Read Betrayal for Free Online Page A

corrects her quickly.
    Denise throws her head back and titters with a shrill little laugh.  "Of course, ex, ex.  I'm just teasing Lila here."  Her eyes meet mine as her head comes back but they show no sign of mirth.
    Denise looks older than me, probably in her early thirties.  Her hair is pulled up into an expensive and professional looking updo and her eyes are framed with more than a hint of eye shadow.  She purses her full red lips as she looks me up and down.  "Lila," she says my name again slowly, making it sound as if both syllables are separate words.  "You must be a new... friend... of Chase's?  He hasn't mentioned you before."
    "Funny, he hasn't mentioned you either," I respond.  I get more of a reaction from that statement than she did, which satisfies me.  There's a flash of anger in her face, but Chase is quick to step in.
    "Ladies, ladies, let's be civil here.   Lila, Denise and I have been broken up for a while but we're still friends.  Denise, Lila and I just met but I really like her and would love it if you two could at least act friendly to each other."
    Denise laughs again, putting her hand on Chase's chest and letting it slowly slide down.  "Of course, I'm just teasing, you know me.  Why don't we all get acquainted over a drink?"
    Chase looks over at me and I force a smile onto my face.  "Sounds great."
    He turns and hands me the drink he had originally left to get.  From the corner of my eye I can feel Denise watching.  Judging.
    Before any of us can say another word, two men approach and step between us, rudely separating Chase from Denise and I.
    "You're Chase Anderson!" one of them accuses.  "No fucking way."
    "We watch you on TV all the time!"
    Great.  More fans.
    "So you're Chase's new distraction?"  Denise has taken Chase's diversion as a chance to launch a new attack.
    "Excuse me?"
    "Oh don't be so sensitive, darling.  I'm sure you know that a man like Chase doesn't stay around long.  There are always plenty of younger, prettier things to distract him.  The dangers of trying to tie yourself to a celebrity."
    I'm caught off guard by the accusation and I don't even know how to respond, so she continues.
    "Trust me, Chase is a free spirit.  You won't be able to drag him to the alter no matter how good you are in bed."
    I can feel the heat in my face and wonder whether the night is hiding my flushed skin or if the club lights are betraying me.  "What are you talking about?"
    "Please, honey, you don't think you're the first weekend tourist to try to win the heart of Chase Anderson, do you?"
    "I didn't even know who he was,"  I protest, before I can hold my tongue.  I shouldn't even respond to this woman, she's obviously just trying to get a rise out of me.  Not to mention that I had planned to leave in the morning anyway.  Monday at the latest.  I have a flight, after all. 
    "Oh, of course," she says sarcastically.  "You just happened to flirt with a famous, wealthy millionaire without a clue who he actually was."
    "He picked me up, I didn't even want to go with him."  I have to stop explaining myself to her.
    She pauses at that and a look of anger passes quickly across her face, almost too fast to recognize.  But it makes everything clear to me immediately.  "He dumped you, didn't he?"
    This time she doesn't mask her emotion.
    "You think you're better than me, you little slut?  Mark my words, you're nothing special.  Chase will move on within a week and you'll go back to whatever little hick town you're from, and he and I will still be here in Vegas, living the high life."
    "Oh, I get it," I say slowly.  "You actually think he's going to get back together with you eventually, don't you?"  I shouldn't be continuing to poke her with a stick, but she's a bitch and deserves it. 
    Her mouth opened to reply, but I cut her off by turning to Chase and speaking over his fans.  "Can we get out of here?"
    "Definitely," he immediately agrees.  "Sorry guys, gotta jet.