Page 72 of Angels & Whiskey

“Fuck our plan, angel. When Paul finds out who your husband is, he’ll agree with me. We didn’t call him Major Dick for no reason,”I’d told her after she’d told me she wanted to stick toourplan.

We ordered four glasses of champagne after Autumn took two shots of Patron. I didn’t blame her. I couldn’t imagine being in her position. She probably thought I was playing her the entire time—that I was a spy for Rich. She blushed as I told her how beautiful she was tonight and I wanted to see the dress on the floor in my bedroom. She was like a drug—I wanted to consume her and become addicted to her.

“Was any of it true?” she asked as we started to walk back toward the front door where we left Trista and Rich.

“Was what true?”

“Everything you’ve said to me. How you feel … the way you—”

“It’s all true, angel. Not was—is. I had no idea who your husband was and I want to run out of here with you in my arms and never look back,” I confessed quietly.

“I can’t believe this is happening.” She took a deep breath and my heart ached as I saw how close she was to tears. I didn’t want to see her cry. Sure this was a nightmare situation, but now that I knew who I was dealing with, Rich was going to pay. We were no longer in the army and he was no longer my commanding officer—we were equals.

“Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”

She snapped her head toward me. “How am I supposed to walk up to Rich and pretend that everything’s okay?”

“The same way you do every day.”

“But every day it’s because of you, and now I have to be across from you and pretend we just met and watch you and Tris—”

I grabbed her hand, loving the feel of her warm, smooth skin as I halted her just before we rounded the corner to the front door. “I’m doing Trista a favor. She told Rich she had a boyfriend and she didn’t want to show up without a date. I’m just her date. You need to believe me.”

We stayed staring at each other for what seemed like hours as I watched her question everything she knew about me in her head. Finally, she sighed. “Okay.”

“It’s not easy for me either, angel. I want to rip Major Dick’s head off right now.”

“Please don’t,” she begged.

“If he does anything to you tonight I will.”

She took a deep breath. “He won’t. He has an image to uphold.”

I nodded. “We should get back to them.”

She gave a tight smile as we turned the corner. Trista and Rich weren’t standing there. “Um … where’d they go?” Autumn asked, looking around.

I shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“We need to find them before Rich gets mad.”

“Angel, he won’t get mad in my presence. I can guarantee that—”

“No, but he will tonight when we’re alone. He likes to remember things before bed.”

I sucked in a breath, imagining the way Rich would grab her when he was mad. The way he’d punish her with sex. I hated all the images in my head, and I hoped my imagination was extremely vivid and not realistic.

“If that happens, tomorrow you’re not returning home and honestly, I can’t guarantee he will either.”

Before Autumn could protest, Rich spotted us and motioned for us to come to them. They were standing outside near the fire pit, talking to people. After we’d handed them their drinks, Rich leaned over and whispered into Autumn’s ear.

Acid rose from my gut as I watched him get close to her. I wanted to rip his fucking throat out and throw it into the fire in front of us. Instead, I stood there sipping the acidulous champagne, hoping the little bit of alcohol would calm me. Autumn nodded, then Rich walked a few feet and stood on the hip-high brick wall that lined the patio, clicking his champagne glass with a fork to get everyone’s attention.

Autumn stepped closer to me so I was sandwiched between her and Trista. My arm was pressed into Autumn’s as we made room for everyone to gather around. Reaching around with my hand, I moved it until I found hers then laced her fingers with mine. I needed her touching me. I wanted to comfort her, show her that no matter what, I was there for her. We were in this together.

Part of me hoped Rich would see. I wanted to see his face when he realized his wife he controlled was faking. That she was strong and was going to leave him. I wanted to watch his face as I left bruises all over his body like he did to her, then again as she left with me.

Fuck the plan.