Capturing Connie

Steven 8

"Well don't you just look chipper this fine evening, My Diamond?"

I ignore Lapis and down my drink, my right eye twitching a bit from being on the same fucking planet as her. "Fuck off," I mutter.

"Oh my! You're in one of your moods again. Not good," she muses. "That prissy little thing must be taking Kevin back." Her playful tone quickly turns dark and threatening. "Spoiled brat better not be, or I'd have to make some accidents happen."

Lapis whispers the last part and I grit my teeth. I could kill her with nothing but my bare hands and I want to. Know I'm perfectly capable of it. "Watch yourself, Lapis. I mean it. It's none of your business."

"Oh hush you know damn well it's my business!" She spits. "If she takes him back everything we've worked for will be for nothing!"

"I didn't think you were coming tonight." I'm trying to change the subject because the last place we need to be talking about this is at a crowded party. I'm sick of her hovering around. Same with that asshole Kevin Johnson. They cast a dark shadow on everything I try and do with Connie. For Connie.

To Connie.

Lapis shrugs and tosses a silky straight lock over her shoulder. Her outfit is subtle, but loud compared to all the white and pastel colors the other women wear. Her sleek black leather dress was intentional, she wants to stand out.

"Ah, I've been laying low." A lie. Lapis doesn't know how to lay low. "Kevin is in a mood, too. I saw him talking with Connie. She worked him up again."

"He did the same to her." I immediately cringe to myself. I shouldn't have said that. I didn't need Lapis to think I was defending her. Kevin made a grave mistake the second he touched Connie, though. I could feel my veins glow and it took everything in me not to grab him by his collar and slam him through the nearest wall. After getting rid of him, I tried to calm Connie down, but she was pissed. More at Johnson, I'm sure, but she took it out on me. Hell, seeing her so worked up had aroused me, sick fuck that I am. I'd been ready to take her right there, not giving a damn who saw us together. But when she asked me to stop, I did. I had to walk away. I may have run from my throne and my mess but I still had honor.

She could never say I had pushed myself on her. Not once. She calls the shots in this game, which is truthfully starting to be a hard rule to play by when all I want to do is boss her around and take her whenever, wherever I fucking want.

"Awe, you're sooo protective," Lapis murmurs, her lips curving into a knowing smile. "Just fuck her and get it over with. Once you realize what a horrible lay she is, then you'll be done with her."

Anger and a small amount of discomfort makes my voice tight. "And what? You have personal experience in fucking Connie?"

Lapis stares at me silently and bursts out laughing so loudly that more than a few guests look our direction. I'm about to snap back, but that's it. I'm done standing around pretending I want to listen to Lapis go on about Connie. I don't even want to be at this stupid party full of wedding dresses and bitchy brides-to-be. I only came here to see Connie.

And she's mad at me. So I fucked that up royally.

"Quit insulting her," I toss over my shoulder as I make my escape, pushing my way through the crowd. It's mostly full of young, beautiful women and normally, I'd be hunting. Flirting my way through all of them, zeroing in on the most responsive-and receptive-one.

I don't notice any of them tonight, other than them taking up space. Every one I see flashes me a welcoming and flirty smile but I hardly smile back. I'm on a mission, and for each one of these women existing in an area, there's a smaller chance that I'll find her.