Velvet Kisses(61)

“It’s not what it looks like.” He holds up a hand.

“As if I care.” The words struggle from my throat as I fight back tears. “Let me guess”—I shake my head trying to control my breathing—“you don’t even like her.” I mock the tone he used repeatedly when he said those words. “And you”—I seethe at Cat—“my own fake flesh and blood. I would never bone that twerp.” I do my best to imitate her. Yes, she, too, pretended to loathe the very sight of my then boyfriend. “Aren’t you two a pair? Is this the part where I’m expected to woman up and give you my blessing?”

They exchange perturbed looks. If I had to guess what they were saying it would be: Cat Alice— She’s in on our secret. This is as good a time as any to fess up! And, of course, Will’s response—I still can’t see myself associated with your rank ass.

I take in a sharp breath. “Oh, my God!” My eyes flit from Will to Cat. “You two have been at this for a while haven’t you?” I bet they’ve been fucking for years!

A stunted silence takes over our tense little circle.

“Oh, shit,” I hiss. “Wait a minute.” I cock my head toward Cat. “You were the one that introduced me to Will. You said he was a very special friend of yours.” My jaw goes slack. “You were already seeing each other at that point, weren’t you?”

Deafening silence. Nothing but their gaping pie holes staring back at me.

I swallow hard, putting together the shit pieces. I growl at Cat Alice. “You were together the entire time I was with him, weren’t you?”

Cat opens her mouth, and I give a hard shove to her chest.

“That was fucking rhetorical!” I scream right over her face. “And you!” I glare at Will who’s red in the face, and I can’t tell if it’s because he’s angry or embarrassed, but right about now I couldn’t care less if he was choking to death. “You weren’t even man enough to get out of one relationship before getting into the next! What’s the matter? Are you ashamed of her? She a little too real-world to show off to your country club friends? Or are you just following in your daddy’s footsteps by keeping your trash on the side?”

Baya pulls me back by the arm. “I think we should go.”

“I’m not done.” A laugh gurgles in my throat as I see Cat Alice in a whole new light. “So you’re the girl he slept with before me—you’re the owner of the tainted twat?” I lean in feeling a little nastier than usual. “You do realize it was your poor hygiene that had him faking an allergy!”

Her hand flies to her lips as she gapes at him in horror. “You said it gave you hives!”

“You both give me hives!” I roar so loud my body reverberates. “I hope you choke on one another’s tongues!” I jump back in a fit of anger. “You’re nothing to me, Cat! Don’t you ever even look at me again! You’re nothing but a slut. The reason he kept you as his dirty little secret is because he would never go for anyone like you!” I turn to the idiot in question. “And by the way, William Angelica Richie, you’ve got a little dick!” I scream so loud my throat burns. I take off toward the business department so fast I swear I hear a sonic boom.

“You are going to regret this!” Cat Alice screams into the wind, but I don’t care. I regret nothing. Finally, and at last, I feel a strange sense of peace.

Baya catches up and swivels me into her.

“I can’t go to class,” I grunt out breathless.

“You have to.” Her face is rife with worry because it’s not just me missing class, it’s Rags to Riches missing its shining moment. “The first critique is a third of our grade, and you have all the stats.”

“I’m so sorry.” I pluck out my laptop and happily hand it over. “But I’m sure we’ll do great.” I run toward Prescott Hall and don’t stop until I’ve hit my dorm.



* * *



By the time six o’clock rolls around, I’m showered and dressed and plying over government handout forms under the duress of dim lighting courtesy of the Black Bear.

“Names and ages of your children,” I ask. I know all this in theory, but my track record with middle names isn’t so great, and, God forbid, I land a birthday in the wrong month. My head doesn’t exactly feel screwed on straight today. And if I manage to screw this up, I’m sure the government won’t mind withholding funds and landing my sweet, yet completely out of her mind, sister in an eight by ten cell. Anyway, Jemma will probably land herself there one day all on her own. This is simply deferring the inevitable.