What the fuck? Did I hear this psycho bitch right? Did she just accuse Sloane of being a tramp? And did she just tell me to run, that Sloane would ruin my life like she did her husband's life?

What's that supposed to mean?

"Excuse me?" I angrily hissed, setting my mug of coffee on the table beside me a little harder than I wanted to, causing the coffee to splatter all over the table. I've worked way too hard to get Sloane to where she is today. I don't need this stupid broad to ruin her, bringing her mindset back to where she was when she returned to Chicago. I stepped closer to Chloe, groaning, "What did you just say?"

A mischievous grin formed on Chloe's lips as if she was about to start another war between us. "You heard me." Her eyes wandered from me to Sloane, still smiling like the fucking devil, as she added, "You both heard me."

"Aaron," Sloane whispered, her hand resting on my backside. "Just ignore her."

Hell fucking no.

Not for one second will I ignore the bitch that was the root cause of Sloane's depression and the end of Sloane's and my friendship in high school. Fuck that. I snapped my head around, causing Sloane to step back when I growled, "No. I won't ignore her. Had Chloe not done what she did to you and me, we wouldn't be where we are now. Not to mention, I refuse to allow her to degrade you and call you names that you and I know aren't true."

With pleading eyes, she begged, "Please, Aaron. Chloe's not worth it. Let's just leave."

"No," I stated firmly, returning my eyes to Chloe. This bitch needs to be put in her place.

Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "Wow, Aaron." Aiming her finger at Sloane, she said, "Are you seriously fucking that slutty piece of trash?"

Her remark had me instantly clenching my fists. I wanted to take my frustrations out on something but knew that would be wrong of me to do, and no matter how much they angered me, I would never hit a woman. Instead of making an ass out of myself in front of Sloane and my sister, upsetting Mariah in the process, I said it like it was, "The only trash I see in this building is you."

"Aaron," Mariah scolded.

"Don't worry, Mariah. I won't do anything in your place of business," I assured. "The only thing I'll be doing is taking the trash to the curb—where it belongs."

Chloe laughed, then diverted her eyes to Sloane as she said, "Do you want to tell him, or should I?"

"Tell him what?" Sloane answered, nervousness in her voice as if she knew what Chloe was trying to get Sloane to admit to me.

"Look. I don't know who you are or what your beef is with my brother and his girlfriend, but whatever it is, it doesn't need to be brought up here. You need to leave. Now," my sister hissed, rounding the counter and immediately grabbing Chloe's elbow when she approached her.

"Get your hands off me!" Chloe shouted, snapping her elbow out of Mariah's hold while guiding Chloe to the door.

"You're an adult. Act like one. So, until you grow up and have stopped bullying people you don't like, you're eighty-sixed from this place." Mariah opened the door, waving her hand toward the parking lot, saying, "When you've grown up and become a decent person, you can return. Paul Walker once said, 'Remember that no matter how cool you think you may be, you're not cool enough to look down on anyone...ever.' So keep that word of advice in mind before you ever think about returning here."

Mariah shoved Chloe out the door and then faced us after it closed, a look of disgust, her eyes showing she had questions.

"Sorry you had to deal with her like that," I sincerely apologized, relieved nobody else was in the building besides my sister's employees, embarrassing her in front of her clueless employees. "She's been a rotten bitch since she was a teenager."

Mariah's eyes diverted to Sloane. "Was she the reason you stopped talking to my brother?"

Sloane's lips twisted, then she nodded, confirming my sister's suspicion. "She was. How did you know?"

Mariah returned behind the counter. "I put two and two together after her name was said and how Aaron claimed she's been a rotten person since you were kids," she said as she finished making Sloane's special coffee. "It dawned on me about a letter you received from Chloe, begging that you ask her to prom to upset and make Sloane jealous."

What? I don't remember ever seeing a letter like that. "What are you talking about?"

"You were at football practice when she came by asking that I give you a letter. Instead of giving it to you, I opened it and read it, and since I didn't like what she wrote and didn't want you to read it, I threw it into the garbage." Mariah's head tilted to the side as she questionably eyed Sloane, setting her drink at the edge of the counter. "I never understood why she'd want to make you jealous. Especially after sending Aaron what she did, accusing you of those items sent."

"Chloe was always jealous of me because of Aaron. She wanted him and was pissed that he gave me the time of day instead of her, so she tried doing everything possible to ruin me and my reputation, to which she succeeded," Sloane sighed, picking up her high-octane drink from the counter and taking a sip.

Do you want to tell him, or should I? Replayed in my mind. I know it shouldn't bother me, but it is. I'm sure Chloe was only being the vindictive bitch she's always been, trying to make me think there's more to the story of when we were in school than what Sloane had admitted to me, hoping to cause another rift between us.

Mariah warmly smiled at Sloane and said, "Well, she had or has every reason to be jealous of you. My brother is smart. He knows who's beautiful and who isn't." She pointed at Sloane. "And you aren't only beautiful, you're gorgeous. Chole, on the other hand, is unattractive. She just showed us her true colors and how ugly of a heart she truly has. So she can pout all she wants. She'll never have Aaron. He's got you."

Mariah's right. Chloe's ugly. Sloane's gorgeous. Chloe doesn't have a heart. Sloane's heart is huge, and she's mine.

All fucking mine. And I'm never letting her go.

Never.

Mariah spun around after her name was called. She turned to us, aiming her thumb over her shoulder. "I better get back to doing what I came here to do."

I nodded. "We'll be back with the Suburban." I raised my coffee, adding, "Thanks for these. Be back soon."

While driving to my home to get my Mustang, Chloe's words came back to mind. I looked at Sloane, and when I saw her chewing her bottom lip, looking deep in thought, I spat out, "What did Chloe mean when she asked if she should be the one to tell me something?"

She shook her head, quietly saying, "I have no idea." Her brows pinched together, and she pinched and pulled her bottom lip, looking as if she was thinking harder about what that comment meant.

"She also accused you of ruining your husband's life. Do you know what she meant by that?"

My stomach twisted in knots, assuming Sloane knew more than what she was letting on when she slowly shook her head again.

I turned, facing Sloane as I killed the engine. "Chloe was either doing what she does best, hoping to start a fight between us, or she knows something you're hiding from me. I trust you more than I do her, but if there's something I should know. Now's the time to tell me what that is. We said no more secrets between us, so if I need to know something, I wish you'd open up to me."

Sloane's eyes locked with mine, and she swallowed when her eyes filled with tears. "My marriage was a joke from the start. I was conned, and I didn't know it until recently."

"What are you talking about?" I groaned, not liking the thought that instantly came to mind.

Her hands flew to her face. "Chloe set me up," she admitted, her voice muffled by her hands. "My marriage to Logan was a scam. Our entire relationship was a sham, set up by Chloe."

"What? Who was he to her? And how did you find out?"

"It all makes sense," she whispered. "How he was around me. The sex that went nowhere and how he refused to allow me to experience an orgasm. How he encouraged me nearly every day to want to take my life. Everything," she mumbled, her brows furrowing the more she opened up to me. "He never loved me. He used me. He was the one who pushed my depression to deepen further than it was," she choked out, then cried, "Chloe sent him to destroy me."

"And you know this, how?"

"Logan was a stepbrother of Chloe's I never knew about. When we were friends, she never said anything about her having any stepsiblings. I knew her parents were remarried, but nothing more was ever said. The only thing I remember her ever telling me was that there were members of her family she never spoke to and that she didn't get along with them." She let out a heavy, sad sigh. "A couple of weeks ago, I received a letter from an unknown person telling me everything. Apparently, I was a bet—a bet Chloe won. Now, because he's no longer here and blaming me for it, she wants to destroy my life—and us."

I guess this explains the up-and-down mood Sloane's been in lately. She was worried about telling me about the letter and what was said.

"Was it Chloe who sent the letter?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I think so. There were things said in the letter that only she would know. It could've been anyone if she told others about me. But with how she approached us in the coffee house, my guess is it was Chloe outing herself that she wrote it. As for what she was trying to get me to admit to, I don't know. The only thing I can come up with is that she doesn't think you know I was married and that Logan died picking me up from the hospital. That's the only logical explanation I can come up with because I never did anything that you don't already know about."

"Hmm," I hummed.

"I honestly don't know what she was trying to imply. I can only think that she wanted me to tell you about Logan and how he's no longer here—because of me," she whispered sadly. Looking at me with pleading eyes, she said, "I swear, I'm not hiding anything from you. Everything I ever did and said I already admitted to you. Chloe has nothing on me, I swear. I strongly believe she was stirring the pot, hoping you'd fall into it."

I didn't fall into it. I'll admit I was close. But because she was an enemy of ours, and how I now know it was Chloe who instigated the ending of Sloane and my relationship, I refused to let her words get to me, even though they seemed stuck in my mind since leaving my sister's place of employment.

Resting my hand on Sloane's shoulder and squeezing it, I said, "How about we let it go so we can get my sister my vehicle? Then we can go out and have some much-needed fun," I said, hinting we go to the club afterward by wiggling my brows up and down, my eyes focusing on the breast playing peek-a-boo with me.

A hint of a smile appeared on her lips. "Okay." She looked down, saying, "But before we do anything, I need to go inside and change into something more appropriate."

I shook my head, grinning mischievously, saying, "Nope. What you're wearing is perfect." My hand formed around her neck, and I crashed my lips to hers when I pulled her to my mouth. "Don't hide yourself now. You're doing so well." I murmured against her lips. I want to tell Sloane my plans for her, but I can't. Not yet. But to give her an incentive to continue improving, I said, "If you continue doing what you are, I have a huge surprise for you." I promised, winking at her.

Her face lit up. "What kind of surprise?"

I know you'd love to know what I have up my sleeve. But sorry, Chicky. I can't tell you what the plan is just yet. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now, would it?" I quipped, opening my door.

"Fine," she groaned, then mumbled something to herself as she stepped out of the Suburban.

What I do know is that if she walks around the club tonight without hiding herself and goes above and beyond what she has been doing, my plans for fixing the scars on her face will come sooner than planned.

I'll need her medical and anesthesia history to get the ball rolling for her, though.

Somehow, I'll have to get what I need without my girl knowing. Or make up some sort of excuse for Sloane to get her medical records for me without her figuring out why I need them.

***

Sloane was a bit hesitant to enter the club, worried about wearing the attire she was wearing. But she relaxed once we got inside after seeing what kind of night Trent had going on. Tonight's theme? Toga party.

I hadn't a clue Trent was throwing a Toga party until we arrived, and Summer gave me shit about not dressing for the event. So, I rented a costume from Lydia Deetz's twin since I was dressed in street clothes, wanting to make this night more fun for Sloane and me.

My girl held my hand with a massive smile spread across her face and giggled the entire time she people-watched as we walked around. Sloane also surprised me when we sat at the bar, and she ordered a cocktail instead of a non-alcoholic beverage.

Rocky knows Sloane's story and how she avoids alcohol like the plague, so when Rocky's eyes landed on mine, I quickly looked at Sloane, asking, "Are you sure drinking alcohol is something you should be doing right now?"

She looked at Rocky, then me, the corners of her mouth lifting upward into a beautiful smile. "I only want one to see if it'll affect me. And if it does, I'll know for sure that drinking alcohol, I'll never be able to do ever again." Holding my gaze, she leaned closer and said, "I'm only testing myself. If I feel I'm about to lose it, or if memories of my past return, clogging up my mind, I'll return to drinking my non-alcoholic Sex On The Beach drinks."

I'm crossing my fingers. Shayla told me recently she didn't think Sloane was ready to have any downers entering her system—if anything, nothing at all ever again. So, since I wanted us to have a fun night, get our minds off Chloe and her bullying ways, and how I want Sloane to learn to trust herself again, I decided to look the other way and allow Sloane to test herself. I trust her and her judgment.

Looking at Rocky, I nodded, letting her know it was okay to make Sloane the drink she had asked her to make.

I know I shouldn't support this, but I am. I have to trust Sloane's decision, so I am. Even if it isn't right, she wants to test herself, and testing her is what I've been guilty of doing since the beginning, so as she's testing herself, I'm testing her judgment.

Rocky returned with a glass of Crown Royal, Sloane's alcoholic Sex On The Beach, and a bronze Toga headdress goddess leaf crown.

After placing Sloane's drink in front of her, a warm, loving smile danced on Rocky's lips as she looked at the crown she held. Her lips curved up higher when her eyes found Sloane's.

Rocky blew me away when she said, "You're missing something to go with your outfit. I've been rooting for you ever since Aaron introduced us. I've watched you whenever you've been inside this club and around Aaron. You've grown into a much stronger, more confident person. You're glowing. You're smiling. You're not hiding from anyone or anything. You're proud. He's proud. And I'm proud."

Rocky's hand with the crown extended toward Sloane, a proud smile on her face. "Aaron may have found his princess and turned her into a queen, but I'm turning you into a goddess—Aaron's golden calf—my idol. So, because I'm impressed with how far you've become, I'm passing my crown off to you—a symbol of achievement and your new status."

Sloane's ears turned beet red, and her face blushed from Rocky's words. She wasn't embarrassed by any means; she was warmed. Rocky just boosted Sloane's self-esteem, and I couldn't be more grateful for her doing that.

Taking the crown from Rocky's hand, Sloane smiled as she eyed the bronze leafy crown, quietly saying, "Thank you." Then she put it on her head and looked at me, pride written all over her face. "How does it look on me?"

The corners of my mouth raised to my eyes. It fit her beautifully. Rocky's right. She's a goddess—my goddess. "It suits you well. It's perfect."

Sloane's cheeks turned even more pink, stimulated by my remark. Or, it's because she noticed the feral look of lust and passion in my eye and how badly I want to fuck her right here. In front of everyone.

That's exactly what I want to do.

One of these days, she'll allow me to do that—fuck her in front of everyone and showing them all she's mine.

Sloane slowly drank her cocktail. I couldn't tell if she was nervous about drinking it or if she was savoring, relishing the taste of finally having an actual alcoholic beverage instead of the version she's used to consuming.

Worried the alcohol was causing her to slip, I asked, "Are you okay?"

With a smile, she looked at me. "I've never felt better."

"Hmm," I hummed, unsure if I should believe her. "Are you sure?"

"Aaron. I'm fine. Really," she assured, her smile widening. "I was just thinking about the goals your sister had me come up with for myself, how she wanted me to work on them, and how everything so far I've accomplished—on my own—well, with yours and Shayla's help."

My lips twitched—for many reasons. I wanted to smile, but I wasn't sure what to be smiling for.

If it was because the alcohol wasn't affecting her mood.

If it was because she admitted to accomplishing the goals she set forth for herself.

If it was because I was proud of her for how far she's come.

If it was because she was talking more confidently, showing she, too, was proud of where she was now compared to where she was months ago,

If it was because she was showing no more fear.

Or if it was because she acknowledged she's better because of Shayla and me.

Whichever reason it was, my twitching lips still curved into a smile—I think it was all of it.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear."

"I know," she responded, grinning. "I'm proud of myself and you. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me without my begging that you do."

I really wanted to know what those goals were, but I didn't feel this was the place to ask, so I didn't. Instead, I lifted my drink to my mouth, my lips grazing the rim of my glass as I smiled and said, "You're welcome. Anything for my best friend—my girl."

Sloane picked up her glass, brought the straw to her lips, and my dick thickened at the sight of her mouth wrapping around it, wishing it was my cock her mouth wrapped around.

In one long swallow, she emptied her glass and then quickly stood, her hand extending toward me. "Come on. Let's have some fun."

I finished my whiskey, saluted Rocky, and then took Sloane's hand, letting her guide me to where she wanted us to be.

When we came upon the restrooms, she let go of my hand. "I'll be right back. The drink is going right through me. Plus, I want to check out this beautiful crown Rocky gave me."

I nodded, "I'll be right where you left me."

As I waited for Sloane to do her thing, I stood against the wall, my arms crossed against my chest and my left foot resting against the wall, thinking about everything that happened since my best friend returned to my life a mess.

I also thought about how I have something I always said I'd never have—a girlfriend—someone to love—someone I want to wake up to every morning for the rest of my life—someone I want to build a life with.

I never thought I'd say this, but I want all those things with Sloane.

And I'm going to admit that to her—tonight. Hopefully, it's what she wants to happen, too.

The excitement pouring through me, and the smile on my face quickly disappeared when Sloane emerged into the darkened hallway. She looked upset.

Worried the alcohol kicked in and brought her back to the old Sloane I'd gotten to know, I pushed away from the wall and rushed to her with open arms.

"Sloane, what's wrong?" My arms wrapped around her. "What happened?"

Without saying a word, she let go of me, shoved her hand into mine, and pulled me with her as she hurried to the other end of the club.

Fuck. Shayla's going to kill me for allowing Sloane to have a drink, causing all the hard work we've accomplished to be flushed down the toilet from her drinking alcohol, bringing her back to the state of depression we were in the midst of curing her of.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!!