Phoenix Rising(45)

“Is he really your Paul, Anne? Or does he belong to anyone with tits and a willing pussy?”

Anne’s jaw dropped at Jessa’s crass description. But they both knew it was on the mark. Paul’s philandering put Will to shame. “I should leave him. I know I should. But where would I go?”

“You got a prenup?”

Anne sighed. “There was nothing to nup when we got married.”

“Good. Then you’ll have him by the balls. Do you know how easy it would be to catch him cheating?”

“You really think I could?”

“Isn’t it worth a try?”

Anne offered a half hearted shrug and finished off her second beer. Jessa rubbed her shoulder consolingly. She’d been lucky. She’d never had to go through this if, and, or but bullshit. Will had done the hard part. Jessa had just picked up the pieces. Actually, it’d really been Connor who’d begun picking up the pieces.

Jessa stole another glance at Connor. He was still staring at them. But Jessa couldn’t help wondering who the target of that hell-black stare really was.

“So what did he say, Kitty?” Courtney prodded, voice growing louder with impatience.

Their change in topic drew Jessa’s attention forcefully. What had Connor said to Kitty?

“He wanted to know if I was married.”

Georgia paled. “What did you tell him?”

“I mentioned that my husband and I do what we please and try to stay out of each other’s way.” She paused dramatically. “And he asked if doing what I pleased included him.”

Courtney moaned and her eyes fluttered shut. “How big do you think his dick is? I bet you can’t even cover it all if you wrap both hands around and put him in the back of your throat!”

“Courtney you are so bad!” Georgia gasped before clasping both hands over her mouth.

“He’s going to close early. No doubt he wants to get an early start on me,” Kitty announced with a lusty giggle.

“Wow Kitty, you work fast.” Anne’s voice was calm.

Kitty shot a triumphant glance at Jessa. “Oh c’mon Anne, a man like that can’t resist a woman like me. Nature made us to be together. It’s just biology.”

Jessa glowered into the remains of her drink before polishing it off. Apparently, bar owner trumped pool boy, though it might not carry the same value as neurosurgeon. Of course, Kitty had never been one to follow her own rules when it came to the ins and outs of society. The people at the top never did.

Anne nudged her arm. “Hey Jessa, if you’re going to get off work early, you can come back to my place before you go home. I want to check out all those new clothes you were talking about.”

But Jessa couldn’t answer. She couldn’t rip her eyes from Kitty’s smug face. Her vodka-clouded brain could focus on only one thing. Kitty said Connor was going to take her home. She didn’t wonder over the little details of Kitty’s story that didn’t exactly mesh with the ironclad facts Jessa knew about Connor.

Alex said they were closing early. How would Kitty know that unless Connor had told her?

“He kept calling me little kitty cat,” Kitty continued as Georgia and Courtney launched into titillating laughter.

That gained Alex’s attention. Tommy and Wade were already standing up to leave. Alex lounged back against the counter and fixed his cobalt gaze on Kitty. A look of cool indifference masked his face.

“I could’ve sworn his erection was going to burst out of his pants,” Kitty added with relish.

Unbearable pressure built behind Jessa’s eyes. She couldn’t decide if it were anger or hurt. But whatever it was twisted her insides until she was gasping for breath. She’d been such a fool. Convention might be a drag. But it was a safe drag. Her freethinking idiocy in college had landed her with Will. Even that wasn’t going to be as bad as losing Connor.

“Jessa, are you all right?” Kitty asked with false concern. “Should I ask Connor to let you go home?”

Alex’s smooth voice interrupted. “I don’t think you’re in a position to ask Connor anything, kitten.”

Kitty gave him a hard stare. “What do you know about it?”

Alex’s soft chuckle warmed Jessa, easing the pressure and giving her hope. “If you don’t know that love, then you don’t know Connor very well.”

“How well do you need to know someone for a quick fuck?” Kitty snapped.

Alex pushed away from the counter and approached slowly. “You don’t need to know them at all. But you, little girl, are making assumptions about a man who does not tolerate your kind of game.”

“You’re in way over your head.”