I pull my shades back over my eyes and lean back in the chair. Reign and Selena are walking up the steps into the resort now, and I can see the exact moment Reign’s eyes find me because he lets go of Selena’s hand. I pretend I don’t see him; it’s easier that way. I just keep my shades on and my body still, acting as though I’m sleeping.
I feel a warm hand on my shoulder a moment later, and I turn my head to the side to see Reign staring down at me. “Hey.”
“Oh,” I yawn. “Hey.”
“You feeling better?”
I nod. “Just enjoying this sun.”
I tilt my head back, stretching my neck and moaning with delight. I’m also doing it because I know from this angle Slutena can see the hickey hiding at the base of my neck. She sees it, too, because her mouth tightens and she glares at me. No one said I had to play fair.
“We’re going to the luncheon now. Did you want to come?”
I push myself up, letting my towel fall so I’m only in my bikini. Reign’s eyes drop to my pelvis and he grins. Slutena only glares at me until her eyes are tiny slits. Deal with it, ho. I lift my fingers and run them through my hair, and then I pull on my nice, white, summer halter dress. “Sure. Do you want me to change?”
“No,” Reign says and I don’t miss the huskiness in his tone. “That’s fine.”
I flash him a smile. “What are we waiting for then?”
He turns to Selena and smiles at her, and then we all walk towards the resort lobby. I can’t wipe the smile off my face, and when I feel Reign’s hand graze my ass, it only gets bigger. Maybe there is a chance for me—maybe he will see something in me he can’t find in her. If that’s the case, I might just get my happy ending.
Maybe.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I walk down the long halls towards the bathroom, squirming because my bladder feels like it’s about to explode. I need to pee so badly. I’ve had too much orange juice and even a glass of the fine wine at lunch. I turn to my left, jumping from foot to foot as I put my hand on the door and go to push it open. I stop abruptly when I hear Slutena’s voice. I turn my head, listening. She must be in another room.
Fighting with my bladder and my curiosity, I let go of the handle and turn, walking down the hall some more until her voice becomes clear. She’s clearly talking on the phone, because hers is the only voice I can hear. I press my back against the wall, clenching my legs together because I’m too interested to hear what she’s saying. I can’t leave yet.
“She’s not making this easy for me,” she says to whoever she’s on the phone to. “He likes her; I can see it. He smiles at her and I know he’s fucking her. He keeps leaving me to go to her.”
I know she’s talking about me. I grin.
“That’s what I said,” she snorts. “She’s only after his money.”
I roll my eyes. That simple tramp. She can’t see past the dollar signs so she couldn’t possibly understand why I would want Reign just because he’s Reign.
“I’m going to have to try a new approach. He’s distracted; he needs to focus. I know I stuffed up, but that was years ago.”
Doesn’t make it any better, bimbo.
“We haven’t slept together, so I can’t even use the pregnant act. He’s far too focused with her. I even called him the other night, crying about our baby. He came running to me, but he wasn’t there. I knew where he’d been.”
Oh my God, I want to scratch her eyes out. I knew it; I knew she was using him.
“No, of course he doesn’t know, Kate,” she whispers, low and edgy. “He can never know.”
Know what? I lean in closer.
“If he ever found out I aborted that baby, all hope of rekindling this would crash.”
Aborted.
Aborted?
A breath gets stuck in my throat and I struggle to push it out. I press a hand over my mouth, horrified.
She got their baby aborted.
Rage fills me and before I can think, I’m storming around the corner. She squeals and spins around, her eyes wide. Yeah, that’s right, bitch, I busted you. She quickly ends her call and runs a hand over her dress. Her eyes are darting about and I can see her fingers trembling as she fumbles with a piece of lace.
“Ah, Tiani,” she says, looking up at me with a fake smile. “I didn’t hear you.”
“You lying, pathetic, horrible woman,” I bark.
Her eyes harden, her act slipping so quickly it’s actually concerning. “You were eavesdropping?”
I cross my arms, trying to control my panting. “You are lying to him. He actually thinks he loves you, and you’re nothing but a cold-hearted bitch.”
She takes a step forward, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t pretend you’re any better. Do you think I don’t know what you’re up to?”
“Up to?” I laugh bitterly. “What is it you think I’m up to?”
“Reign is a rich man; you’re a young, struggling woman. It’s not hard to figure out.”
I bark another laugh. “Oh you poor, naive woman. Reign hired me.”
She squints, trying to read my face. “Hired you?”
Tired of the act, tired of her bullshit and tired of the lies, I spill all. “Yes, you stupid, plastic tart. He hired me to make you suffer. He’s angry at you and he wanted to make you feel just a small amount of what he was feeling. But you were never going to feel anything. Why do you think he’s started spending time with me? The feelings he has for me are real; the feelings he has for you are based on a spiral of rotten lies.”