A Flame Divine ♕

XXXI. G H O S T S

c a r m e n

Carmen's eyebrows were raised toward her scalp, a look of pure disbelief on her pretty face. Who the fresh hell is this?

She took a deep breath and tapped the blonde on the shoulder, crossing her arms as the other woman turned to face her, trying not to notice how beautiful she was, with her perfectly symmetrical face, sleek blonde hair, and hourglass figure. "Excuse me, who the fuck are you?" Carmen spat.

The blonde looked down her nose at Carmen, sneered, and turned away from her and back to Merrik, completely ignoring her.

Carmen narrowed her eyes. "Oh hell naw," she murmured and stepped between the girl and Merrik. "I asked you a question. Who. Are. You?" Carmen could feel her blood boiling in her veins. This girl needed to step away from her man, and now.

"Oh, do I know you?" The blonde pretended to ponder the question. "Didn't think so," she sneered in Carmen's face. "So you can go back to the sewer you crawled from and leave me and my lover to it."

Carmen's nostrils flared, and she cocked her head to the side. "I'm sorry. Your lover? I don't think so, bitch. Last time I checked, I was the one in his bed. So you can back the fuck up and get out of his face," she hissed, trying to keep her voice down.

Jesse laughed. "You think I don't know he sleeps around? You're just the flavor of the week, honey. Limited time only. And your time has expired. But I always come back," she hissed.

Carmen swallowed and started to turn away, toward Merrik. At her words, a nasty thought crept in; what if she was right? What if it was all a game for Merrik? He had said she was his date. Not his girlfriend. Not even a friend.

But then she looked up at the man of her dreams and knew that they were in it together. He said he loved her, and she loved him. That was all she needed.

Still, she could not let the woman's words go. Her hands itched—she wanted to smack that woman to tomorrow, but something held her back.

She knew that violence came with consequence, firsthand. So she swallowed her ire and decided to retain a calm facade in front of all those people. Besides, she wanted to stay classy as she told her off.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about," she growled through her teeth, flashing a smile more fake than the woman's tits. "Now if you don't want me to punch your fucking veneers out of your face, get. the. fuck. away. from. us," she punctuated, her chest heaving up and down.

"Bitch! You can't threaten me like that!" Jesse turned to Merrik, putting on the waterworks. "Rik, do something! I won't let this slut talk to me like this! You and I belong together!"

Merrik stepped up and wrapped his arm around Carmen's waist. She was shaking in anger, and his touch steadied her. "It will never happen, Jesse. And this 'slut' is my future wife. You will apologize, or I suggest you leave." He smirked. "Your time has expired," Merrik mocked, squeezing Carmen's side.

Carmen's mouth dropped at his words and she glanced up at him, her heart melting. His future wife? She could hardly believe those words had just come out of his mouth. She looked back at Jesse and raised a fiery eyebrow.

"You heard the man. You're finished here. You and I both know you're not going to apologize."

Jessie looked at Merrik in disbelief, and when she realized he was serious, she scoffed and flounced away.

Merrik breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry about her, love. I wish... I wish there was a way I could just take away everyone who came before you."