Page 14 of Tarnished Hands

I pull my hand away from Piper, not sure exactly how I plan to tell Lydia to keep her opinions to herself, or she’s gone for good, but Piper speaks first, yet again. “Does it bother you that you aren’t the one he’s fucking?” she asks.

Lydia blinks, caught off guard. I bite down a grin, watching Piper work.

“He’s kissed me, just so you’re aware,” Lydia sneers, and I have to fight off rolling my eyes.

“Do you want a medal for that?” Piper asks.

Lydia’s face goes red, then she says, “You seem like a real bitch.”

“I am,” Piper replies proudly.

I bite back my comment and let her handle it herself, even though I want to stop it. But, apparently, nothing I have been saying to Lydia has sunk in. So, she deserves what she gets.

“Lydia,” one of her friends says. “Let’s go, this party is boring.”

Lydia glances back at us. “It won’t last. He doesn’t know how to do relationships,” she throws out.

“You have some real fucking issues,” Piper says.

“Oh, how so?” Lydia steps closer.

Tony goes to say something, but I shake my head at him.

“I mean, clearly, you’re angry that your boss doesn’t want to fuck you and are annoyed because he wants to fuck me.”

“I could have him if I wanted.”

“Could you?” Piper asks, then looks over her shoulder at me. “Do you want to fuck her?”

“No,” I answer, looking Piper dead in the eye.

I want to fuck her.

And no one else.

“You sound like such a whore,” Lydia says, and before Lydia can turn to leave, Piper lifts a gun and points at Lydia’s head.

The fuck? Where in the hell did that come from?

Everyone around us goes silent.

“Say I’m a whore again, I dare you.” Piper’s voice is calm, but I have a feeling that’s just her when she’s angry.

Violent.

Fierce.

Intense.

And I love it. But I’d prefer her to take that anger out with her fists and put that gun back where she drew it from.

“Piper. Play nice.” Lucas’ voice comes from behind us.

“Why should I when you don’t mind cleaning up the mess, Lucas. Maybe this time it will be a blonde’s mess,” Piper replies, never taking her gaze off Lydia.

“Fine. As long as it doesn’t spray all over the top shelf, then go ahead and shoot her for all I care,” Lucas calls before he walks away again.

Yeah. No. That’s not going to happen.

---