Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94686 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94686 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“How did you know Chase and I were even in the restaurant?” I asked Wendy.
“Lucy told me.”
We all turned back to her. If I’d thought she couldn’t get any redder, I was wrong. She reminded me of the bad little kid in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie that ate the purple stuff and blew up like a blueberry.
“I only told you all that Chase and she would be at Lan as a guess, and Dawn made me tell you.” Lucy’s breathing increased. Her chest rose and fell in fast motions. “I mean it ended up being a good guess, but I didn’t know for sure. I just figured that he’d purchased Lan for a reason, and further inquiry revealed that Gabriel owned it; that’s Jasmine’s lover.”
“Friend,” I corrected. “Not lover.”
“Sorry.” Lucy grimaced. “Then Wendy said, ‘Let’s go down there and show that bitch how to share.’”
We all turned back to Wendy.
“Bitch, huh?” The expression that covered my face had to have been one that I barely took out of my mental trunk unless one of these moments arrived. It was the mask of ignorance, the one I tried to hide and pretend it didn’t exist. Its message was ridiculous things of rage like:
I wish you would.
Come and get me.
Who you calling a bitch?
“I admit it.” Wendy put her glass to her lips and swallowed up the rest.
Drink your liquid courage, girl. You’re going to need it tonight.
“So you were mad at me?” I smiled.
“I couldn’t care less about you and him being together. My problem was that the arrangement was over, and I quite enjoyed being in it.” Wendy turned around and headed back into her bedroom. I captured her shoulder. She paused and stared at my hand on her. “Why are you touching me?”
“I’m not done talking.” I got closer to her as she turned around. “Did you get the gun and shoot me?”
“I don’t have a gun, and you need to back up.”
“Did you get there before everyone else?” I asked.
“I arrived when Lucy did.”
“Is that true?” Vivian’s voice sounded behind me.
“I think so,” Lucy said. “She was parking her car when I rode up.”
“Or at least she pretended to park it,” I muttered.
“Or. I. Did.” Wendy targeted me with an angry glare. “Are we done talking so that I can make another drink?”
I took a step her way. “No, bitch. We’re not.”
“Bitch?!” Wendy yelled. “You’re nothing compared to me. You got a trip to Rome and now you think you can walk around with the big dogs?”
“Girl, please. I read your binder. ’Your family makes mine look like the Huxtables.”
“I don’t even know who the Huxtables are.”
“Because you’re a ninny.” I flipped her off.
For some reason, Vivian sniffed the air and walked backwards. I didn’t care. It gave me more room to drop kick Wendy’s little skinny behind. “I hope you’ve put on something under that robe because everyone’s going to see your nastiness when I lay your stank-ass on the ground.”
“And why again are you getting violent with me?” Wendy was no dummy. She might’ve had a few drinks but she took some safety steps back into the room.
“I think you’re the one that shot me.”
“Then you’re just as stupid as Dawn and I figured.”
I dove for her, snatched those strands of hair, and yanked her butt to the floor. The only problem was as we both fell to the carpet. Loads of strands remained in my hand as she tumbled to the side.
Weave. Of course this fake bitch got a weave. Chase and his need to dress women.
“You’re insane!” Wendy’s robe opened. As I suspected, nothing lay underneath. I’d bet she’d been hoping for a special interrogation with Chase, one that required heavy moaning and moisture in the most intimate of places. Fire filled in my chest, so hot I was almost blinded with it as I jumped on her, scratching and slapping to my heart’s content. We tumbled up ahead.
“Guys! Stop!” Lucy or Vivian yelled. I had no idea who. Here I’d just been explaining to Troy and Chase that it was ridiculous to fight, and now I rumbled in my own bout with a half-naked drunk chick with a bad weave.
“You ghetto slut!” Wendy tried to snatch at my hair, but I’d been in too many fights to be that slow.
I smacked her hard on the face. The boom echoed in the hallway and had to reach everyone’s ears downstairs. The sound of people rushing up the stairs could be heard as I scratched at her forehead and tried to dig her fucking eyes out of the sockets.
“You want me, bitch! Here I am!” Her skin caked my nails. Red lines engraved her face. And still I pounded, never giving up. Now I could see what happened to Troy when he just lost it. That moment, when he’d just had enough of the bullshit and let it all go. I’d played it nice. I left Chase and his arrangement, with no judgments just the understanding that I couldn’t be involved.