Chapter 6

Danielle: You have to talk to me sometime.

Danielle: We. Are. Getting. Married.

Danielle:This is rather childish of you.

I chortledat the last text on my screen. Danielle loved to say something was childish when she was the epitome of petty. And I don’t mean the fun, gossiping kind. I loved that kind.

The type of games Danielle played made my skin crawl. It hadn”t always been that way though. There was a time when I encouraged her foolish behavior. Back when I thought I had something to prove.

“Hey Wes! You coming out for drinks tonight?” Benny, one of the other analysts, leaned against my doorframe with a smirk in place. As the team lead, I got my own space to work from. With the exception of Benny’s bar hopping invites, everyone treated me as the authority figure I was. “Let me guess, you’ll have to ask Dani?”

I shook my head. “No asking needed. The answer is no. I’m going home tonight to get some rest. This week has been hell.”

There was no way I’d give him more details than that. He didn’t need to know that I was avoiding Danielle, or that I was days away from ending an engagement everyone believed to be perfect.

Benny nodded as he tucked his hands in his pockets. “I get that. All the more reason to go enjoy a drink or two.”

“I’m good, Ben. I promise to let you know if that ever changes,” I said with sincerity.

It wasn’t like I hated the team or anything. More like I had a controlling fiancée for the last several months, and now that I was about to be free of her, I wanted some alone time. I couldn’t recall the last time I was completely alone. It would probably do me good to reacquaint myself with the feeling.

“Your loss. We were going to hit up Club Deny this time. I know you like that place.”

Benny knew I liked the bar side of the club. He had no clue there was another part of the building that catered more to men like me. Why would he know? He wasn’t dominant at all. And honestly, I’d never heard him mention a single thing kinky in the seven years we’d worked together. Since I knew basically everything about his sex life, I considered it a safe bet the man wouldn’t want details on the local BDSM club.

“My loss indeed. Hope you find whatever you’re looking for.” I stood from my desk, letting him know I was heading out for the day too.

We walked side-by-side to the bank of elevators as others in the building joined us. If there was one thing we all agreed on, it was that five o’clock was quitting time. There were very few projects that kept us all late. And really only a couple of clients who held that kind of power.

Stryker Global and Rojas Investments were among those, though neither were in the midst of an acquisition as of recently. I gave it another month or two before either or both men decided to procure another business. I could swear they’ve got some kind of pseudo-Monopoly game going for how they handle things in this city.

Thankfully, I’m not just a guy who punches the clock. I go where they tell me to, analyze data, then tell them if it’s a sound investment. Makes me handy, which gives me a sense of permanency.

Benny kept up a one-sided conversation with me the entire way down to the car park. He only managed to leave my side when I double clicked the lock button and pretended something was wrong with my car. It was a song and dance we’d done countless times, hence how he knew his cue to leave.

I drove home with a sense of dread. The texts from Danielle had stopped sometime during my ride down the building. I didn’t think it was because she’d given up. If anything, it was because she was plotting something.

Once I made it home, I went straight to the front desk. “Hahn, my man!” I greeted the front desk clerk like he was an old friend. Probably because he was. We’d been poker buddies for the last few years, and he always took home the whole pot in the end. Guy was a card shark.

“Wes. How can I help you, my friend? It’s rare I see you this early in the evening.” He wiggled his brows at me.

I shook my head. “The day was done. No need to drag it out. I just needed to adjust my approved visitors list.”

Hahn grimaced. “Don’t tell me… it’s about your girl. Doe? Diva? Demi?”

“Danielle,” I corrected even though we both knew that he remembered her name. She’d made sure everyone did the one time she met my friends. Never mind she didn’t actually pronounce Hahn’s right. Probably why he always gave me shit about her.

“Yeah, it is. I need her blocked. No entry please. Effective immediately.”

He tilted his head to the side. “You’re not going to be happy that she’s already upstairs then, I guess.”

“Fuck.” I swore softly. “Not really. Can you send security up in about twenty minutes, please? It doesn’t need to be a huge scene. Hopefully, she slaps me and takes off before then. That would save us all the trouble.”

Hahn tilted his head forward. his gaze locking with mine. “Between us, I think this is a great thing for you. And also, I’m going to need all the tea at the next game night. Don’t leave any details out.”

With that, he dismissed me to focus on the desk. The phone there rang immediately, stealing my ability to pressure him for an explanation as to why he thought so. I already knew why. No one in my circle liked Danielle. Not a single one.

Had I not been so blinded by her act, I might have seen it too. I might have seen the dark, ugly parts of her. She might have been one of the most beautiful women I knew, but her heart was hollow.

I couldn’t marry her. I wouldn’t be tied to someone so vile forever.

The ride upstairs took an absurd amount of time. I tapped my foot as I waited for the doors to open, then I was stalking forward to face my doom.

Inside the condo I owned, I found Danielle waiting on my couch, her fake smile in place. Visually, she was stunning. All lean and petite, just how I’d always liked. Her brown hair was perfectly styled with not a single fly-away hair. Green eyes shined bright, much like her smile. She looked every bit the happy soon-to-be bride.

And I was going to be the one to tear it all down.

“What are you doing here, Danielle?”

She blinked; her gaze unbothered despite the vein in her neck that throbbed. Despite her aim for perfection, that one flaw was her weakness.

“I’m here to see you, silly. I tried texting you today. I think your phone is broken.”

My phone wasn’t broken. We both knew it wasn’t. Especially since half of those messages were left on read.

“You know to call before you come,” I answered instead. Moving around her, I made my way to the kitchen. I didn’t want anything strong, but I sure could use something to do with my hands while we had this talk.

I made sure to position myself on the side of the kitchen with the knives as she followed me inside. I grabbed a cold water bottle from the fridge, then turned to lean against the counter behind me.

She frowned, then moved to get her own bottle. “It’s impolite for you to not offer me a drink, husband.”

“I’m not your husband.” The words were firm, just like my stance on the issue.

“Not yet,” she preened. “But you will be soon. We’ve picked a date and everything now.”

The longer she was here, the angrier I felt. No, not angry. Detached. That’s what it was. I was completely detached from the situation.

“Danielle,” I began. She moved like she was going to come around the counter. I raised my hand. “No, don’t. You stay there.”

Her lips turned down. “Why are you being so weird? Did something happen at work?”

Of fucking course, that’s what she thought. I internally rolled my eyes, though I kept my composure on the outside.

Tugging my phone from my pocket, I pulled up the file I wanted, then connected it to the small television in the kitchen. It was the one my personal chef had used to watch his shows while he cooked. Now it gave Danielle the proof she needed to understand why I wasn’t falling all over myself to go to her like normal.

The screen illuminated with a view of the living room couch. Danielle’s brow furrowed, her gaze turning to mine. I shook my head, then pointed back at the TV.

“Let me get to the good part.” I fast forwarded to the midway point.

Her moans reverberated around us. “Yes! Oh, fuck, yes. Just like that!”

On the screen, Danielle and Brix, my recently fired private chef, fucked on my couch. The timestamp showed the date as three weeks ago. It was only shortly before that when I noticed something didn’t appear to be what I thought. I hid a camera in my living room assuming I wouldn’t find much.

Lo and behold, I found so much more.

I pressed another button to reveal the menu of recordings. There were fifteen in total, all of them with different men who I’d either employed or been friends with at some point. A couple were men she worked with. Either way, it seemed my demure fiancée had a kink for fucking other men in my house.

Somehow, she’d managed to keep it to men who lived in this building. While that made sense for her to pick guys up close to her favorite spot, it also meant the place I lived had become a location I couldn’t stand to be in.

If Hahn hadn’t just returned from a month-long vacation to visit his parents overseas, I was sure he’d have said something to me when he noticed the pattern. As it stood, I needed to look into a place with better security.

I’d invested in a few rentals through the years, all of which would be fine for living alone in. I just had to pick one of the vacant ones, then upgrade the security.

“Nothing to say for yourself, Dani?” I taunted. “You sure do seem to be pretty talkative with everyone else.”

She scoffed as she dropped the mask. There she was. The real version of the woman I thought I loved.

“What do you want me to say, Weston? You’re not the best lay I’ve ever had. Hell, you might not be in the top ten. I have an appetite that needs satiating. If I only depended on you, I’d be a royal bitch to everyone. I’m cranky when I’m horny.” She batted her lashes as she leaned over the counter to show off her cleavage.

The move might have worked for a lesser offense. Something that didn’t involve me needing a full STD panel and to cancel the wedding of the century — her mother’s words, not mine.

“Then I have great news for you, Danielle. You’re back on the market. You can get that appetite of yours quenched however you need to. I’m no longer an obstacle. Oh, but this place will be. I’m listing it for sale. Since this place is highly coveted, I expect a buy by week’s end. I suggest you start packing. Don’t worry though, I’ll call your father to let him know to send a car over.”

Dale St. Johan was going to lose his fucking mind over this. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dani wound up cut off because of it. The man had already spent thousands on reservations and planning. While a lot of it was likely refundable, the announcements in the paper and the social media campaign would not be so easily extinguished.

Danielle cried out, her hands moving to her throat. “No! You can’t. Daddy won’t ever forgive me. He won’t understand. His penis doesn’t even work! Mama said so.”

I grimaced at the news. “Not something I ever needed to know.”

“Please, Weston. Don’t tell him. I’ll… I’ll take care of it. Please.”

“There is quite literally nothing you could give me to fix this, but I’m willing to make this simple. Call your father. Tell him you’re cancelling the wedding. Say it was your fault. I don’t want to ever see or hear from you again. I will not leak these videos anywhere because I’m a decent fucking human, but don’t think it’s beneath me to gather all these men and your father in a room to see how it goes for you. Understand, Danielle?”

She vibrated with her quick agreement. “Absolutely. I’ll make that work. He… he can’t know about this.”

“That’s fine. Listen, Danielle,” I said, my patience exhausted. “I don’t want to make him hate you. I don’t want to tell anyone about this. It’s not the best reflection of me either. Besides, I believe people have a right to use their body how they want. We both know the unsavory things people might express if they get wind of this.”

Her face paled so much, the blush on her cheeks became almost blood red. “Thank you, Weston. I really appreciate that. I’ll just…”

A knock came at the door a second later. Dammit, I forgot about security.

“I’d planned for you to make a bigger fuss than this, honestly,” I admitted as I took off for the door. “Security is going to escort you downstairs. You’ll need to reach out to me for a date that works where you can come get your stuff. I’m available most of this week. You’ll need movers with you. I cannot and will not wait all day for the process.”

“I can do all of that. Thanks so much for being so understanding.” She reached out as if to touch me right as the door opened.

I stepped back. “I’d rather not. These lovely gentlemen will walk you down now. Have a good life, Miss St. Johan.”

Her mouth dropped open slightly at the cold tone. She didn’t argue though. The security guard they’d sent upstairs was a familiar face. Kale gave me a once-over from head to toe.

“Need anything else, Mr. Joffry?”

“No, Kale. Thanks for the help. Have a good night.”

He motioned for Danielle to walk ahead of him. She gave me one last glance over her shoulder as she adjusted her purse. I closed the door as she watched, the physical act closing her off not only in the real world but also emotionally.

I scrubbed my hands over my face as I contemplated what to do next. The idea of sitting on my couch — my very heavily deviled couch — was a no. I’m not sure why she never took the men to bed, but it was one thing I was quite thankful for in the end.

Knowing it was no use to sulk over things, I began to make calls. I needed a lot of work done in a little amount of time. There was one person I could depend on to help me with this in particular. He was skilled in the art of multi-tasking.

Dialing his number, I waited for him to answer. “This is Tucker. How can I help you?”

“Hey, Tuck. I need your expertise on a big project. Do you have some time to spare soon?”

“Depends. Is Danielle involved?” There was no hiding the venom in his tone.

I shook my head despite him not being here to see it. “No, she won’t. Especially not since I just sent her away with the building’s security.”

He squealed. “Oh, goodie. Then, yes, I’m your guy. Tell me everything. I’ll give you the Tucker Harbinger special.”

“Who is getting my special, baby?” Patrick’s voice growls. Given he’s Tucker’s other half, it’s no wonder he’s curious.

Tucker giggled, then made a tongue clicking sound at his husband. “Weston needs our help, Daddy. He said he needed me specifically.”

Patrick hummed, then I heard him a bit more clearly. “Whatever has happened, know you’ve got the backing of our entire group. That’s Stryker too, if you need it.”

A sudden rush of emotions left me choked up. I forced myself to thank him, then made plans for us to meet up for drinks. Looked like I was going to Club Deny that night anyway.