Page 38 of Filthy Little Regrets (Princes of NYC #2)

A mean smile slashes across Melody’s face, and she stands too. “And as for my brother, we all know he wouldn’t come near you, even if you were the last woman on Earth.” She looks Ellen up and down in a way that makes the woman’s face turn bright red .

“You two should know better than to let a woman like her dig her nails into your brother.” Bethany shakes her head, a flush crawling up her neck. “She’s obviously only with him for the money.”

Melody scoffs. “Oh, come off it, Beth .” She practically growls her name. “We both know you begged your daddy to talk to ours...didn’t you just file for bankruptcy?”

“Huh,” Adalie says. “Is that why you were so desperate to marry Mace?”

Bethany’s nostrils flare. “You little cunt.” She steps forward, and I see her intention coming from a mile away and jump up, catching her wrist seconds before she would have hit Adalie.

“I think the fuck not,” I snap, squeezing her wrist hard and wrenching her arm behind her back. She cries out, and Ellen starts screeching like a pterodactyl, calling for security. The players around us all stop what they’re doing to watch the show.

Yeah, eat it up, assholes!

“Well, well, well,” a smooth, deep voice that sends a shiver of excitement down my spine drawls. “What do we have here?”

All eyes shoot to where Mace stands, but I pointedly ignore him.

“Cassia?”

Holding Bethany’s wrist tight, enjoying how unnaturally still she is thanks to her fear, I shift my gaze to meet his. “How was your workout, sweetheart?”

Biting his lip, he fights a grin. “Wonderful, thanks for asking. Are you going to break her arm?”

“Undecided,” I confess.

Bethany whines. “Someone, please, save me!”

Melody snorts. “Calm your tits, Beth. It’ll mend itself. ”

Ellen jabs her arm in our direction. “Mace!” she screeches. “Do something!”

He doesn’t even look at her. “What did they do?”

“We didn’t do anything! Your whor?—”

Mace holds up his hand and glares at Ellen. “Did I tell you to fucking speak?”

Her mouth snaps closed and her features crumple, eyes dropping to the concrete.

“Now, can someone other than Ellen or Bethany tell me what happened?”

“The usual,” I say with a shrug.

“Bethany tried to hit Adalie,” Melody offers.

Adalie nods. “And then...” She sweeps her hand toward the hold I still have on Bethany. “Have I mentioned I love your wife?”

His lips tip in amusement, but the smile quickly fades when he glances at Bethany. “It seems you forgot your place,” he murmurs. “Maybe I should let my wife break your wrist.”

“I’ll fucking sue you,” she seethes. “This is assault!”

“Hey, Bethany?” Mace steps toward us. “Shut up, or those photos of you with Senator Tippton will find their way to the news.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, but the tremble in her voice gives her away.

“You’re sleeping with Greg Tippton ?” Ellen asks, rearing back.

“Fuck you, Ellen, we all know you’re sucking Judge Altman’s dick so he lets your daddy off.”

Ellen gasps. “Fuck me? Fuck you!”

Bethany jerks forward, moving toward her friend, but cries out when my hold stops her. “Argh!”

“Cassia, baby, you either have to break her arm or let her go,” Mace says, glancing around the club and nodding at everyone watching.

“And if I break her arm?”

“It was self-defense, right?” Mace asks.

“Absolutely,” Melody and Adalie say at the same time.

“Then it sounds like Bethany is fucked either way.” Mace’s lip curls in disgust as he looks at her. “For the record, neither of you ever had a chance.” His gaze lifts to meet mine. “She’s always been the one.”

Pulse fluttering, I press my eyebrows together. You don’t have to lay it on so thick.

He smiles at me, as if he can read my mind. “Well?” he asks, pointedly looking at the woman I still hold hostage.

I peer at her tear-streaked face. Maybe I should let her go.

“Get your trailer trash hands off of me,” she hisses under her breath.

You know what? Fuck her. I tighten my grip, tugging hard until I hear a crisp snap. Her mouth drops open and her face grows pale. It takes a full ten seconds for the shock to wear off and for the scream to cut through the air.

Mace chuckles. “Well, fuck. I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”

Releasing Bethany, I take a step away as she falls to the ground in a heap, shaking my head. “Am I going to jail?”

“No.” He’s so confident about that, but they probably own the police force.

“She broke my wrist! Oh my god,” Bethany wails.

Ellen takes a big step back, eyes wide as saucers.

“Ellen! Help me!” But her “friend” dashes away, saving her own ass. Bethany sobs, clutching her arm and begging for help. It’s kind of pathetic.

Mace is suddenly there, towering over me .

I turn and tip my head back to hold his dark gaze.

“You’re trouble, baby.”

“She deserved it,” I mutter.

“Mmm.” He grips my chin and smooths his lips over mine, flicking his tongue over my bottom lip.

“Don’t think you’re getting away with leaving the house without telling me where you were going.

” He pulls back with a regretful exhale.

“But first, I need to do damage control. You guys should go,” he tells his sisters, eyeing me. “I’ll take my wife home.”