Read Online Lick & Devour (Monster Novelette) by Francette Phal - Free Book Online
Authors: Francette Phal
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irritated at him for his continuing stupidity.
“Ladies, a hundred bucks to the first one of you who can pour me drink. Make it a double and I’ll add another hundred.” The pixie haired blond closest to him laughed triumphantly as she plucked the hundred dollar bill he held up in the air before hurrying down to the bar to fetch him his drink. He was working his way towards complete inebriation and Dominic couldn’ t say he blamed him.
“Gentlemen!” Bruce called. Taking his drink from the stripper when she returned, he raised the glass up high and staggered to his feet. “I’ve invited you all here to celebrate my divorce! It was finalized today and the bitch took everything! It’ll be front page news tomorrow, so drink up while I can still afford to pay for it!”
The laughter from the equally drunk men in the room had Dominic clenching his teeth, no longer conflicted on how he should feel about this entire ordeal. Bruce had brought this on himself. It was only a matter of time before his mistreatment of his wife and constant cheating pushed Cassie to leave. And Dominic had done nothing to stop her. There were things he could’ve done to make her stay with Bruce, secrets from her past he’d uncovered that he could’ve threatened to bring to light if she left the politician. But he’d decided against it, when a year ago he would’ve had no qualms in forcing his friend’s wife to remain in a marriage that was slowly destroying her. A short year ago, Dominic would’ve done things differently. But he wasn’t that man anymore. No—that wasn’t completely true. He was the same man, just with a slightly better disposition. What was it Eden called him? A working progress. And he had to agree. There were far more things about himself he needed to work on before he could ever truly be worthy of her and their son, but it was a goal he was determined to achieve. Being fully aware of the sort of man he was then in comparison to the man he was now made it easier for Dominic to recognize Bruce’s abusive behavior towards his wife. Bruce was Dominic a year ago, only difference was that he’d had the sense to see and acknowledge his wrongs before it’d been too late. He’d wanted Eden and he’d fought to keep her. There wasn’t a day that went by that Dominic wasn’t grateful that she decided to stay.
Bruce however, didn’t fight for his marriage. He cared more about the faceless, nameless and countless women he slept with more than he ever cared for his wife and kids. Dominic could say this because he knew Bruce. His best friend had more brains in his dick than he did in his head. It’s always been this way. Only now it’s reached a point where it not only affected his personal life, but his political career as well. And no one in the room seemed the least bit concerned. In fact, the five men Bruce called “friends” were equal participants in the stupidity, all the while reveling in liquor and the contrived affections of the women servicing them. There was one man in particular that spurred Bruce on. Ethan Blake. Having returned from a two year stint in England, the last remaining heir of Franklin Blake’s real estate empire had reinstituted himself back into Bruce’s life roughly ten months ago and had become a permanent fixture in their lives, much to Dominic’s annoyance. Ethan was a pompous little shit with too much money and not enough sense to know he was a nuisance. They’d all met in college, but he’d been more Bruce’s friend than Dominic’s. He was only slightly tolerated by the latter now because of his deep pockets. Despite Bruce’s current careless approach to his political career, Dominic knew his friend had aspirations for a higher office and those aspirations necessitated not only the backing of the right people, but a lot of money as well. Dominic was cynical enough to think Bruce kept Ethan around because he was fully aware of his value.
“Always the life of
“Ladies, a hundred bucks to the first one of you who can pour me drink. Make it a double and I’ll add another hundred.” The pixie haired blond closest to him laughed triumphantly as she plucked the hundred dollar bill he held up in the air before hurrying down to the bar to fetch him his drink. He was working his way towards complete inebriation and Dominic couldn’ t say he blamed him.
“Gentlemen!” Bruce called. Taking his drink from the stripper when she returned, he raised the glass up high and staggered to his feet. “I’ve invited you all here to celebrate my divorce! It was finalized today and the bitch took everything! It’ll be front page news tomorrow, so drink up while I can still afford to pay for it!”
The laughter from the equally drunk men in the room had Dominic clenching his teeth, no longer conflicted on how he should feel about this entire ordeal. Bruce had brought this on himself. It was only a matter of time before his mistreatment of his wife and constant cheating pushed Cassie to leave. And Dominic had done nothing to stop her. There were things he could’ve done to make her stay with Bruce, secrets from her past he’d uncovered that he could’ve threatened to bring to light if she left the politician. But he’d decided against it, when a year ago he would’ve had no qualms in forcing his friend’s wife to remain in a marriage that was slowly destroying her. A short year ago, Dominic would’ve done things differently. But he wasn’t that man anymore. No—that wasn’t completely true. He was the same man, just with a slightly better disposition. What was it Eden called him? A working progress. And he had to agree. There were far more things about himself he needed to work on before he could ever truly be worthy of her and their son, but it was a goal he was determined to achieve. Being fully aware of the sort of man he was then in comparison to the man he was now made it easier for Dominic to recognize Bruce’s abusive behavior towards his wife. Bruce was Dominic a year ago, only difference was that he’d had the sense to see and acknowledge his wrongs before it’d been too late. He’d wanted Eden and he’d fought to keep her. There wasn’t a day that went by that Dominic wasn’t grateful that she decided to stay.
Bruce however, didn’t fight for his marriage. He cared more about the faceless, nameless and countless women he slept with more than he ever cared for his wife and kids. Dominic could say this because he knew Bruce. His best friend had more brains in his dick than he did in his head. It’s always been this way. Only now it’s reached a point where it not only affected his personal life, but his political career as well. And no one in the room seemed the least bit concerned. In fact, the five men Bruce called “friends” were equal participants in the stupidity, all the while reveling in liquor and the contrived affections of the women servicing them. There was one man in particular that spurred Bruce on. Ethan Blake. Having returned from a two year stint in England, the last remaining heir of Franklin Blake’s real estate empire had reinstituted himself back into Bruce’s life roughly ten months ago and had become a permanent fixture in their lives, much to Dominic’s annoyance. Ethan was a pompous little shit with too much money and not enough sense to know he was a nuisance. They’d all met in college, but he’d been more Bruce’s friend than Dominic’s. He was only slightly tolerated by the latter now because of his deep pockets. Despite Bruce’s current careless approach to his political career, Dominic knew his friend had aspirations for a higher office and those aspirations necessitated not only the backing of the right people, but a lot of money as well. Dominic was cynical enough to think Bruce kept Ethan around because he was fully aware of his value.
“Always the life of
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