Page 118 of Boss of Me

Twisting my damp hair into a topknot, I head out of the kitchen to answer the door.

I freeze when I find myself face to face with Gunner’s ex-fiancée. I would have preferred my mother, and that’s saying a lot.

The icy blonde lowers her sunglasses to look me up and down, her red lips curling into a sneer. “Nice tan.”

I swallow uncomfortably. “Mr. Ransom isn’t?—”

“Mr. Ransom?”she jeers mockingly. “Is that what you call him when you’re on your knees sucking his cock?”

My face flames. I’m at a complete loss for words.

Laurene smirks. “At least you didn’t insult my intelligence by denying that you’re fucking my fiancé.”

I frown. “He’s not y?—”

“Anyway, I didn’t come here for him.” She shoves past me into the house, her heels tapping sharply on the marble floor as she struts down the hall like the queen of the castle.

I have no choice but to follow her.

Her blond hair is flawlessly cut and highlighted, glistening like strands of golden silk. She’s wearing a designer sheath dress that probably cost more than my undergraduate tuition—all five years. A towering pair of Manolos accentuates her perfectly toned calves, and a diamond-studded fuchsia Birkin hangs from her elbow.

She strides into the sitting room and walks slowly around, reminding me of a shark circling her prey before she strikes. “So how was Kauai?”

“It was amazing,” I say quietly. “But I’m sure you’d rather not hear the details.”

“Oh, please,” she says with a dismissive snort. “You think I care that he whisked you away to Hawaii for the weekend?”

“You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t care.”

“Idon’tcare,” she snaps.

I stare at her perfect face, seeing the hurt beneath her hostility. “He never took you, did he?” I say with dawning comprehension. “You were engaged for six months and he never took you to his home in Hawaii.”

She skewers me with such a scathing glare it’s a miracle I don’t disintegrate into a pillar of salt. “I don’t need him to take me anywhere,” she hisses furiously. “I’ve traveled all over the world, stayed in royal palaces, partied with movie stars. Unlike you, I’m filthy rich and can afford my own goddamn vacations.”

I say nothing, which seems to further antagonize her.

“Did he tell you that his family adores me?” She makes a show of running her finger along the marble fireplace mantel, checking for dust. “Every time we visit them in Dallas, his grandparents fawn over me, and his mother and I go on shopping trips and get massages together. We have so much in common, so we always have lots to talk about. It’s wonderful.”

I swallow, feeling a sick knot in my stomach.

“Gunner’s family thinks I’m perfect for him. And they’re right,” Laurene says with a viciously smug smile. “I’mthe kind of woman he belongs with. Not some unsophisticated rube from Steel City USA.”

Her words strike a raw nerve, but I refuse to let her see it. “If you were so perfect for Gunner, you’d still be with him. But you’re not.” Pause. “I am.”

She lets out a harsh, cutting burst of laughter. “Silly little girl. Do you actually think he’s going to commit to you? Put a ring on your finger? You’re nothing more than a diversion to him. A convenient piece of ass. He’ll never take you seriously. The only reason he’s not with me is becauseIbroke up with him, not the other way around.” She gives me a contemptuous once-over and smiles with chilling satisfaction. “Gunner loves me. He asked me to marry him because he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. No matter how many blowjobs you give him, you will never, ever replace me in his heart.”

I flinch at her words. A hard slap across my cheek would have hurt less.

“Thanks for stopping by,” I force the words out. “As much as I’m enjoying our little chat, I have far better things to do.”

“Like what?” she taunts derisively. “Do you need to go wash Gunner’s underwear? Scrub his toilet? Drop off his dry cleaning? Does playing house with the lord of the manor make you feel like his wifey?”

I lift my chin and look at her head-on. “I’m sorry you were so triggered by the tabloid pictures that you felt the need to drive over here to—what? Insult me? Intimidate me? Threaten me? What exactly did you hope to achieve?”

She walks right up to me, a malicious gleam in her eyes. “Let me clue you in on something. Gunner is a Type A personality. He works himself to the bone and uses sex as a stress reliever. Right now you’re serving that purpose. But your young body and tight little pussy won’t satisfy him forever. He has a ravenous appetite that craves variety. When he gets bored with you—and he will—he’s going to send you packing.”

I dredge up a cool smile. “In that case, I’d better enjoy him while I can. Maybe if I’m really lucky, he might actually fall in love with me. Crazier things have happened, right?”