Page 39 of Checkmate
“And thank you for sending pictures so I could make sure my dress was nicer.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied with a smirk. “But I think the most likely reason she’s upset is because Alex is giving her shit about this.”
“Maybe it’s all of the above.”
“And reasons I can’t even fathom,” he agreed. “Either way, I think stage one of the plan is working, don’t you?”
“I’d say so,” she agreed. “The kiss on the hand was a great touch.”
“Oh, well in that case.” As the song came to an end, Marcus lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips over her skin. “Is he looking?”
Erica grinned at him, risking a glance towards Alex. “Shit, he’s coming over.”
Marcus straightened up as Alex walked up behind him.
“Mind if I steal my wife back, pal?” Though he smiled, there was no ounce of friendliness on his face.
Marcus stepped aside making a sweeping gesture towards Erica. “Of course.” He squeezed Erica’s shoulder as he passed. “Remember what I said, Erica.”
She widened her eyes as she scrambled for an answer to a question Alex was inevitably about to ask.
Damn, she had to work on her improv skills.
“What did he say?” Alex asked as he pulled her into his arms closer than was necessary.
“Oh, that? That was nothing.” She bit down on the inside of her cheek to stop her laughing at his expression. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Alex’s lip curled, his nostrils flaring. “I’d like to know, please. I don’t like the bloke. He gives me bad vibes.”
“What? Why? I thought he was perfectly lovely. I think you were just jealous.”
“Jealous of what? Of him? Please, Erica, don’t insult me.”
The amount of venom in his tone surprised Erica, making her pull back a touch. She knew the dance would rile Alex up, but his reaction was still shocking.
They hadn’t even done anything yet!
“Forgive me. Only, he seems to have got under your skin.”
“Because he was pawing my wife, not because I’m jealous.” He scoffed and met her gaze. “As if I’d be jealous of a man who has rented a suit a size too small for him, and forces his wife to wear a dress with the label still attached because his failing business is not enough to provide for her.”
Erica stayed quiet, keeping her expression stoic. Alex was revealing a side of himself she rarely got to see.
It was amazing how quick the rose tinted glasses faded once someone cheated. Before, Erica would have found a way to defend Alex’s vicious side.
Now it just repulsed her.
“And how do you know all that?” She asked, raising her eyebrow.
“Sophie told me.”
For a brief moment, his eyes widened as he realised his mistake. That was a lot of very personal information for a boss to have.
“I think that’s quite inappropriate,” Erica said, glossing past his mistake and playing the concerned wife. “After our conversation the other day, you really need to be careful getting too close to her.”
“You’re right,” he said, clearly relieved she had given him an excuse. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And as for Marcus,” she said, getting the conversation back on track. “I think you’re being unfair to a man you don’t know, based on the word of a woman who has a crush on you.”
