Fake Empire(78)

“He called you,” I point out.

Crew considers that. Smiles a little. “I can’t believe you’re encouraging me to go to a club with Asher, of all people. Half the stupid shit I’ve done was his idea.”

“I trust you,” I whisper. It feels like the right thing to say and also happens to be true.

It captures Crew’s attention. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He looks at me and I look back. And something very tangible and very real passes between us before Crew unbuckles his seatbelt. “Text me when you’re home.”

I nod. He leans forward and kisses me before he opens the door and steps out of the car. I watch his confident strides eat up the distance between the curb and the entrance of Proof, only stopping to say something to the bouncer before he disappears inside.

I climb into the driver’s seat and drive home.





CHAPTER SIXTEEN





CREW





When the elevator doors open, it’s to the sound of loud female laughter. It’s not Scarlett’s, a sound I unwittingly memorized, despite the fact I’ve only heard it a few times. This is higher-pitched.

I pass the entryway tables and walk into the living room, following the sound. Scarlett is sitting on the sectional couch, poking at a container of Chinese food with a fork. At the sound of my footsteps, she looks up. Her eyes widen with surprise—she wasn’t expecting me home this early.

“Crew!”

“Red.” I look at the other two women on the sofa. One has blonde hair, the other, light brown. I recognize them, surprisingly. They were with Scarlett that night at Proof, when she scared that woman off and I responded in kind. Had anyone else done that, I would have been pissed. With Scarlett, I found it amusing. The first of many exceptions where she is concerned.

I stroll forward and give the two women my most charming smile. “I didn’t know you were inviting company over.”

“I thought you had a meeting tonight.”

“Plans changed.” More like I pushed the meeting to tomorrow morning so I could come home earlier and screw Scarlett senseless. I take a seat beside her on the couch and focus my attention on the two other women. “Nice to meet you both. I’m Crew.” I’m assuming they were at our wedding, but I don’t recall seeing either of them.

The blonde gives me a saucy smile that immediately tells me why she and Scarlett are friends. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’m Sophie, and this is Nadia.” She nods to the woman to her right. “Scarlett has been stingy with details about her hot husband.”

I glance at Scarlett in time to see her roll her eyes and then take a healthy sip of wine.

“Hot husband, huh? Are you ladies married?”

“Nadia is practically engaged. She and Finn have been together forever. And I’m seeing where things go.”

“Seeing where things go? You said you were going to break up with Kyle weeks ago!” Nadia says.

The name Kyle and the way Scarlett tenses beside me tickles something in the back of my brain. “How long have you and Kyle been dating?”

“About four months now,” Sophie replies. “But it feels like less. He’s a surgeon, so I barely see him.”

“A surgeon, huh?” I glance at Scarlett, who’s intently studying her dinner. When your wife tells you she’s sleeping with someone else, details tend to imprint. Our conversation in the car after the Rutherford gala is burned into my brain. She told me his name is Kyle, and he’s a surgeon. That’s too much of a coincidence, right? Unless she fucked her friend’s boyfriend behind her back, she lied to me. Deliberately. Convincingly. “Sounds like a real catch. Have you met this Kyle, Scarlett?”

“Nope.” She shoves a forkful of sweet and sour chicken into her mouth.

“We should go on a triple date!” Sophie exclaims, making it seem like the most revolutionary idea to ever exist. “We’ve never all been in relationships at the same time before.”

“Sure, sounds fun,” I agree. I doubt it will be fun, but getting on Scarlett’s friends’ good side can’t hurt.

Sophie beams. “Perfect. I’ll ask Kyle about dates.”

“Can’t wait to meet him.”

If possible, Sophie’s smile brightens. I am definitely on her good side. Nadia is harder to read, but seems agreeable enough. Scarlett’s fingers are basically strangling the fork.

“Let’s start a movie,” Scarlett suggests.

“I’m going to the bathroom first,” Nadia says before climbing off the couch.

Sophie stands as well. “I’ll come with you. Last time we were over here, I got totally lost.”

Nadia and Sophie disappear. Neither Scarlett nor I move. I don’t speak first. I wait to see what she says. Finally, she sighs. “I lied, okay? I haven’t been with anyone else since we got married either.”

I thought I’d made peace with the knowledge she had. The rush of euphoria—of relief—at the confession she hasn’t is unexpected. “Why did you lie to me?”

“You know why. I was mad at you that night. This wasn’t supposed to be…this. I assumed you were sleeping around, and so I told you I was. I didn’t think you’d believe me if I didn’t give you a name, so I stole Sophie’s hook up.” Another long exhale. “Just forget it.”