Page 94 of Wicked Player

“Speakerphone. I want to hear what he has to say.”

She knew better than to argue.

As she pulled up her contacts, I fought down a growl. It still came across in my tone when I said, “And after you’re done, you’re fucking deleting his number from your contact list.”

“Jealous?” she asked, and it wasn’t exactly a tease.

Things she’d learn about me. Other men who had been inside her weren’t going to be her buddies. Not that Connor had that hope. “Would you like me to have numbers of women I’ve fucked in my phone?”

Her lips pushed to the side. “Point taken.”

“Good.” I kissed her because I didn’t mean to be a dick, it just happened. I’d work on it like she’d learn to get used to it. “Thank you.”

“Anything,” she said and that promise went straight to my dick. “Okay. Here goes.”

She hit the call button and her hand curled around my thigh while it rang. On the second ring, Connor picked up. “Thank God you called me, Lizzie. I swear to you, I didn’t do this, and I’m so damn sorry. I fucked everything up.”

Her brows jumped and if I wasn’t mistaken, she was biting back a laugh at Connor’s rambling.

Pussy. How did he ever think he’d be able to handle this woman next to me?

“Explain then,” she said, and pride burned in my chest. She was a woman who knew what she wanted, took responsibility for her actions, fought for what she deserved. She impressed the hell out of me every day I’d known her and I knew with the glimpse of her I’d gotten, there were only more surprises to come.

“Okay. Listen. I deleted the pics of you and that fucker—”

“That fucker is listening,” I said. “So fucking watch it. My threat still stands.”

Silence hit the phone for a minute and if the timer wasn’t running, I would have thought he hung up. “Okay. Right. Anyway. I deleted the pics from my camera roll, but I didn’t get a chance to do it before you destroyed my phone. But after I got the new one, I had Mel set up.”

Elizabeth leaned forward. “You told me you broke up.”

Another beat of silence. This guy was wearing out my patience and quick. “Actually, I think I said I was going to break up with her, but since you made it clear you didn’t want …”

“Oh my God,” she said. Her forehead dropped to her palm and she rubbed it. “You’re a giant piece of scum, Connor. You know that right?”

He cleared his throat, ignored the name calling and attitude thickened his tone when he replied, “Anyway. She set up my phone. Saw the pictures. Threw a fit and left.”

“You also said she was fine with you and me being together.” Elizabeth laughed then and her forehead fell to my shoulder. Shoulders shaking, she couldn’t help herself and damn I loved a woman who stood up for herself. “Good Lord you’re a dick. I hope someone does come along and crushes your balls.”

“She left me,” Connor said. If I hadn’t been on the phone, he’d have a slew of names to toss her way and I knew it was only knowing I was there keeping him in check. His tone was biting. He was a fool if he didn’t think Elizabeth was smart enough to not be fooled by him any longer. “And she threw my phone at me when she left. I didn’t think anything of it and I deleted them right after. She must have sent them to herself.”

“That’s it?” I asked. “You’re just passing the fucking buck to an ex who also learned you’re trash?”

“It’s the truth.”

Damn. The man didn’t have the right to keep his balls. Pity for the next girl who fell for his decent All-American looks and public persona.

“I’ll take care of it,” I said. “But you come near what’s mine again, anytime soon and we’ll have problems and until then, stay the fuck away from me whenever you see me. Got it?”

If I was facing him, fire would dart from his eyes. I knew his type. All talk and bluster. No strength to back it up. Which was probably why he called Elizabeth so many times to explain.

“I got it,” he finally said. “But I swear it wasn’t me.”

“We don’t give a shit,” I said. And before either Elizabeth or he could respond, I ended the call.

“Mel?” Elizabeth asked. Her voice was thin and she ran her hands down her thighs. “How fucking stupid. All of this because, what? She was pissed he still wanted to have sex with me? God!” She threw her hands to her hair and pulled them back, piling her hair in a messy pile on top of her head before letting it all fall. “I can’t believe this. She’d risk ruining my career? What a selfish…stupid…” She stood and paced, hands flung wildly in the air.

I was the asshole enjoying her freak out. I leaned back in the couch, kicked my feet up on the coffee table and spread my arms wide on the couch. Tiny Elizabeth was sexy as sin pacing my living room, flipping her hand in the air, muttering more to herself than me.

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