Forever With You (With You #2)

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Stephen

I allowed myself to believe that things were going to stay that way. Peaceful and happy.

We were living in a wedded bliss bubble and it was only a matter of time until someone came to burst it.

It started three months ago, when the club opening coincided with Ava coming home. Vanessa was rarely ever home. If she weren’t at work, she was out with Ryder and Ava. Some nights, she would even stay with Ava at her hotel. She claims it was because the hotel was closer to P&T and it was easier for her to go there straight after work since she got out at 3AM. I argued that she had a driver and a car so she was safe but she insisted, she was too tired and simply wanted to sleep.

If I didn’t know any better, I would think she was avoiding me but on the nights she spends at home, she still sleeps on our bed.

I started getting busier too. Dad officially retired and I officially took over as TEG’s CFO.

We still haven’t told anyone we were married. The plan had been to tell Ava first before we told everyone else but then all the drama started happening with Ava and her now husband Jesse.

Vanessa and I agreed we would wait until Ava got settled into married life but then her grandfather died.

Then everything really took a nose dive.

Vanessa got more distant. She felt guilt for being unable to repair her relationship with her grandfather before he passed. I tried to explain to her that he was an adult who actively made choices that benefitted him and hurt her but it was no use.

She blamed herself, no matter how many times I told her she had nothing to feel guilty about.

The bastard cut contact with her when he found out she married me behind his back. He refused to see her only communicating through our legal teams. For awhile there, I really thought Vanessa had gotten over it. That she accepted their estrangement was his choice, his doing and not hers.

Now as we approach a year of marriage, I have no idea where we stand.

I should have checked on her more. I should have insisted on getting her help.

But I didn’t.

And maybe I blame myself a little for that.

My hand is clenched so tight around my scotch, I'm surprised it doesn't break in my hand.

I’m at a party for one of TEG Studios biggest actors, Bryce Wells who was celebrating twenty years with the studios.

I normally don’t attend these parties but Ava decided to invite Vanessa so here I am. Definitely not wallowing at the bar, nursing my drink and watching as my wife dances with everyone buy me.

I've almost talked myself into looking away when out of nowhere I watch as the man of the hour himself, who also happened to be Vanessa’s favorite actor, gets grabby with my wife. His hand slides down Vanessa’s slender waist and cups her ass in the middle of the goddamn dance floor. Then the fucker squeezes. I see red especially when Vanessa bunches her fist on his chest, clearly trying to get him to take his hands off of her.

Before I even know what I'm doing, I'm crossing the room, grabbing hold of his shoulder. I dig my fingers hard enough for him to yelp. He wrenches away from my grasp all red faced and braced for a fight. Until he whirls around and realizes who the fuck he's fixing to deck.

I arch an eyebrow at him knowing full well he recognizes me as I step in front of Vanessa, shielding her from this fucker with my body.

"Stephen Torres." He phrases it like a greeting but the sharp intake of breath at the sight of me standing between him and Vanessa gives away his nerves. His brows meet in a frown before his face smooths out into a forced smile.

"My apologies, Wells." I paste on my own and aim it at Vanessa who's hand slides into mine. I pause for a moment, surprised she made the first move which just shows that she's totally creeped out by this douchebag. "You don't mind if I cut in, do you? My partner promised me a few dances."

His face turns pale when I slide my eyes away from him and look pointedly at Tito Evan, our head of security, who has already positioned himself in his peripheral, which the douche doesn't miss.

He swallows hard, clearly intimidated.

He slinks away like the little snake he is without a word and I turn to Vanessa who pulls her hand away once the dirtbag is out of sight.

She sighs before taking hold of my hands this time positioning them at her waist and wrapping her arms loosely around my shoulders.

I quirk an eyebrow in amusement, unable to hold a smirk.

She narrows her eyes at me, "Don't look at me that way. It's your fault we have to do this in the first place."

"Do what?" My hands splay on the exposed skin of her too-hot -for -this -shindig gown.

"Dance, you idiot."

"I think you mean, thank you my husband for saving me from getting felt up."

She juts her chin out, staring at me incredulously.

"What if I wanted him to?"

I growl, pulling her closer until we're chest to chest. Her heels give her just enough height that she meets me at eye level now.

"Did you now." It's not a question. It's a reprimand.

She hums in response, completely ignoring what I just said. The song ends giving way to another but before I can ask for more clarification, she takes a step back. My hands fall off of her and I watch as she marches off in the direction of Ava, Ryder and Jesse at the bar.

The former having noticed that little show I just put on.

Ava's leaning on Jesse, her lips pursed in thought as she raises an eyebrow at me. She’s rubbing her pregnant belly but her eyes are ping ponging between Vanessa and I.

I pretend I don't see it and make my way to the back of the ballroom where Tito Evan is waiting.

"Where is he?"

"Down the hall. First room on the right."

Nodding my thanks, I shove a hand through my hair grimacing when I remember it's been styled for tonight. Taking out my handkerchief, I quickly wipe my fingers as I exit the ballroom and make my way to the holding room.

I give a quick nod to Lennox, the guy stationed just outside the event-room that's been modified to be our security and holding room.

I find my guy sitting on the couch, his hands hanging between his legs.

He jumps to his feet when I walk in and no sooner does he take a step towards me, that two of my family's bodyguards step in between us. I wave them off and point silently at the couch indicating my guest takes a seat.

I swing a chair to face backwards, set it two feet away from Wells and straddle it. I rest my arms

lazily on the back of it, silently letting my eyes roam the room before settling back on Wells and then I wait.

He swallows once, twice before he finally opens his mouth, "Look man. I didn't know she was your girl."

"So you simply like to touch women without their consent?" I whisper. Venom laces my tone and he doesn't miss it.

His eyes bug out, dancing wildly across the room. He fists his hands rubbing them across his pant legs leaving wet stains on them.

That's right, motherfucker. You should be sweating it out right now.

"Second of all, she's a woman not a girl." I continue as I crack my knuckles, flexing them just enough that the tension dissipates from curling them in fists for so long. I am not going to lay a finger on this fucker but I will make him hurt. "Tell me something, will you? What would you have done had I not intervened? Not just to my partner but to whoever your greasy paws happened to land on? Would you keep touching without consent? Would you eventually weasel your way into a room with them? Force them to indulge you in your sick fantasies?"

I snap my fingers and I get handed a manila envelope.

Which I then dump on the floor in front of him and I give Ben the signal to alert the officers waiting on standby.

Pictures of Wells from past events flutter on the floor, most of them with women and even underaged girls.

His eyes widen and his jaw drops while he looks frantically around the room like he could just walk out of here. Like I would ever let him walk out of here after learning what I did.