Even as I sipped my drink and watched the socialites do their thing on the dance floor, my mind was whirling, trying to figure out who Nico was betraying me with.
Why don’t you just ask her?
My mouth twisted at the thought. Why would she tell me the truth?
“Domenic!” I looked up with a frown, seeing one of the blonde socialites leaning over me. “Fancy seeing you here. What? Bored of marriage already?”
The furrow in my brow deepened as I tried to figure out who she was. The way she was speaking to me was awfully familiar for someone whose face I didn’t recognize. “Who are you?”
She blanched, rearing backward with a pout. “Don’t you recognize me? Danna Powell. I even work with your wife. Don’t you know me?”
Danna… isn’t that the name of Nico’s nemesis?
“Oh, you do? I’ve never heard of you.” I said it just because I knew it would drive her crazy. Sue me, when I’m in pain, my mean streak comes out.
Her mouth twisted in annoyance, but she didn’t let it stop her from trying to push into the booth with me. I stared at her in disbelief as she shoved at me with her ass, trying to get me to move.
“I do not remember asking you to join me.”
“I just wanted to keep you company. You seem lonely.”
“If I wanted your company, I would have asked for it.”
Danna sighed, crossing over to the other side and sitting down. Damn she was persistent. I narrowed my eyes at her in the hopes that she would sense my hostility and leave. She just continued to sit there, waving a hand to call for a drink. I leaned forward. “Why do you have a hard-on for Nico anyway?”
Her eyes widened. “What makes you think that?”
“The fact that you’re always on her case.”
“So she told you that?” Danna seemed rather pleased about that.
“It’s come up. Pillow talk, you know how it is.” Now that did not seem to please her at all. I inclined my head to the side and smiled.
Her mouth twisted. “I can’t be blamed for Nicolette’s inadequacies.”
“Her inadequacies!” I was curiously offended on Nico’s behalf. “That’s not how I heard it.”
“She’s always felt jealous of me.”
I cackled. “Sure, Dan. Let’s go with that story.”
She drew herself up to full height, which wasn’t saying much. “Well if you and she are so…copacetic, then why are you here alone?”
My mood definitely dropped at that because I suddenly remembered exactly why I wasn’t home enjoying wedded bliss. “None of your business.”
She snorted sardonically. “Is that the best you got?” She leaned forward, “You know, rumor has it that this is just a marriage of convenience. I mean if you want, you and me can…”
I blinked at her, wondering how stupid she thought I was. “No thanks. I think I’ll pass.”
“Are you sure? You don’t know what you’re missing. I know how gauche Nicolette is. She cannot possibly satisfy you.”
I barked a laugh, as I pointed at the bar. “Please leave.”
She blinked at me a few times, as if waiting for the punchline. When she saw that I was serious, her face flushed deep red and she pouted, shooting to her feet and stalking away like I’d insulted her mother. Rolling my eyes, I downed the last of the whisky in my glass and got to my feet. I didn’t bother paying the bill – they’d just add it to my tab and send me an invoice, so I could stalk out as dramatically as I wanted to.
Having Danna come on to me at least gave me some clarity about what I wanted versus what I didn’t want. Sulking in the club wasn’t going to get me what I wanted. I needed to go home and confront the problem.
I wasn’t really fit to drive and it was two blocks to my apartment, so I decided to walk. It didn’t take long, even with the weaving. I let myself into the house, only then thinking to check the time.
3 a.m.
Wow, I hadn’t really meant to stay out so late, especially considering that tomorrow –or later today– was a work day. A rustling sound from the living room had me turning my head. Nico was just getting to her feet, hands folded, her face a picture of pissed off wife.
“Where have you been?”
I shook my head with a laugh. “Nope, no, no way. We’re not doing this.”
She took a step towards me and I actually had to stop myself from taking a step back. She looked quite scary. “What aren’t we doing, Dom? Having an adult conversation about why you ran out of here like your hair was on fire and your tail was catching?”
That made me laugh, mostly because I was drunk. Which was a mistake because she thought I wasn’t taking her seriously. I raised my hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, how about we sit down and you rant and rave at me, so I can go to bed? I’m tired and I have work tomorrow.”
“You think I don’t?” Her voice was really loud. “I have my grant meeting tomorrow and instead of a relaxing evening, I have to sit here and worry about you!” She pointed viciously at me with her finger.
“I didn’t ask you to do that.”
She huffed, turning away while rolling her eyes. “Yeah, well, when you…” she cut herself off, swallowing. “Anyways, yeah I guess you’re right. You don’t owe me anything.” She began to stalk away towards the bedroom and I just let her go.
18
Nicolette
I don’t know why Domenic was behaving like such an asshole. Or maybe I’d forgotten what an asshole he really was. I don’t know. All I know is that it was hurtful as hell to have him dismiss me, disappear somewhere and come back drunk, and then tell me that he didn’t ask me to worry about him.
I guess I
