Page 79 of The Wrong Guy
He smiles sweetly at her, his tone pulling somewhere between pure innocence and lovesick teenager. “What do you mean, Lucy-Juicy? You know what? That I’m divorced and we can get married now?”
He’s trying hard to set the narrative and remain in charge, but it’s not working.
“I know you hid properties in my name,” Lucy tells him flatly. Jed’s eyes jump to Chrissy, afraid for her to hear that intel, but Lucy’s got that too. “She already knows. We all know.”
“We?” Jed echoes as his brows slam down in confusion.
This is it. I squeeze Jesse’s hand so hard I’m probably breaking bones, but he doesn’t stop me. He’s watching my dominos fall with me, proudly anticipating that I’ve set each one perfectly and in awe of how my brain works.
One at a time, women stand from the gallery and step forward to join Chrissy and Lucy ...
Etta, with a shit-eating grin that says she’s really enjoying this.
Mom, with a politely bland expression.
Maggie, seeming nervous but standing with the other women anyway.
“What the hell is this?” Jed demands as he shoots up from the table, eyeing each woman with undisguised hatred.
“Jed Ford Support Group,” Etta informs him. “We’re thinking of getting T-shirts with ‘JFSG’ on them, but we can’t agree on a mascot yet. I’m team hippo, happily living life and lying in wait to strike when the opportunity presents itself. But for obvious reasons, Lucy’s not on board with that right now.” Etta pats Lucy’s belly like a proud aunt. “She’s team honey badger, which, to be honest, we’re probably gonna go with because who’s gonna tell the pregnant woman no? Not me for sure.”
Jed lost track of what Etta was rambling about somewhere around “Support Group” but zeros in on her touching Lucy’s baby bump, and realizes that he’s at a disadvantage. “What did you do, you crazy bitch?”
“Moi?” Etta answers, a hand to her chest. “Wasn’t me ... this time.” She grins evilly, fully admitting that she’s fucked with him in the past.
Trying to regain control, Jed aims for the one person he thinks he can still sway. “Lucy, what have these women filled your mind with? They’re bitter, old hags who’re jealous of you and would lie to hurt me. You know that, right?”
Lucy doesn’t believe him for a second. “They’re smart, kind women with beautiful spirits that you tried to break. But you fucked up with me.” She pauses, letting him wonder how badly he’s misjudged her before dropping the bomb. “I’m a survivor. I’ve fought for everything I’ve ever had, scraped by when others wouldn’t, and done some distasteful things to get by.”
“Is she talking about Jed?” someone whispers loudly.
Jed’s face is getting ruddy as it finally starts to sink in that he’s fucked up. Majorly. “What did you do?”
“I sold them,” she says simply.
Jed takes a heavy step toward her, and Robert, to his credit, holds his client back. But Jed still shouts at her, “You can’t do that! Those properties are mine.”
Lucy shrugs. “I was advised that the properties were in my name, and therefore, rightfully mine to do with as I saw fit. So I sold them. Alternatively, if they were under my name through some sort of false pretenses, charges could be pressed. What’s more important to you, Jed? Your money or your freedom?”
I honestly think that might be a hard decision for him. But Robert can see the writing on the wall and whispers in Jed’s ear through gritted teeth. Jed nods to answer whatever Robert asks, and receives an eye roll in response.
“Dumbass,” Robert says, which is probably not his professional opinion, but correct regardless.
“Who? Who’d you sell my property to?” Jed demands.
“I believe you mean my properties,” Mom answers, smiling like the beauty queen she once was. She once received a Miss Congeniality sash, but that was long before Jed almost took Dad from her. Now, she’s more Miss Consequences, and I’m loving it because Jed deserves every bit of this after a lifetime of ruining others for his own gain. “I thought it’d be fun to piddle around with a few rental places, so when the opportunity came up, I couldn’t resist.”
I stifle a giggle. Mom’s making Jed’s significant property assets sound like a little side hustle, which pisses him off even more.
“Those are my investments,” he snarls at Mom. I don’t think he’s ever considered her a risk or a danger in any way. She’s the Junior League president, library volunteer, mom type who simply existed as a useless footnote to his brother. She’s beneath his business-minded, long-game-focused way of using people to his advantage. But that’s where he’s wrong.
“Those are for our future, for Jed Junior,” he appeals to Lucy, not giving up.
She rubs her belly affectionately. “Good news, then. They’ll be used to create a life for him. One where he doesn’t have to struggle, but also one where he doesn’t have to lie and cheat.”
“I’ll take him from you. Sue for full custody,” Jed declares maliciously.
The whole gallery gasps at the vitriol in his voice, surprised that even he would sink so low as to use an innocent child to get his way.