Page 72 of Deception
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” she says with a giggle before she shakes her head. “You really didn’t know we were together?”
“I swear. God, I thought he actually liked me. Apparently, I was just easy.”
“No, he’s just a fucking asshole,” Klaire says. “How many other women did he sleep with? I’m glad I didn’t.”
“Stop!” Colt shouts.
A few men pull Kent and Gavin from Cole. He falls to the ground, unconscious, and blood covers every inch of skin Gracie can see. Even his hands.
“Take him to the hospital, and make sure that if he decides to come after us for this, we’ll make his life a living hell,” Colt says.
“How much do you want to get from him for Nolan?” Lily asks.
Shaking her head, Gracie blinks back her tears. “I want nothing from him.”
Klaire wipes her eyes. “I’ll go with. I know what to say to make sure he doesn’t go to the cops.”
Kent shakes with anger, and it shocks Gracie. He’s never looked like this before, and she has no doubt that if Colt hadn’t stepped in, he would have killed Cole.
“Lex, why the fuck didn’t you come to me?” Ky asks.
“Because I wanted him out, not dead. Plus, this was really fun to watch.”
“Thank you,” Gracie says.
Lex just shrugs. “You know how much I love knocking men down a peg or two. Besides, I’m pretty sure he wanted to date my husband, which was super weird.”
“Do you think she’ll forgive me?”
“Pretty sure she already has.”
Swallowing, she hates the feeling of all eyes on her. “I need some air.”
“Gracie,” Kent says as Melanie puts ice on his knuckles.
“I need time alone right now,” she says and hurries out the door.
“Fuck,” he mutters just before the door shuts.
Gracie runs her hands through her hair as she takes in gulps of air. Everything came to light in a matter of minutes, and while she feels like a weight has been lifted, she feels the sting of betrayal. Kent promised her he wouldn’t say anything.
“Hey,” Hailey says. “You doing okay?”
“I don’t know,” she admits.
“That was kind of… a lot.”
Gracie chuckles and sits on the picnic table. “You can say that again.”
“I don’t think anyone in there is going to say it to you, so I will. You’re kind of an idiot, you know that?”
“Excuse me?”
Apparently, Gavin’s girlfriend has the same moxie as Lex. “You should’ve put that bastard on blast. Klaire will forgive you, and that asshole owes you a lot. Keeping it a secret only helped him and hurt you.”
“Klaire wasn’t hurt, though.”
“Yeah? Do you really think you’re the first and only girl he cheated on her with? Finding out his true colors helps her in the long run. Imagine if this hadn’t happened, and she married him.”
