Wife's Bitter Revenge Against Neglectful CEO Husband-Chapter 86: Dinner Dilemma

I didn’t know what to say. What not to say. I wanted Alec in my life, but if I’d learned anything recently, it was that secrets destroyed more than they protected.

I pulled my hands away from Alec and turned away, but Alec wasn’t having it. He came around the table to sit beside me as I stared at my hands and tried to gather my thoughts.

"Hey, Teela, look at me."

I obeyed in slow motion.

Alec took my hand. His hand was so warm and comforting on mine. "I’m your safe place, Teela, no matter what you say. Unless you’ve killed a man, I can handle anything. I’m that man, and I’m so into you already that I’d probably visit you in prison if you did kill someone.

I could see the truth in his eyes. Alec meant every word he said, whether he could live up to them later or not.

Still, I couldn’t bring myself to start, so I did the next best thing. I pulled up the video of the press conference and handed the phone to Alec.

Alec watched from beginning to end before handing the phone back to me.

"Wow, when you said bad people, you weren’t joking. Wealthy, bad people are a deadly combination."

"Yeah, but I couldn’t walk away from all those kids, Alec. Their little faces were so scared and defeated. Not even for my ex and his family."

"No one could or at least should, Teela." Alec pulled me into a protective embrace. "Is that why you’re so guarded?"

"Part of it."

"And the rest?"

I shook my head. "Can we break it down a little at a time? I swear, that’s the worst of it. King and I were already separated. After the conference, he expedited the divorce."

"Sure we can." Alec kissed my cheek. "Take all the time you need. We’ll move the Hawaii trip out as far as you need. Maybe date eight or nine."

"That made me smile. "That far, huh?"

"Seriously, Teela. I’m not in a hurry. We’ll move at whatever pace you are comfortable with. Just don’t shut me out because you aren’t sure what I can handle. I’m a strong man. I can handle a lot for the right woman."

And then Alec kissed me, not a peck like I had given him. No, this was a real kiss, an exploring kiss. It was the kind of kiss two people shared when the people were attracted to one another, and they wanted to find out just how attracted.

For my part, I felt a slow burn that melted something cold and isolated deep within me. I enjoyed how his lips fit against mine and how he cupped my face in his hands as if I were the most precious thing on earth. I loved how his tongue and teeth teased my mouth and urged me to open to him, to let Alec in, to give him all the trust and affection that I’d always wanted to give a man.

I wondered how Alec would react to learning I’d never made love in the true sense of the term. I’d tell him soon, but not now. I’d confessed to so much already.

The kiss ended gradually with feather kisses until we touched foreheads and took steadying breaths.

Alec said, "We have reservations. We should go."

The walk back was slow as Alec kept an arm around me. Our hips bumped as we walked. It was a comfortable pace, and I liked the physical contact. It was like we shared energy as we walked. I didn’t realize how much I needed to recharge until that moment.

Dinner was Italian at a little bistro with checkered tablecloths and a single waiter who was in constant motion as he floated among the eight tables.

The food was rich and the wine heady. By the second glass, I’d relaxed into a permanent grin. I giggled when my noodles fell off my fork.

"What’s so funny?" Alec asked.

"Nothing. Just relaxed. Happy. I’m enjoying the company of a handsome man with intriguing tattoos."

"You like my tats?"

"I don’t know yet, but I’m kind of like you. I can’t wait to see more."

Alec’s smile was as big as mine. "Do you have any ink?"

I shook my head. "I never had the interest or the money."

"But you were part of one of the wealthiest families in the country. Money should not have been a problem."

"Long story."

Alec stiffened a second before hands covered my eyes.

"Peekaboo."

My surprise turned into caution. I hadn’t told anyone about Alec yet. It was too soon. Now Stiff was here, and I didn’t know how he would react.

"Stiff, what are you doing here?" I asked as he removed his hands and plopped down in the booth next to me.

Stiff stole my half-eaten breadstick from my plate. "Who’s your friend?"

I introduced the men. "Alec, Stiff is one of my best friends and work partner."

"And roommate," Stiff added as he finished off my bread. "Hey, are you going to eat that?"

He tried to steal my plate, but I slapped his hand away.

"Go buy your own food. I’m in the middle of something here."

"What? With this guy? Are you dating?"

Alec responded immediately. "Yes."

"Huh. Strange. Tee hasn’t mentioned you."

Alec said, "It’s a new status for us. She didn’t mention you either."

The waiter brought over three large take-out bags and handed them to Stiff.

"I’m here picking up dinner for everyone. I take it you won’t be joining us?" Stiff asked me.

"No."

"Will you be home tonight?"

My cheeks heated. Stiff didn’t have the right to ask that question. It wasn’t as if I made a habit of going out on dates and not coming home.

Alec answered. "I’ll make sure Teela gets home safe, Stiff. You don’t have to worry about her when she’s with me."

"Or she could go home with me now. It looks like your dinner is mostly over."

"Or the she in question can drive herself home when she gets ready," I said.

"You’ve been drinking," the men said in unison.

Oops, I forgot that part.

"Okay, fine, but I still have a security detail to drive me home. Practically the same thing."

Stiff said, "I don’t see your men anywhere."

"They’re around."

Stiff rolled his eyes. "Come home with me, Teela."

"I said I’ll make my own way home."

"Fine. Should I tell Father DiMarco you’re bringing home an overnight guest?"

"That is none of your business, Stiff, but for the record, no. If Father DiMarco needs to know anything, I’ll tell him myself.

"Go home, Stiff. We’ll talk about this later."

Stiff was being a prick. I understood why, but I didn’t have to like it. He was acting like a jealous boyfriend when I’d made it clear that I didn’t see him that way. Or maybe I hadn’t been that clear. I’d make sure to rectify any misunderstanding tout de suite. There wouldn’t be a repeat of tonight ever again.

Stiff stood up, towering over me. "What if I refuse, Teela? What are you going to do about it?"

Alec dropped his napkin on the table. "Then we will leave, Stiff. You’re upsetting Teela, and she hasn’t done anything wrong."

Stiff turned his attention to Alec. "How would you know? How long have you known Teela? A day? A week? I’ve known her since she was a geeky high school girl. I know her a million times better than you do. I’m the man she slept with last, and I’ll be the man she sleeps with next, not you."

That was enough. I pushed Stiff. "Stop it! You have no right to interrupt my date and embarrass me like this. This isn’t what a friend would do, so stop it and go home!"

Stiff stood his ground, so I pushed him again. "So help me, Stiff. If you don’t leave, I’m done with you. I’ll move out of the church and disappear again before you can blink. I can do it. You know I can.

"Alec, let’s go."

I elbowed my way by Stiff, who was fuming. His jaw worked but he managed to hold the words in. Good. I’d give him a chance to say whatever he wanted later when I wasn’t buzzing from too much wine and fury.

Alec drove me back to my car while I contacted Roscoe to meet me there. He or one of the other guys could drive me home.

Alec said, "So, you live with at least two men in a church? Is it a cult? Do they send you out to recruit wealthy men to fund the cult?"

"It’s not a cult. It’s a dilapidated old church that Father DiMarco fell in love with and purchased. Now he takes in strays like me while he’s renovating."

"How many people live there?"

I started counting off on my fingers. "Stiff, the father, Bea, Jake, Davon, Drake, Jake’s men."

"Is Bea a man, too?"

I chuckled. "There is absolutely nothing manly about Bea. She is my heart. She lost her apartment, so she moved in, then Stiff felt left out and joined us, and things just kind of mushroomed from there."

"And you sleep with your friend?"

"It’s not like that."

"What’s it like?"