Page 78 of The Biker and the Baker
If he’d cared about me for even a modicum of what he claimed, then he wouldn’t have let me go so easily. Without a fight.
Only when I came to this realization did I decide to stop beating myself up and accept it.
Onyx and I were never meant to be.
Now, I can breathe.
~
It’s Kim’s birthday. And because she’s a well-bred, uptight white girl—not filthy heathens like the rest of us—she requested a fancy dinner at Blue Tail for her gift. A swanky, fine dining restaurant in Colorado Springs. No strippers or lap dances this time around.
As a food lover, I’m adoring it. Plus I’ve wanted to eat at Blue Tail for a while now. But Mira and Lissa aren’t fans of the ostentatious atmosphere or the ridiculously expensive menu.
As I watch them struggle to figure out the cutlery, I giggle into my flute of champagne, while Kim looks on with a satisfied smirk.
In adherence to the restaurant’s dress code, we’re all dressed like we’re going to a black-tie event—elegant dresses, strappy heels, and glossy hairdos. To the nines.
“Be honest, Kim,” I say, setting down my champagne flute. “You did this to get back at us for the strip club, didn’t you?”
She doesn’t even blank. “How do you all feel right now? Uncomfortable? Like a fish out of water? Digging too deep into your pockets?” She tips her chin, triumphant. “That’s how I felt at the club that night.”
“Hey, I’mgood.No complaints,” I say, holding my hand up. “I’m a foodie. I’ll embrace anywhere that serves darn good food, no matter the cost. Plus, I feel like I’m about to collect an award, so…”
Lissa sets her fork down and shakes her head at her cousin. “Seriously? Who wastes their birthday gift on retaliation?”
“Trust me, it’s not wasted,” Kim replies, smiling evilly. “Watching you two squirm? I haven’t been this entertained in a long, long time.”
Looking at her girlfriend in disbelief, Mira mumbles, “You deviant little imp.”
“Yup, she’s one of us now,” I say through a laugh. “A rebel.”
Lissa picks up her champagne and takes a sip. “Uh-huh, we’re done sheltering you. You’ve just walked right onto the battlefield of our ongoing revenge wars and we’resogoing to get you back for this.”
Kim’s smug smirk falters. She’s been on the sidelines long enough to know how dirty our revenge wars can get, so she probably should have thought this one through.
Mira grins with sinful delight, and I almost feel sorry for Kim.Almost.
As I’m about to take another sip of bubbly, I become distracted by the hostess leading a small group of people through the restaurant to a reserved table on the far west of the restaurant. A group of people I’ve sat and ate and laughed with many times before—Toni, Leyana, Cookie, Scratch, Kendra, Alec, Grunt, Onyx, and their newest addition, Onyx’s girlfriend. My replacement.
All are dressed in accordance with the dress code—the men sharp and groomed, the women glitzy and glowing.
My heart jumps a beat as it always does whenever I see Onyx. It’s weird seeing him so formal. Suave, in navy blue slacks, a white dress shirt, and polished leather dress shoes. His cornrows are flawlessly neat as usual and his drop fade fresh, smooth,sexy.
Three months ago, seeing his hand on Official Girl’s lower back would’ve made me itchy, achy, stabby. Not anymore. After coming to the realization that he never truly cared for me, it was easier for me to forgive myself and move on.
I’ve stopped hiding at home to avoid running into them. It’s happened so often that as swanky as this restaurant is, a restaurant we drove over an houroutof Denver to get to, I’m not even a little bit surprised to see them here. The universe hates me, and I’ve been taking her spiteful jabs in stride.
My girls have had to flee one too many places already because of me, so I don’t alert them of the group’s presence. It isn’t fair to them to keep ruining our night-outs with my man drama. AndI’mtired of running from buildings like they’re on fire each time he walks in. So, I dig deep for my Badass Pia Panties, the ones I’d unwittingly discarded when I submitted to Onyx’s charms, pull them on, and smile at my girls.
~
Fifteen minutes later, I’ve all but forgotten about the group on the other side of the room. We’re high off expensive champagne, laughing at ourselves, and ready to bust this joint for somewhere less stuffy.
With our checks signed and complimentary dinner mints melting on our tongues, we’re up and on our way out when a sudden wave of collective gasps and dreamy sighs travels through the restaurant.
Curious, I halt and glance around to see what it’s all about. I shouldn’t have. I should’ve just kept on walking and laughing with my girls. Because with that one wrong decision, I took a poisoned arrow straight to the heart.
“Oh,no,” Mira whispers from beside me.
