Page 79 of Dominate Me

Chapter Nineteen

Haley

The sounds of laughter and clinking champagne glasses echoed through the wide-open doorways as Gabby and I made our way back to the ballroom.

“See?” I said, smiling. “I told you I’d be fine on my own.”

She rolled her eyes and looked straight ahead. Suddenly, she grabbed my wrist and pulled us both to a stop. “Fucking hell. You spoke too soon.”

I turned to the direction she gestured and came face to face with Meredith and Courtney, strutting toward us. Meredith wore a smile that gave me the exact vision of when Jensen called her a hawk. Eyes narrowed with a gleam filled with wicked intent and lips pressed together in a catty grin, she walked toward us like we were her prey and she’d been waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Like at the coffee shop, Courtney trailed behind her a step, hands clasped together in front of her, eyes wide open and filled with innocence.

“I can handle this,” Gabby said, stepping in front of me as if to shield me from the onslaught.

Meredith on the other hand ignored her and focused her gaze on me, like an arrow to a target.

I groaned. This was the last thing I needed. Running into Jensen’s mom with the back of my dress tucked into my thong underwear and a roll of toilet paper stuck to my heel would have been more pleasing.

“No. I’ve got it.”

Gabby sighed and let go of my wrist she’d been clinging to. “Suit yourself.”

“Hello, Gabby,” Meredith said as she reached us, stepping directly in our path—in front of me.

“Shrew.”

Meredith’s eyes met mine and narrowed further. If spikes could be shot from eyes, I’d be a bleeding mess on the floor. “And you’re Jensen’s new plaything. You didn’t mention it the other day.”

I wasn’t a plaything. Despite my doubts, I still knew who I was.

“I’m his, yes.” I straightened my shoulders, tried to be confident despite the unease churning my stomach. “He’s told me all about you, Meredith,” I continued, letting her know we’d spoken of her.

Her eyes flashed in surprise before she gestured to Courtney, as if just remembering she was there, at her side like a well-trained puppy.

I almost pitied Courtney. While I suspected Jensen didn’t tell me the entire story of his past with Courtney and Meredith, he had given me enough information to understand these women.

“Don’t you think it’s tacky?” At my raised, questioning eyebrows, Meredith continued. “You’re nothing more than a slut, someone for him to abuse and beat until you’re almost ruined. And everyone here knows it. They see it, and they’ve seen it before. There isn’t a man or woman inside this building who doesn’t know exactly what you are...what you do for him.”

“Meredith,” Courtney cut in, suddenly looking uncertain. Perhaps a bit hurt. “Let’s go.”

“No,” she snapped, her eyes flashing toward her “friend” before coming back to mine. “He’s had his time to play. He broke you and ruined you and it’s disgusting the stuff he gets away with. Everyone should know how he treats his whores he parades around, dressed in what he wants, saying what he commands.” Her voice went soft, more patronizing than comforting, and a chill cascaded down my spine. She wasn’t entirely wrong, but she was only jealous I had what she couldn’t. Not that I’d say it in front of her friend. “I’m trying to look out for you, sweetie. You’ve been through so much.”

“Oh cut the crap,” Gabby snapped, clearly losing her hold on letting me handle this. “We both know you’re full of shit, Meredith. And I’m sorry, Courtney, truly I am,” she turned back to Meredith. “We both know that if he told you to...if he asked you to...you’d spread faster for him than melted butter.”

She gasped, a hand went to her chest in indignation but Gabby continued, leaning forward and lowering her voice. “He doesn’t want you. As often as you throw yourself at him, you don’t turn him on, and that kills you doesn’t it? You hate that you’ve always wanted him, would try to be whatever he wanted, and he tossed you to the side for your friend who you don’t think is nearly as pretty or as smart, or as perfect as you are.”

Whatever goading Gabby had done snapped something inside Meredith, because as soon as Gabby was done, Meredith hissed, “Because she’s not. He was mine before her and he’ll be mine again,” Her eyes slid down my body with disgust but I could only gape at her, at the fact that just beside her, Courtney’s skin had paled, her jaw hung open. “You’re not what he wants or needs.”

“Is that true?” Courtney looked at Meredith, looking like she’d been slapped.

No, worse.

She looked like she’d lost the last remaining thread of whatever she’d been holding on to. “Mer—”

Realization dawned on Meredith and she faced Courtney, but before she could speak, Courtney turned on her heel, rushing away, her sobs loud and clear as she covered her mouth with her hand.

“You’re a bitch,” Meredith hissed, glaring back at Gabby. “How could you do that to her?”

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