Page 52 of Dirty Little Secret, Baby
Chapter 22
Alex
"Who's here?" I ask, turning back to Beth one more time, assuming we're now out of earshot.
"Jake... with Dilara."
"He's not even invited, damn it," I reply, glaring at Eric. This can't be good. Quite the opposite. If Jake is showing his face here with Dilara, it can only be to stir up trouble.
"Where is he?" I ask, feeling the anger rising in me.
"Over there," Eric says, pointing to the other end of the room. My gaze follows his finger, and there I see him. Without Dilara, however, which I'll admit is just fine with me. One person of that sort is more than enough.
"I'll handle this," I say to Eric, not taking my eyes off Jake. "Go to Beth and tell her I'll be right back. She should just wait for me, okay?"
"Alright, sir," I hear Eric say as I start toward Jake. I barely register anything else around me in the room. Neither my assistant shouting something after me, nor the other guests. I only see Jake, leaning casually against a table, a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"What do you want here, Jake? You're not invited," I ask him when we're standing face to face.
"Why so hostile, Alex? And why did you come without your date?" he asks, looking past me and waving in the direction where Beth must be standing.
"Cut the crap, Jake. Just stay out of it!" I snap, trying not to speak too loudly so the other guests don't overhear our conversation. I can feel the tension taking hold of my entire body.
"I'm not doing anything. Just saying hello to your date. The other gentlemen kissed her hand, from what I saw, so maybe I should..."
"What you should do is disappear. You and Dilara. You're not welcome here."
"Now, now, Alex," Jake says indifferently, ignoring my gesture toward the door. "You'll have plenty of time to fuck the littlething later. I bet she likes it from behind, just the way you like it, and I'm sure you can then..."
"One more word, Jake," I hiss, grabbing the wrist with which he's holding his whiskey glass so tightly that some of the liquid spills over his hand. "I swear, I'll lose it."
"What would your guests say to that?" he coos, then pauses. "Ah, now I get it. Why was I so stupid?" he says, tapping his forehead with his index finger. "You really like her. You've actually fallen for the little one, haven't you?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business," I reply curtly.
"You've already done it, huh? Fucked. Right?" Jake says with a broad grin on his face, and it's only with great effort that I resist the urge to punch him square in the nose.
"Hey, stay cool, Alex," Jake says, placing his whiskey-soaked hand on my clenched fist. "I'm happy for you. Do whatever you want with her. Fuck her in the ass for all I care. I don't give a damn. You can even get married tomorrow. I just want you to know that..." he pauses and waves his hand dismissively. "Oh, no. I'm sure she wants to tell you that herself."
"What?" I hiss, boiling with rage inside. "What is she supposed to tell me herself?"
"It's fine. I shouldn't have said anything. My mistake," Jake says, raising his hands disarmingly.
"Jake, last warning. If you keep provoking me, I'll lose it," I say, grabbing him by the lapels and shoving him against the wall behind him. So forcefully that the back of his head slams against it.
"Alright. I'll tell you, okay? But only if you let me go," he replies, and I'm glad to see that his dirty grin has vanished from his face, at least for a moment.
"We have an agreement. Beth and I. She said yes. I can have the shop."
"That can't be," I say, feeling an icy chill run down my spine and the blood pounding in my ears. "You're lying."
I'm sure he's bluffing. That's classic Jake. But a few doubts remain that I can't quite push aside. Beth would have told me, right? On the other hand, she's been wanting to talk to me this whole time. Maybe about this?
"Well, while you were busy with dinners, flirting, and fucking, I chose the simpler route and just..."
"Out! Now!" I bark at him, realizing that this time I hadn't spoken in a hushed voice, because I see a few guests turn toward us in shock from the corner of my eye.
"But Alex, we can talk about this like adults," Jake says placatingly, giving the other guests an apologetic look as if this were all terribly embarrassing for him.
