7. Confrontation

"The Almighty Jeffery Suther joins us," Graham said, stepping closer.

"Your ex, I guess?" He asked me.

"Yes," I replied, maintaining eye contact with Jeffery.

"Ex?" Jeffery asked, looking genuinely surprised.

"I'll need you to trust me, Catalina," Graham whispered to my hearing alone, and a small smile tipped the corners of my lips as he settled his hands over my waist possessively.

“Suther," Graham called Jeffery. "I’d suggest you stop looking at my woman’s tits before you lose the ability to see.”

Jeffery’s head jolted like he’d been struck. “What did you just call her?”

“You heard me. Now answer this question for me.” Graham pulled me into his body. Then he turned his head and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

Wow, wow, wow.

“Why shouldn’t she dress like this, Mr. Suther, the Grand Dictator?”

Jeffery’s mouth gaped open and closed, and despite my best efforts, a laugh escaped me.

His eyes narrowed as rage and embarrassment filled his face, and his angular jaw ticked uncontrollably.

Taking a step forward, he pointed at me. “Look at her,” he snapped while looking around as if he was checking if someone was somewhere recording.

He was finding it hard to say that I was his girlfriend.

“Women who look like that shouldn’t wear shit that shows their bodies off. It’s embarrassing.” Jeffery said instead.

Hurt speared through my gut so intensely that it felt like a knife protruding from my body.

I barely had time to let Jeffery’s hurtful words sink in before Graham barked out a loud, deep laugh.

A real one… One that went on and on, his body shaking mine with the force.

When he finally settled down, he shot a glare at Jeffery. “Heard you're such a shallow-minded dude. Never believed it until now," he grunted as he plucked the glass of water from my hands and passed it to Senazo, who had approached from the side, probably wondering what was going on.

"You are perfection, Catalina,” Graham whispered the words, just for me.

Pride swelled inside of me, replacing the hurt Jeffery created.

“You got it all wrong, Suther," he told Jeffery. "If you ask me, don’t think Catalina should wear clothes at all. Her body is perfect. Every incredible, delicious inch of her.” His fingers trailed a line along my exposed chest, leaving my flesh burning in his wake.

"This body is meant to be explored,” he continued, his hands continuing their movement. “Worshiped. Devoured.” He licked a long trail up the side of my neck, and I momentarily froze.

Jesus Christ, what the hell am I doing?

I should have been worried about how easily Graham claimed me out here in public.

Instead, my heart was racing for reasons I wasn't prepared to examine.

When I looked up, Jeffery’s lip had curled in disdain, and he had a murderous expression on his face as he watched Graham peck my lips.

“I have to thank you for not worshipping this body the way she deserves because now, I get to be her obsession.”

Jeffery snapped and sent the glass in his hand flying across the room.

Seconds later, I heard it shattering somewhere behind me, alerting the other guys in the room.

There was a sudden uproar as everyone turned in our direction.

Graham reacted instantly, dropping his possessive show and shoving me behind him.

One of his hands reached behind to grip my hand, keeping me in his reach, even when he couldn't see me.

“I suggest you fuck off before you make a fool of yourself,” Graham warned in a deadly voice.

“Get away from my girlfriend. Leave her the f*ck alone.” Jeffery shot back.

Oh, now I'm his girlfriend.

“Do you mean my wife?” Graham asked in a mocking voice.

“In your dreams!” Jeffery screamed at him, drawing more attention to us.

My heart thudded at his words.

I desperately wanted to confront him about abandoning me at the resort and moving on with Mary Morton.

But I just knew a confrontation wouldn't do me good.

Stepping forward, Graham fisted Jeffery’s collar with the hand that wasn't holding me, and yanked him closer.

“You should ask about me. If I set out to do something, I don’t rest until I get it done. Do not contact my woman, do not talk about her. Don’t even think about her. Keep her name out of your mouth and her face out of your mind. Got me?”

“What the hell is going on here?” Jeffery asked, rubbing his two palms across his face in confusion.

When he removed them, his face had turned a nice shade of red as he tried to push Graham away.

It didn't work, and it was a funny sight to behold, if I was being honest.

He was so much smaller than Graham.

Looking past Graham, Jeffery’s eyes settled on me. His previous sneer was nowhere to be seen now.

In its place was confusion and an expression that looked like hurt.

Too bad.

I had a thousand questions for him, but I was certain none of his answers could undo what he'd done.

“Catty. What’s he talking about?” Jeffery asked me.

“You’re literally trying to die, aren’t you?” a voice asked, and I turned to see Senazo, Graham’s friend, come up to stand next to us with Jonathan and the other guys who were playing games together.

“Isn’t that Westbridge Racing golden boy?” Someone muttered.

“That's why he is harassing Catalina?” someone else asked.

Maximus came forward, looking charged. All that was missing was just a simple tug from “Mr. Grand Dictator,” and hell would break loose from Maximus' end.

When I looked at the rest of the guys, I realized the situation was almost the same for all of them.

They don't like Jeffery, and I don't blame them.

If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't like him either.

“If you're here for the after-party, then I suggest you enjoy it without making a fuss or risk getting a head reset," Senazo warned Jeffery.

“He does deserve a head reset for how he treated Catalina.” Graham agreed.

Jeffery’s brows pinched together. “How I treated her. The fuck! I didn’t do shit. It’s not my fault her body is disgusting.”

Graham's fist connected with Jeffery's face with a sickening crack.

Jeffery staggered, and Graham released his collar, letting him crumple to the floor like a sack of shit right before Senazo gave him a sharp slap on the head.

Jonathan was quick to calm the rest of the boys from plying the same route as Senazo, as they all looked ready to do the same.

Graham spun to face me.

His face was pinched with barely contained rage, but when his eyes found mine, they were filled with nothing but care.

He lifted me into his arms in a swift move I never thought possible for someone my size.

And I wrapped my legs around his waist as I gripped his shoulders to steady myself.

Senazo tucked something in his back pocket that I assumed was his keys.

"What do you say we head back to the mainland?" Graham asked me.

"Now?"

He nodded.

My eyes found my wristwatch, and I was surprised to realise that it was almost five in the morning.

"Yes, I would like that," I told Graham.

Senazo watched as Graham carried me past “Mr. Grand Dictator,” who was threatening fire, brimstone and a lawsuit.

But Graham didn't seem to give a f*uck.

However, I couldn't help being worried about him.

If Jeffery decided to sue, it might affect Graham's career.

When I asked if he would get into trouble for what he did.

He replied, "Nothing I can't handle."

A confusing statement I decided not to pursue.