The Game Changer(23)

I glanced at Melissa, who was making fists with her hands, her eyes narrowed into tiny slits, and her mouth snarling. “Jesus, Jack, I guess it’s true what they say about beer goggles,” Melissa sniped, giving Chrystle the once-over with pure disgust in her eyes.

Chrystle’s jaw dropped slightly and her eyes got huge. “What did you say?”

“I said you’re as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside,” Melissa spat out. For a tiny thing, she sure was ballsy. I fucking loved it. Melissa said everything to Chrystle that I couldn’t say without it potentially being used against me in court.

“And just who the hell are you?” Chrystle braced herself and tried to sound tough but failed, and I noticed Vanessa fighting to hide a grin.

“None of your fucking business,” Melissa shot back before taking a drink from her glass.

“But it is my business. See, you’re sitting with my husband and my brother-in-law.” Chrystle ran her fingertips down Dean’s arm, and he tensed before swatting her hand away.

“Oh, great.” Melissa rolled her eyes. “You touched her, Dean. She’s probably pregnant now.”

With that comment, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Thunderous laughter ripped from my lungs and spilled out into the air.

“Now, why don’t you take your ugly skank ass away from our table so we can enjoy the rest of our night?” Melissa turned to eye me. “Seriously, Jack. How drunk were you to fuck that?” Her tone filled with contempt.

Struggling for a comeback, Chrystle scurried away from our table, almost tripping on an out-of-place chair as Vanessa quickly trailed behind her.

“Holy shit, Funsize. That was awesome.” I reached out to high five her from across the table.

“The easiest way to get under any girl’s skin is to call her ugly. Especially when she’s not,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Good to know.” Dean nodded.

“Don’t get any ideas, buster. You pull that shit with me, and I’ll never speak to you again,” Melissa said, with a sassy neck gyration that made me want to laugh.

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded, placing the bottle to his lips and chugging.

Pussy.




“Holy shit, that story is amazing!” Cassie’s eyes squinted as she howled with laughter.

“It was pretty hilarious.” I laughed along with her, thankful for the upswing in her mood.

“How did Melissa keep that from me? That’s the best story ever!”

“She’s probably dying to tell you,” I admitted, feeling guilty that I’d asked her best friend to keep so much from her.

“Did the evil troll sign the papers after that?”

The smile fell from my face as I remembered what came next. “No.”




The three of us walked toward the exit of the bar as Chrystle jumped in front of me, grabbing me by the arm. I freed myself from her wretched touch before shouting, “Don’t fucking touch me, you crazy bitch.”

“I just want to talk to you, Jack.” She batted her eyelashes and tilted her head in some bullshit attempt to appear sweet.

“How about we talk after you sign the papers?”

Instantly, her mouth pursed together in frustration. “I’m not signing those. You can’t prove anything and you know it.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” I lied, hoping she’d buy it.

“You’re lying.”

Fuck.

“Just remember how many friends you have before I subpoena them all and make them testify against you. If you get them to lie on the stand, I’ll make sure they go to jail.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” she spat.

“The fuck I wouldn’t.” I leaned in close to her face, my words laced with anger and hate.

“It won’t work anyway. I’ve covered all my bases, so to speak.” She grinned wickedly, and I wondered what the hell I did in a past life to deserve this.

“Just sign the fucking papers, Chrystle.”

“No.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I refuse to make it easy for you to get rid of me.” She smirked, and I wanted to smack the ever-loving shit out of her.

“Is this a fucking game to you?” I asked through clenched teeth, my temper rising to a boil.

“I want to stay married, so I won’t sign anything if I can avoid it.”

Her smugness radiated from her with such force that I had to fight the urge to scream and shout like a lunatic in the middle of the bar.

Keep your cool, Carter. Do not let this crazy bitch push you over the edge.

“Avoid it? You think you can avoid this?”

“Actually, yes I do.” Her voice, thick with deceit and confidence, made me want to gag.