Page 66 of Pride
His reaction to her had startled me at first. I found his lack of restraint a little unnerving, and I was doing my best to try and show him the error of his ways. Putting your trust and heart into something that wouldn’t work was for fools. Alex was no fool. And I’d keep reminding him of that fact for as long as I needed to. It was my duty, after all.
“She doesn’t deserve the crap you’re giving her,” he went on, as if I cared what she deserved. I couldn’t give a shit.
“Doesn’t she?” I replied, frowning. “She wasn’t very nice to me in the press. Or have you forgotten that?”
“You and I both know that was bullshit. It was a fake review, written by Gold, using her name. We know how Gold works. You aren’t that stupid. In fact, I know you aren’t. And I don’t think this is about a shitty review at all. Your ego isn’t that fragile. Nothing about you is fucking fragile.”
“I’m offended.” I reared back, pretending to look affronted. “I take pride in my work, and she shit all over it.”
“No, she didn’t, and you know that as well as I do. So, tell me, what is this really about?”
I drummed my fingers on the table and sighed.
“Do I really need to explain myself to you, of all people?”
His brows raised like he was surprised I was challenging him. I didn’t normally have to challenge him. He always danced to my tune.
“I’ve supported you from day one,” he stated. “I’ve done everything in my power to help you. I wanted you to have purpose and drive, but this...?” He sneered in disgust. “It’s fucked-up and it stops. Today. You’ve fucking lost it.”
I gave him another nonchalant shrug.
“I haven’t lost anything. I know exactly what I’m doing.” I nodded over at him. “I think you might’ve lost a few things, though. Did you leave your balls back at home with Emma? Nice touch, moving her in with you, by the way.”
Fury burned in his eyes, knowing I was watching her. That I was watching everything. And he picked up a steak knife and slammed it into the tabletop, his eyes on me as the knife wedged into the wood.
“There he is,” I chuckled to myself. “I’ve missed seeing this Alex. I like it when he comes out to play.”
“I’m not playing this time,” he seethed, keeping his hand on the knife as he glared at me. “You’re lucky it wasn’t your hand that I stabbed this into. I’m holding myself back right now and we both know how hard that can be for men like us.”
I shrugged. “Put your knife wherever you fucking want. It’d be nice to feel something for a change.”
He shook his head, that sneer firmly imprinted on his face.
“You’re a sick motherfucker.”
I winked back at him. “But I’m your sick motherfucker.”
He took a few deep breaths, and then, in a hushed tone, he said, “If you go near her again, I swear I will end you. Send her any messages, break into her house, or even so much as breathe in her vicinity and I’ll cut your fucking heart out.” Then leaning a little closer, he added, “Even if you think about her, if her face ever crosses your mind, then my face will be the last thing you ever see, right before I send you to fucking hell.”
I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. I loved it when he showed this side to him.
“Jesus, it really was love at first sight.”
“Is that what this is about?” His brows knitted together as he stared daggers at me. “Are you jealous?”
I regarded him for a moment, and then decided to give him a taste of my truth.
“You know, Alex, I’m going to be honest with you here. It’s always been you and me against the world. And I liked that. I’d never had that before. But that night, at the Berkeley Gallery, you spent the entire show watching her. Not me. Her. It didn’t matter what I did or what I said, your gaze never wavered. I knew then that she’d be trouble. And she is trouble. Trouble that needs to be dealt with.”
“She isn’t trouble, and you’re not dealing with shit,” he growled, his fists clenching like he was ready to fight. “She’s nothing to you. You don’t even need to think about her. And as for it being us against the world, I think I deserve something more now, don’t you? I deserve a shot at something real. You don’t get to say who I spend time with. I like Emma. More than like her. I want to get to know her. Spend time with her. And I won’t stand by while you try to destroy what could be something good for me.”
I shook my head remorsefully.
“But what if I’m saving you, Alex? What if I know something you don’t know?”
“Like what?” he scoffed. “What could you possibly know about her that I don’t?”
I smirked, feeding off his anger as I toyed with him. “Or maybe I’m just messing with your head.”
