Page 33 of Pretend I’m Yours
They weren’t close to me, and they didn’t give a damn whether I was married or not. All they cared about was whether someone was getting away with taking their money by living in that apartment with me. But, if I had a ring on my finger, I knew it was likely they would back off.
“Well, well,” the voice reached me before I turned to see who spoke. My heart fluttered in my chest and raced, and a knot formed in my stomach. I didn’t even have to turn around to know it was Brandon at the table.
“Look who decided to show up to Daddy’s dinner,” he said.
“This is a family affair, Brandon, of course I’m going to be here,” I snapped.
“Showing support for the family you hate? How noble of you,” he remarked snidely.
“And why are you here? You got fired from the force and left disgraced. I wouldn’t think that you would want to show your face around these people,” I said. I knew, of course, he was far too arrogant to have any shame over what he’d done, but I was going to push his buttons as much as I could.
When I was in a safe place, I wasn’t afraid to get a rise out of him. If he were to try anything here, he would be in trouble, and he knew it. It didn’t matter what the men on the force thought of him, there would be no denying abusing me. Jail would look good on him, I thought.
“Because I love this city, and I want to show my support for all the citizens in it,” he said. “Including you.”
“Fuck off,” I replied. “You never supported me, which is a large part of the reason I dumped your ass.”
“Careful,” he said. “You’re making me angry.”
“Like I care,” I replied.
“You will. Trust me, you will,” he said haughtily.
“Is that a threat?” I snapped. He smirked, but before he had the chance to reply I felt an arm around my waist.
“Is everything alright, baby?” Drake asked. I looked up at him with a smile and glistening eyes. His timing was perfect.
“This is Brandon. My ex,” I said. “He was just leaving.”
“That’s not what it looked like from over there,” Drake said.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Brandon snapped.
“I recognize you from the club, asshole,” Drake said. “I don’t appreciate how you grabbed my wife.”
“Your wife?” Brandon laughed, looking shocked. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am and it’s none of your business,” I said. “Now get out of my face and leave me alone.”
“Is that anyway to talk to someone you love?” he asked.
“Loved,” I said. “Past tense. In fact, now that I know what love really is, I don’t think I really did ever love you,” I said, placing my hand on Drake’s solid chest and leaning into him with a smile.
Brandon’s eyes turned almost black with barely masked rage.
“Get out of here, man, before I make you,” Drake said. “That’s the only time I’m going to ask you nicely.”
“Oh this is rich,” Brandon seethed. “You dump me and find pretty boy here to fight your battles for you now?”
“I said fuck off!” Drake said, his voice a quiet thunder. “I don’t give a fuck what happened between the two of you. It’s done and over now, and Hannah is mine!”
He took a step forward as he spoke, his fist clenching. My heart leapt to my throat, not because I was afraid they were going to start swinging, but because he’d said I was his. It felt good.
Brandon looked as though he was ready to fight, but he changed his mind as he glanced around the room. Of course, he would lose in one way or another, and he didn’t want to deal with that sort of public humiliation. Not there.
“Take care of yourself, Hannah,” he said, turning from Drake to me. “I would hate for something bad to happen to you.”
“Fuck off,” I muttered. He turned back to Drake for another brief moment, then he stalked into the crowd, leaving the two of us alone.
“Are you alright?” Drake asked. “Man, I want to just slam my fist into his head again.”
“I’m okay, now,” I said as I grabbed onto his arm. “Thank you so much.”
“It’s what I’m here for,” he said. He picked up a glass of champagne and handed it to me, then grabbed another for himself. “Now let’s get back to the dinner.”
He turned to head to the long tables lined on the far side of the room, and I followed, holding my head high. I didn’t know how many people had seen the interaction, and quite frankly, I didn’t care. I was happy with how things had worked out, and I hoped I’d never have to deal with my ex again.
But, even more than that, I was relishing in the fact Drake said that I was his. It might be fake, and it definitely was temporary, but it felt damn good to hear the words come out of his mouth.
