Page 212 of The Villain We Tempt

My brother frowns. “Why?”

“Probably because she brought me to this party a few months ago and I fucked her best friend in the bathroom.” He grimaces. “Kegels or no kegels, this girl holds a fuckinggrudge.”

Ronan snorts. “So, fifty-fifty on getting your dick wet or chopped off tonight?”

“Live dangerously, my friend,” Drago grins.

Suddenly, I connect the dots.

Julia.

Julia, who works at Christopher’s. Julia, who made a beyond cringe pass at Roman Nikitin before getting a verbal beatdown from his husband.

Julia, who apparently "holds grudges".

And more importantly, who wasworking at Christopher’slast night, and who might have remembered Galina as the daughter of the guy who tore her a new one for hitting on his husband.

Fuck.

35

GALINA

Lochlan

Okay, I know now why you shut me out.

My pulse skipswhen his text lights up my screen. But then I go back to watchingLegally Blondein Ari’s room with her and Lucia.

IknowI’m being childish. Lochlan is a college senior. A star football player. He has wealth, a powerful family, andridiculouslygood looks.

And I’msurprisedthat he has a storied past with women? Am I that stupid?

I grit my teeth as I watch Jennifer Coolidge “bend and snap” her way into breaking the hot UPS guy’s nose.

Yes, a lot of this is my own insecurities talking when measuring myself against these faceless women of his past. In my head, I’m picturing Lochlan cavorting his way through a harem of gorgeous Victoria’s Secret models and comparing themto…well,me.

And that stings.

But honestly, that I could handle. Imaginary lingerie models I could stuff way down inside and try not to think about.

It’s a little harder to do that when it's your waitress and she's gleefully rubbing her history with your boyfriend in your face.

Ugh.

I hate that I’m angry and jealous about this, because it makes me feel pathetic.

My phone lights up again.

Lochlan

I never slept with that woman, little villain.

My heart lurches in my chest—both at his admission, and at his name for me which I honestlylove. But then I sour again, and Ihatethat it’s because I don’t know if I can believe him or not.

I really, really want to. But right now, I just don’t know.

Lochlan