Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 164557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
“Hey,” I whisper to Will as a jazz band starts up, signaling the beginning of the dancing portion of the night. “I’m going to step outside for a minute, okay? I want to call Beck and see how he’s doing. I’ll be right back.”
“Sure,” he says. “Take your time.”
I slip out of the ballroom and into a quiet hallway, pulling my phone from my clutch. I dig my heels into the soft carpet and tap my french-tipped fingernails against the cream-colored wall as I wait for Beckett to pick up. He takes his sweet-ass time.
“Hey, baby,” he finally drawls. Just hearing him makes my heart ache with longing.
“Hey. I wanted to check in on you. How are you doing?”
“All good here,” he assures me, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “I told you, don’t worry about me. Are you having a good time?”
“I am,” I admit. “But I wish you were here. We both do.”
“Nah, don’t feel bad, Charlie. I mean it. Enjoy the night.”
“I can’t help it—I do feel bad. But I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”
“Oh? And how do you plan on doing that?” His voice drops to a low, teasing tone.
“Well… I’m thinking it’ll involve your dick and my mouth and a lot of moaning.”
His laughter tickles my ear. “I like the sound of that. Although I think your pussy might need to make an appearance too.”
The pussy in question clenches with desire. “That could be arranged.”
“Are you wet right now?”
“As of two seconds ago, soaked. I called to cheer you up, and instead you just turned me on. Thanks a lot, Beckett.”
“I won’t apologize for turning you on. Making you horny is my favorite hobby.”
I catch my lip between my teeth to tamp down a groan. “I can’t wait to fuck you later.”
Before he can respond, I hear a scoff behind me.
“Seriously, Charlotte? Wow.”
Spinning around, I find Mitch standing at the entry of the hallway, disgust twisting his features.
I freeze, my heart dropping to my stomach. “I have to go,” I whisper into the phone. “Call you when we’re leaving.”
“Charlie—” Beckett starts.
I end the call and take a breath. I’m sick to my stomach as I walk toward my ex-boyfriend.
“You’re still the same slut you’ve always been, huh?” Mitch mocks.
I hope he can’t see how badly my knees are wobbling. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say coolly.
That gets me a loud bark of laughter. “You just told some other guy you can’t wait to fuck him later.”
“You must have misheard me.”
“I didn’t mishear shit,” he snarls. “You called him Beckett. Isn’t that the dumb jock from class last semester?”
I clench my teeth.
“You’re unreal. Sneaking off to talk to another guy while you’re here with someone else?” His voice rises. “I knew you were a cock-addicted, come-guzzling whore, but this is a new low, even for you.”
My blood runs cold. I glance toward the lobby area, praying no one else overheard. But then I see movement out of the corner of my eye. My mother steps into the hallway, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern.
“Charlotte. There you are!” she calls. “I was looking for you.” Her eyes narrow when she recognizes who I’m speaking to. “Mitch. I didn’t realize you were here tonight.”
“Anna,” he says politely.
“Mrs. Kingston,” she corrects. Mic drop, Mom. Her gaze shifts between us. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “We were just catching up.”
“Catching up?” Mitch scoffs. “Is that what you call it now?”
My mother frowns. “Honey, what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing, I swear,” I lie.
She doesn’t look convinced, but there’s no way I’m repeating a single word Mitch just uttered. I shoot him a glare, silently begging him to drop it, and thankfully, he doesn’t say anything else.
“Let’s go back inside and find Will,” I tell her.
She gives a slow nod. “All right.”
We leave my ex in our wake and cross the lobby toward the ballroom doors, but as we’re about to pass the archway, she stops and touches my arm.
“Char,” she says. The worry has faded from her expression, and her lips now twitch with wry amusement. “I’m only saying this because I’m secure in the belief that you and Mitch will never be getting back together, but…your father and I hated that boy.”
A laugh pops out of my mouth. “He’s the worst, right?”
“The absolute worst.”
“I wish you’d told me this when we were dating.”
“You wouldn’t have listened.”
“You’re probably right.”
I’m still giggling as we rejoin the festivities, but the humor dies when I remember what Mom had interrupted.
Mitch heard me talking to a guy who isn’t Will, my public boyfriend.
He heard me, damn it.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHARLOTTE
Breathe with me
SOMEHOW, I MAINTAIN MY COMPOSURE FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING. Most of the older guests start to head out before midnight, but as a member of the exec board, I’m expected to stay until the very end, even if this thing goes on until four in the morning. Although I’m fairly certain we only have the ballroom until two, thank God. I really don’t want to be here all night.