With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men, #4)(111)

He startled her by snapping his fingers and saying, “Oh, damn. That was my bad, sorry.” She spun around to gape up at him. Setting a hand against his heart as if he genuinely wanted to apologize, he sent Cora a wince. “You see, I told him how bad you stank down there. And the flavor…” He winced and shuddered. “It took me a f*cking week to get that nasty aftertaste out of my mouth. It’s my fault if he refused to eat you out.”

My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. What was worse, I couldn’t believe he’d actually been with Cora. Wha…when had that happened?

Glancing at her stunned friends, Cora started to shake her head. But the panic was getting to her. “You’re such an *.”

“Well, you’re a f*cking slut who had to beg me for weeks before I finally let you into my pants.” He shrugged and lifted a hand to let her know he had no excuse for himself. “And everyone knows I usually need no encouragement before f*cking a willing woman.”

Tears filled Cora’s eyes. As she pushed up from the table and fled toward the hall that led to the bathrooms, everyone else at the table hurried after her, trying to comfort her.

Wow. Ten definitely knew how to clear a table. Note to self: never get on this guy’s bad side.

He swung toward me and lifted his eyebrows, waiting for my response.

I cleared my throat and patted him on top of the head. “Good boy.”

Ten threw his head back and laughed. “Damn, Blondie. Sometimes you crack me up.” Throwing an arm around my shoulder, he led me up to the bar.

“Get her a Long Island,” he told Asher as he showed me to a barstool.

I didn’t really want a drink, but I didn’t want to say no to Ten either, so I lifted my purse from my lap to get some money. Asher lifted a hand and waved my money away.

“It’s on the house. Anyone who looks out for our Quinn need not pay.”

“Damn straight,” Ten agreed. He hopped back behind the counter and took an order from someone else as Asher set my drink in front of me.

I thanked him but didn’t drink. I was running my fingernail up the condensation dripping down the side when Cora’s voice from behind me made me lift my head and whirl around.

“I suppose I have you to thank for that attack.” She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

I wasn’t proud of sending Ten after her, but I wasn’t sorry for it either. “You shouldn’t have said all that about Quinn,” was all I could think to answer.

Noticing her talking to me, Ten started our way, but I put up my hand to stop him, letting him know I could handle this. He paused, but kept watching us.

Cora snorted as she watched our silent byplay, only for a lightbulb look to enter her face as if she’d just then figured something out. She turned back to me slowly, her eyes narrowed. “Why, you dirty little slut.”

My heart skipped a beat. I was so sure she’d just figured out what Quinn and I had done, I almost passed out from the shock. But then I wondered if she thought maybe Ten and I had been together. So, I said, “Excuse me?”

She leaned in close. I wanted to pull away, but I stiffened my back and met her glare for glare. “We’re leaving,” she snarled. “This pigsty stinks.” Her gaze slid to Ten, letting me know he was the reason for her retreat.

Hooking her hand around my arm, she tried to pull me off my barstool, but I resisted.

“I don’t think so. I’m not going anywhere else with you, and I refuse to listen to you spew more lies about people.”

“Oh, you’re going, or I’ll tell all the girls you’ve had Ten, too.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Well, maybe I’ll just do one better to you, Cora. I’ll—gasp—actually tell the truth about you.”

She frowned and shook her head. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll tell your friends how sick you are. You didn’t want them to know about your renal problems, right?” When her eyes widened, I clicked my tongue. “Or maybe I’ll tell one of your doctors just how much you like to drink. That is one of the reasons they reject someone from getting a transplant, isn’t it? Substance abuse?”

When she paled, I knew I’d won the battle. I would never tell on her, of course, but she didn’t know that.

Straightening her back, she lifted her chin regally high. “Well, look who grew a backbone.” Then she turned away as if giving me the cut direct and stormed off.

I stared after her, feeling...I don’t know. Alive. Powerful. I wanted to...I just wanted to see Quinn. Liking my new backbone, as Cora had called it, I pressed my hand to my rapidly thumping heart. She had no idea what kind of man she’d let go when she’d decided to treat him like crap and then spout lies about him. But I knew, and I’d been an idiot for letting him slip through my fingers. If he was really a dull vanilla, then I didn’t want any other flavor.

“Heading out?” Ten asked, taking my untouched drink away without commenting about it.

I smiled at him. “I have someone to see.”

The approving grin that grew across his face only emboldened me more. “Go get him, baby.”

So I did.

When I knocked on Quinn’s door twenty minutes later, I was ready to get my man. He answered, wearing his sleep pants and a rumpled shirt. His hair stood up on one side as if he’d been lying on it. He looked good enough to tackle and devour.