Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“It looks like he’s pretty close to Rosie.”
“I bet they are.”
The way she said that didn’t sit well with me. “Didn’t you used to date one of your dance partners?”
“Oh, God.” Cat laughed, shaking her head. “Don’t say that in front of Loren. He just came around to the fact that Justing and I weren’t going to stop being friends just because he was jealous.”
I couldn’t imagine how Loren stood there and watched Cat dance with that guy knowing they’d fucked. As I looked at Rosie and Josh, I felt jealousy bubble up inside me. They seemed to know every single movement the other would make, and I knew they’d rehearsed endless hours for it, but they made it look like it was more than that. They made every step, every leap, every embrace look effortless.
“You think she’s hooking up with Josh?” Cat asked after a moment, her eyes still on them.
My chest squeezed. “No.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t think so.” Cat spared me a glance. In my peripheral vision, I caught the smile on her face. “He was engaged to one of the guys in Madam Costello’s company. I think they ended up getting married, actually.”
“Hm.”
I kept my eyes on him, the way he moved, the way he touched her. I wanted to hate it, because despite knowing he was married, he still had access to her like this, and I didn’t. Yet, I couldn’t deny that they danced damn well together. The whole show came to an end shortly afterward and we all stood up and clapped for each dancer who bowed. When Rosie and her partner bowed, I clapped even harder. Cat and Isabel cheered beside me.
“So?” I turned to Cat. “How’d she do?”
“Brilliant.” She was smiling wide, shaking her head. “She was fucking brilliant.”
I grinned but stopped when my phone buzzed.
Gio: when are you giving me my wife back?
Me: you have issues. The show just finished. We’re still in the box.
I opened my camera app and set it on selfie mode, telling the girls to pose for a picture, then I sent it to Gio.
Gio: that would’ve been a cute pic, why’d you ruin it with your face?
I laughed but didn’t respond. Not even one second later, as if he’d timed the show, Lorenzo texted.
Loren: are you still with Cat?
I sighed, shaking my head, and they wanted to make fun of me and call me a stalker?
“I’ll walk you to your cars. I don’t want Loren or Gio on my ass about letting you take the ten steps it takes to go from the front door to the drivers waiting for you.”
They laughed but didn’t argue, because they knew it was true. On our way out, I kept looking around, hoping Rosie would jump out at any second, even though I knew it wasn’t likely.
“Where do they leave through?” I asked Cat, as I opened the door for them and held it.
“Side door.” She nodded her chin toward the right.
“How long after the end of the show?”
“It depends on whether or not she showers here. Most people just go home, but some people like to shower and change here so they can go about their day or night.”
Knowing Rosie, she’d probably shower. As I approached the SUVs where Tony and Carmine were waiting, I spotted Billie getting into her own car. Once Isabel and Cat drove off, I texted both of their psycho husbands to let them know they were on their way home. Neither of them thanked me for the intel. Assholes. I walked over to Nico, who was on his phone while he waited for Rosie to come out. He’d parked on the other side of the street and didn’t have a clear view of the door, but enough that she’d definitely see him when she exited the alley. We were making small talk about Thanksgiving when I spotted someone walking toward the alley. I took my hands out of my pockets. Was that Anthony Costello?
“Nick, am I seeing things, or is that Costello?”
He looked up from his phone. “It looks like him, but to be fair, it could be anyone.”
I nodded slowly. It could be, but my gut said otherwise. Still, I waited, watching. Finally, Rosie walked out. I straightened and opened the door to the backseat to pull out the bouquet of sunflowers I’d gotten her on the way here. Gio suggested I get her roses, but these were Rosie’s favorite. At least they used to be.
“Uh, boss,” Nico said.
The uncertainty in his voice made me turn around quickly. I looked across the street and saw the man, who now I knew for a fact was Anthony Costello, push Rosie onto the wall. I threw the flowers back in the car and made my way across the street. Anthony had his hand on her throat and just before I reached the sidewalk, his mouth covered hers. I thought I’d felt rage, thought I’d felt anger, but none of what I’d felt in the past compared to this. Rosie’s eyes widened when she spotted me and before Anthony even got a chance to look, I pulled him off of her and threw him on the floor.