Page 108 of Dirty Like Jude
“It’s not working forme.”
“Okay.”
Okay? That wasit?
Okay?
“I mean, I know I agreed to this whole ‘it’s all about sex’ thing,” I said, cranking up the bitch. “But I guess I didn’t realize that meant I’d just be your convenience fuck whenever you’re horny after partying with club sluts allnight.”
“What?”
“You thought I wouldn’t find out you were at a Kings partytonight?”
He considered that, then said slowly, “It wasn’t a secret,Roni.”
“You think I don’t know what itmeans?”
“Tell me. What does itmean?”
“Jude. I’m not some regular ‘citizen’ girl who doesn’t have the first clue what goes on at those parties. I’m not even a regular girl who has some vague idea what goes on at those parties. I’ve been to those parties. Iknow.”
“You knowwhat?”
“I know why you’d go to one without takingme.”
He cocked his head a little, like I was suddenly speaking some foreign language he couldn’t understand. “You want me to takeyou?”
“Not if you don’t wantto.”
“Jesus.” He scraped a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re gettin’ at, Roni. So get at italready.”
“Yousaidwe wereexclusive.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Which means until I tell you otherwise, or you tell me otherwise, weare.”
“Glad we made that clear. Because actually, what you told me was that I had to be exclusive withyouif I wanted your dick. You never actually said you’d be exclusive withme.” Kind of an important detail I’d only realized tonight, while Istewed.
“I told you,” he said, looking right pissed, “I don’tcheat.”
“Well, there are only two reasons you wouldn’t take me to a Kingsparty.”
“Enlightenme.”
“One, because you’re messing around with otherwomen—”
“Thought we just went overthat.”
“Or two, you don’t want me around yourbrothers.”
He went silent, and I fuckingknew.
“You don’t want me around Piper? Or Ben? Or your other brothers? Orallofthem?”
“Never saidthat.”
He didn’t have to say it. Clearly he didn’t want me at the clubhouse, around his club brothers, and I wasn’t even surewhy.
He was ashamed ofme?
