. There isn’t a judge in the land that would give you custody of those girls. You couldn’t even tell me Lexi’s favorite color or Elle’s favorite toy, but Jack… he could tell me all of it. He’s a better dad than you will ever be.” Pure venom is spilling from me. I’m done being scared, done keeping quiet.

“You fucking bitch, I’m gonna…” Before he can finish, a door creaks open and footsteps round the corner and there stands Jack. Suit jacket and tie off, looking angrier than I’ve ever seen him. Flared nostrils and a reddening face, he looks like a bull ready to charge.

“Get your fucking hands off her,” he barks.

Alex releases me and lunges towards Jack. “Think you can play happy families with my wife and kids? You piece of shit.” He lifts his fist to punch Jack but before he can, Jack grabs his hand, twists Alex’s arm behind his back and slams him into the wall, face first.

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