Crashed (Entangled Indulgence)(62)

Did he still love Emily? Had he ever stopped? And why had he asked her to give him a couple days? Kissing her like he had when he was obviously getting back with his ex-wife—did he think he could keep her his dirty little secret? Have the best of both worlds?

Anger, hot and sharp, sliced through her, helping to dull the ache in her chest.

A hand landed on her shoulder. “Alex. What’s wrong?” Piper slid down beside her, concern on her face. “Why are you crying?”

Was she?

“Ah, Christ.” Rusty slumped down, taking her other side, and looked at her sister. “You were right. They’re sleeping together.”

“What?” Alex shook her head, breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Save it, girl.” Rusty slung her arm around Alex’s shoulders. “We’ve seen his car here. You two are as subtle as a pair of humping wildebeests.” Rusty gave her an encouraging squeeze. “Start talking.”

Piper patted her hand, but her expression was pure determination. “Now.”





Chapter Nineteen

Deacon was surprised and—he’d never thought he’d say this—pleased to see Steve when he’d entered the charity gala earlier that night. The sooner he got this mess with Emily sorted out, the sooner he could tell Alex everything. Until he told her the truth, all of it, they couldn’t move forward. She loved him. He had to believe that. He just hoped she’d give him a chance to explain—that she’d believe him when he did.

He didn’t waste time and took up the vacant space beside the man in question, who was currently propping up the bar and nursing what looked like a glass of whiskey. The main part of the evening was over. Deacon had played his part, schmoozed the main players and listened to the never-ending speeches. The cause was extremely important to him, and something he intended to contribute to for the foreseeable future, but after what had happened with Alex the day before, the way she’d looked at him, like he’d cut her heart out and ground it into the asphalt, this wasn’t where he wanted to be. He was anxious to get this over with, to go to her, to finally come clean.

He turned to Steve. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight.”

The guy snorted. “I’ll bet.” He shook his head and swayed on his seat, quickly righting himself.

How was he supposed to have a reasonable discussion with the man when he was shitfaced, or close to it, anyway. “I’ve tried to call you several times, but for some reason you’ve been ignoring my calls.”

He snorted again. “We have nothing to discuss.”

Deacon tried not to grind his teeth. “Emily, for one.”

“Don’t mention that bitch’s name to me.”

“We need to—”

“She told me you’d moved her back in.”

The blood in his veins turned to ice. “What?”

“I can’t believe you took her back.”

Took her back? “I haven’t.”

“That’s not what she’s saying.”

“She convinced me she’d relapsed. That she might hurt herself.”

Steve snorted. “Looks like she’s played us both for a fool.”

When the hell would he learn? He’d lied to Alex, been forced to stay away from her. Forced to suffer Emily in his home the last couple days because she’d convinced him—and he’d stupidly believed her—that she had nowhere else to go. He’d sat with her for hours, doing his best to convince her to get more help. She’d played the victim so well, while she slept in his fucking spare room. And all the while, she’d been plotting. Some sick attempt to get him back.

Steve took a sip of his drink. “I asked her to marry me. Did you know that? She turned me down. Apparently, I don’t make enough money.” He slammed the glass on the bar. “So fucking cold.”

Deacon didn’t reply, too stunned, too damn angry at himself for letting her do this to him, again. Steve took his silence as an invitation to keep talking.

“I’m surprised she didn’t tell you during your cozy dinner date.” Steve must have read the confusion on his face. “You two were plastered all over the society pages.”

His first thought went to Alex, but he quickly brushed it aside. The only way she’d read the society pages was at gunpoint.

“She’s made fools of us, both of us, right from the start.”

Deacon turned to walk away. He needed to find Emily. He’d seen her when he’d walked in and had planned to avoid her all evening, but now he wanted to find her so he could wring her goddamn neck.

Steve grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Do you know why she slept with me that first time? Why you caught us? Because she wanted to make you jealous.” He waved his hand around. “So you’d realize you loved her.” He snickered. “Of course you ended things, and when her father found out that she’d lied to you about a pregnancy and screwed around with me, he cut her off.”