Page 74 of Royal Havoc

She rolls her caramel eyes, leaning on her elbows to mirror me. “Stop pretending you don’t know his name. It’s childish. Felix was a distraction on a boring-thirsty night,” she answers carelessly. Grabbing another glass, slamming it on the table once it’s empty. “What’s your rules? Did you fuck her?”

“Ah, ah, ah.” Waving a finger at her. “That’stwotruths.”

Her nostrils flair. “Prick.”

Once she’s taken the second shot. “No. I already told you I never touched that trap. My rules start after we’re married. Until then,” I pause, leaning closer. “I can do whatever the fuck I want,” I answer slowly, driving home my point, loving when I see her anger.

I swear she snarls, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll end up covered in lemon drops by the end of the night.

Taking my time, letting her cook in her anger for a moment. After swallowing. “Are you a virgin?”

She narrows blazing caramel eyes at me. “Fuck you,” she sneers.

“Are you quitting?” I ask.

“Ugh,” she groans loudly, refusing to look at me. “Unlike you, I wasn’t allowed to be a whore. I wasn’t even allowed to date. So,” she grits, finally snapping her neck to look at me. “Yesss,” she growls.

Air seeps from my lungs, relief replacing it.

She holds her shot, staring at me emotionlessly, and I gear up for what I know she’s about to ask. She lets the liquor slide down her throat and gently places the glass on the table. I shake my head, willing her not to ask the question. But she does it anyway.

“How many?”

I turn my head, hating the answer I’m about to give her. “Enough,” I growl, peering at the hate she’s throwing my way.

“No, no, no. Areyouquitting?”

I bite my jaw, instantly tasting copper. “Does it matter?”

“Of course, it matters. You accuse me of being a whore, when you probably can’t even remember how many bitches you’ve dicked down,” she argues, raising her voice enough to draw attention.

“I was pissed after you shut me out. You left. Blocked my number. Stopped visiting with Opal. You disappeared, Onyx. Your mom told me you were never coming back,” I argue louder, ignoring the worthless faces watching us. “Carney was agifttoreplace youbecause I turned into a fucking lunatic,” I growl, letting the rage I’ve held onto for years consume me.

She shoots from her seat, lunging across the table, smacking me across the face. “Fuck you, Vex. You’re the reason I left! You’re the reason I hate this place, and my past. Why didn’t you apologize for hurting me? You blamed me, then went and found yourself a piece of money-hungry trash! Fuck off,” she shouts before storming away.

I watch her disappear down the hallway leading to the bathrooms. Suddenly, everyone around us goes back to mindingtheir business, letting me shove down my rage and try to compose myself in peace.

“Shit show kinda night?” Zeke jokes causally, standing by the booth, blocking me from sight. “You good?”

Scrubbing my face, starting to feel the buzz from the shots I slammed. “I’m good.”

Keegan saunters up beside Zeke. “You should know, I just spotted Carney high tailing her awful ass to the bathroom,” he announces calmly before strolling away.

“Fuck,” I groan, sliding from the booth.

Zeke grabs Keegan, and they follow me. At least it’s still early, so a line hasn’t formed yet. Their yelling echoes through the cheap door. Zeke follows me in while Kee stays outside to block the door.

“You’re such a stupid bitch! He picked me! He’s going to marry me! He doesn’t want your pathetic ass,” Carney shouts like the raging bitch she is.

Zeke and I stop dead in our tracks, shocked to find Onyx laughing hysterically. When she notices me, she sobers instantly.

Walking past Carney, she stops between us. Standing sideways, making sure to keep both of us in her sights.

“You signed a paper saying you’d marry her?” she asks me directly, ignoring everyone else in the room.

Zeke hurries to usher out the two chicks hiding in a stall. Then returns quietly. The room suddenly feels too small as rage thrashes at my insides the longer I’m forced to stare at Carney’s manipulative face.

“Get her out of here,” I order Zeke, trying to rain in the fire, scorching the air from my lungs.

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