Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

RHETT

I sit back in my chair, arms crossed, watching them all dig into the food like ravenous animals. The best part? None of them have a clue what they're actually eating. The creamed corn is a joke, my little secret ingredient hidden in plain sight. I almost want to laugh when Jason shovels it down like it's the best thing he's ever tasted. My cum is all over their plates, and they're too busy chatting to notice.

It's fucking hilarious.

Emily, though, she's the real entertainment. She's practically throwing herself at me. Making sure to sit right next to me, brushing her hand against my arm, laughing a little too loudly at things I don't even say. But she's not the one holding my attention.

No. My eyes are locked on my girl.

She hasn't touched her plate. Not really, anyway. She's too focused on how Emily is draped over me. Her pretty little face is a mask of forced politeness, but I see through it. I see the fire in her eyes, the way her lips are pressed into a tight line. She is fucking pissed, and fuck if that doesn't get my dick hard.

I fucking love it.

"Is anyone else getting this extra salty vibe from the corn?" Jason comments, spearing another forkful into his mouth.

Amaya chuckles, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "It's got a kick, but I like it."

I bite back a laugh, keeping my face neutral. Salty, huh?

"I think it's delicious," Sloan says, offering me a smile. "Rhett, you really outdid yourself."

"Yeah, Rhett," Emily purrs, leaning in too close again, her stank breath warm against my ear. "I'd love to taste more of what you've got to offer."

Cara's eyes flicker. That dark, jealous glint shining brighter than I've ever seen before. She's doing her best to keep her cool, but I know my girl too well. I can see the way her hands grip the silverware tighter, the way her jaw clenches.

My little nightmare is holding back, but just barely.

"Maybe save some for the rest of us," I say with a smirk, pulling my arm away from Emily, giving Cara a wink. Emily's drunk, sloppy, and irritating, but she is useful for one thing. Poking the bear.

And my girl? She's the fucking bear right now, pacing in her cage and about to snap.

"Do you want more wine?" Cara suddenly asks, her voice sweet but her eyes dangerous as she looks at Emily.

Emily, already on her third glass of wine, waves her off. "Oh, I'm good. Besides, Rhett's got me covered if I find myself needing a top-up."

Oh shit, this is going to be fun.

The tension at the table is thick, and I'm loving every second of it. Sloan is talking to Alex, who is oblivious to the war between Cara and Emily, while Amaya and Jason share some private jokes. But my focus is split between my girl's fury and the hardening dick in my pants.

The way she's trying to hold it together, trying to pretend she's not bothered, is driving me fucking insane.

"Cara, are you okay?" Sloan asks, noticing the tightness in her voice.

"I'm fine," Cara says through gritted teeth, plastering on a fake smile. "Just enjoying the meal. After all, Rhett and I did spend all day cooking it. T ogether ."

Yeah, enjoying the meal.

Sure. I'm enjoying watching you lose it, my little nightmare.

"So," Alex chimes in, breaking the tension with a lazy grin. "Where did you two meet again?"

I lean back, exchanging a glance with my girl. "Halloween party. Things just clicked."

Cara shifts in her seat, the tension coiling tighter. Her eyes keep darting to Emily, who's now got her hand resting on my thigh like she owns me. The bitch is fucking clueless, of course, but unfortunately for her, my girl is not.

"Oh, that sounds romantic," Emily giggles, her voice grating on my nerves. "I bet it was like fate or something."

"Or something," Cara says, her tone sharp enough to cut. She's about to snap, I can feel it, and fuck I am so ready to watch it happen.

I let out a low chuckle, returning my attention to Cara, who looks like she's barely holding on. The storm building behind her eyes has me excited. It's the same look she had that night at the café when we first locked eyes. That look of possession, of claiming me as hers.

It's what drew me in.

Now, my girl's not just eye fucking me.

She's ready to fight for me.

Emily leans back in her chair, swirling her wine in her glass, a sloppy smile on her lips as she continues her drunk rambling. "I'm just saying," she laughs. "You two seem cute, but from my experience, relationships that start at parties? Pfft, they never last. It's just… you know, you get caught up in the moment, think it's real, but then… reality."

Cara's grip tightens on her glass, and I can see her jaw working, the muscles ticking as she forces herself to keep it together. Her patience is fucking impressive—if it were up to me, I'd have put Emily in her place by now.

Carved her up into another jack-o'-lantern or some other art project my girl would love, and buried her out back with Jonah.

But my girl? She's holding it all in.

Jason, who's seated across from us, clears his throat, glancing at Emily with a raised eyebrow. "Emily… maybe lay off a little? You're sounding a little harsh."

"Yeah," Amaya adds, her tone more pointed as she shoots Emily a look. "They're happy together. Why are you trying to rain on their parade?"

Emily waves them off, laughing like she's in on some private joke. "Oh, please. I'm just being real. I mean, someone has to be. It's just… Come on, doesn't it seem weird to anyone else? They met at a Halloween party, and now they're, what, living together?"

The table falls silent for a second. Sloan, who's been mostly quiet through all of this, leans forward, her eyes narrowing at Emily. "You know, some people actually do meet and fall in love at parties. Maybe don't assume you know everything, Emily."

Cara's lips press into a tight smile, and she takes a slow sip of her wine.

God, my girl is beautiful like this—a walking, breathing fucking nightmare.

Mine .

"You should stop," Amaya warns softly, a slight edge to her voice. "You're clearly drunk, and you're being rude."

Emily, oblivious or just not caring, laughs again, louder this time, clearly enjoying herself too much to notice the tension building around the table. "Oh, come on! I'm just saying, it's a little fast, don't you think? It's all fun and games now, but what happens when the party wears off?"

Cara rolls her eyes, and I feel a spark of pride at how well she's handling this. She could tear Emily apart with just a few words, but she doesn't. My cock twitches.

As if sensing the power my girl has over me and my cock, Emily's hand trails down my thigh, uncomfortably close to my raging hard-on. Instantly, my cock begins to soften. Leave it to this bitch to ruin a good moment. I shove Emily's hand from my leg with annoyance and return my attention to Cara.

My girl is in complete control, and it's fucking hot.

"Or maybe," I say, my voice low. "The party's just getting started."

Jason lets out a nervous chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, I think it's awesome. You guys are great together. You seem like a decent dude, Rhett, and shit, if it works, it works, right?"

"Exactly," Sloan agrees, glaring at Emily. "No need to over-analyze everything, Em. Not everyone has to meet and fall in love in the conventional way. Especially around here. I mean, it's not like Hallow Grove has a never-ending line-up of hot guys our age. "

"Yeah, seriously," Amaya chimes in, shaking her head. "Let them be. You're just bitter because you're still single."

Emily's eyes narrow slightly, the drunken smile fading as she registers the pushback from everyone else. She huffs, leaning back in her chair. "Whatever. I'm just speaking my truth."

My girl says nothing, just leans into my touch, her body still humming with tension. I rub my thumb along her thigh under the table, a silent reminder that I'm right here.

That I see her.

That she's mine.

Emily pouts, her fingers playing with the rim of her glass, like she's considering another move. "Well, good for you two. I guess I'm still searching for that kind of connection."

I squeeze Cara's thigh, enjoying the sharp intake of breath she doesn't realize she's making. Fuck, my girl is wound so goddamn tight, but she won't give in.

Not yet. Her control is as razor-thin as her smile, and I'm here for every second of it. Watching her simmer just beneath the surface has my blood rushing south.

Emily takes another sip of her wine, downing the last bit in her glass before she leans a little closer, eyes glittering in the candlelight as her attention returns to me. "I don't know how you do it, Rhett. I mean, look at you." Her hand hovers near my forearm, like she's one step away from touching it. Fuck, this bitch has balls, or she's just really fucking stupid. "Must take a lot of work to keep up a body like that. What do you do to stay in shape?"

Cara's thigh tenses beneath my palm, but she keeps her face smooth, sipping from her wine glass as though the comment doesn't faze her. But I know better. I know every tick and every flicker in her pretty eyes.

My girl's burning inside, and I can feel the heat radiating off her and fuck if it doesn't make me want to sink myself balls deep inside her even more.

"Discipline," I reply, my eyes flicking over to Cara. "You'd be surprised what you can achieve with the right motivation."

Emily bites her lower lip, clearly trying to push her luck. "Maybe you could motivate me sometime? Show me how you keep it all... together ."

Cara stays quiet, but her pulse is racing, and her breath is just a touch too fast. I push my hand further up her thigh, teasing her, testing how far I can take this. She stiffens under my touch, but she doesn't look at me. She doesn't say a word, but her silence is loud and full of warning for anyone truly listening.

Emily giggles, clearly misreading the tension. "So, Cara, what's your secret? How did you lock him down so quickly and keep him all to yourself? I mean, I can't imagine there aren't girls lined up for a guy like Rhett."

Cara's lips part, and for a second, I think she's going to say something, let the words slip, but she just takes another long sip of her wine. The thought of anyone else near me and the idea of sharing me in any capacity is driving her mad, and it's only getting worse every time this bitch opens her mouth.

"I'm just lucky, I guess," she finally says, her voice steady, though there's a dangerous edge to it. "Not every girl gets what they want."

The jab is subtle, but I feel it, and it makes me grin.

There she is.

Emily blinks, not quite catching the shift, and leans back in her chair. "Well, good for you. I wish I had that kind of confidence."

Oh, sweetheart, you don't. Not even close.

Jason and Amaya are chatting away, oblivious to the tension between us, but I'm not. I'm hyper-aware of every flicker in Cara's expression, every restrained breath she takes. She's not going to snap, not here, not now, but she's unraveling bit by bit, and I'm right there with her, pushing her further, watching her become something wild and untamed.

Watching her become what she was always meant to be.

My little nightmare.