I cannot believe I fell into his trap. I want to haul my wife out of here. A bloodbath is coming. And she will have to watch. Have to suffer the humiliation with me.
Clearing my throat to regain some dignity, I say, “I volunteered my time to help patients with MS. What have you done that doesn’t come with a six-figure medical bill?”
Pierce smiles and pulls me closer by the back of my neck. “I’ll tell you what I did. I bought Scarlett that dress.And then I fucked her in the men’s room. She never wore underwear for me.”
There won’t be panties to ruin…
And she did mention fooling around in a lounge. But I won’t slut-shame her for wanting to indulge her sexual appetite.
I grab Langston by the arm and yank him a few feet away from the table. He bristles, his drink spilling. I keep my cool and train Pierce with a deadly stare to let him know what a piece of garbage he is.
“Do you expect me to be jealous that you raped my wife?” I mutter angrily.
Pierce goes bright red, wiping spilled scotch from his sleeve. “No. No. Shebeggedfor it.”
“From you? I highly doubt it.” I shove my hands in my pockets, staring at him, making him more uncomfortable. Too many people refuse to face their attackers.
“I predict after the event tonight, Scarlett will be going home with me.” He glares at me.
“And commit adultery? That’syourspecialty, Dr. Langston.” I lift my chin and force myself to stay calm.
He whispers in my ear, “I will fuck her ass in my car. And then give my driver and guard a turn. Whether she wants it or not.”
Jaw tight, I just stare at him like he’s insane. Like he’s a child on the edge of a tantrum. Thinking he has the upper hand of a rational adult.
Pierce waits like he’s expecting me to behave badly. That’s what this was all about: getting me to react in public.
The lights dim, and applause rolls through the ballroom as the MC steps on stage.
Pierce bumps me to put his empty glass on the table. “Showtime,” he sneers and struts toward the stage in awaft of alcohol.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a last-minute program note,” a nervous MC speaks from the stage podium. “This year’s Board Volunteer Award presentation will now be led by Dr. Pierce Langston.”
“Of course, he’s presenting the award,” I mutter.
I’m two seconds from texting Harrow to give me a hot-shot so I can take Langston out. Instead, I sit and lace my fingers with my wife’s hand under the table.
Hold on, baby…
“What is Pierce playing at?” Scarlett murmurs. “He didn’t do this last year.”
I lean in and kiss her on the cheek. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
Langston takes the mic and struts away from the podium. Oh God, this won’t end well for me.
“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we honor a once-promising physician.” His eyes narrow on me, and his smile sharpens. “A man who overcame…hardship.”
Scarlett’s eyes slip closed. “Shit.”
Pierce’s voice turns to velvet-coated poison. “Dr. Cormac O’Rourke excelled at UCLA. Was at the top of his class.As well ashis twin brother. Perhaps the registrar got them confused.”
I don’t react. I won’t give him the satisfaction. This is a room of mature adults who will see right through this. This makeshimlook bad, not me. I have to keep telling myself that, or I’ll lose it.
“Who could have predicted this shining star would fall so fast?” Pierce waves a hand to a screen that drops behind him, and my blood goes cold.
No. Not that.
Photos flash on the screen. But it’s Cascadia. For a brief second, I relax. He got photos from the surgery, or maybe they’re stock photos. Pierce talks about how Ibucked the administrators who ruled the kid was inoperable. And that I operated on the kid anyway, in the middle of the night.