Betting on Beaumont: A Brooklyn Novel #3 (The Brooklyn Series)

by Danielle Jamie

  She can try to make herself perfect and beautiful on the outside, but it’ll never hide the fact that she is as ugly as they get on the inside. That ugliness makes her outer beauty look fake and superficial. That’s why she hates Savannah and is doing everything in her power to hurt her. Because she knows Savannah is something she’ll never be—the complete package. Beautiful not just on the outside but where it matters most to Kayden; Savannah is beautiful on the inside with a heart of gold. That is why she has Kayden and Trixie doesn’t.

  Kayden’s eyes burn with anger and the rage coursing through him at the moment is physically noticeable as his fists clench at his sides. His chest rises and falls rapidly as his arms shake from the need to probably punch something. I know the feeling; it’s consuming me at the moment also. But for myself, I’m not sure who the hell I want to punch more: Kayden or Trixie.

  Dixon and Braxton scurry out of the booth and quickly get to Trixie’s side.

  “Let’s go, Trixie. I think you’ve done enough damage for one night with your big ass mouth,” Dixon says to her with his voice low and gruff. He gives me a sympathetic glance as his eyes soften when they connect with mine for a single moment. I watch as they lead her over to security and have them escort her out of the club.

  I turn my attention to Kayden only long enough to give him the look of death before turning and running…well, speed walking the best that I can in these big ass heels…and try to find Savannah. I can only imagine the thoughts running through her head right now.

  Panic sears through me as I find myself growing overwhelmed trying to find Savannah. The club is dark and everyone’s blending into one another. I feel slightly hazy from the shots I’ve taken tonight but try my best to keep it together. I need to stay focused. Savannah is feeling God knows what and wandering around a dark club full of drunk guys wanting to do God knows what.

  With each second I spend trying to find her, the angrier I get—not at Kayden really— but this entire situation. We shouldn’t have been dealing with any of this unnecessary drama, yet here we are dealing with another shit storm. It seems that everyone thinks it’s okay to interfere with someone’s relationship, not caring one bit about the consequences of their immature and selfish actions.

  I slide sideways past a group of party goers and just as I to head toward the exit, I catch a glimpse of a blonde in a pink sequin dress like Savannah was wearing. My feet halt beneath me, and my stomach clenches with nervousness as I spot none other than tonight’s guest of honor standing there, too.

  You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

  Brushing the few strands of hair away from my face that have fallen free, I tuck them behind my ear and look around frantically. I can only pray that Kayden is right on my heels trying to find her, too. That’s all we need is a blow up between Kayden and Shayne in front of all of these people.

  The girl turns her head to look behind her nervously before turning her attention back to Shayne. At that moment, I know without a doubt that it’s Savannah.

  She couldn’t just simply stroll out of the damn club and go cool off until I met back up with her. That would be too damn easy, and I’m beginning to feel like the fucking universe won’t let us get away with anything being easy. So of course, she’s having a simple conversation with one of the main reasons for this stupid tension between Savannah and Kayden tonight!

  My feet are screaming at me to slow the fuck down before I snap my ankles in two. Instead I do the exact opposite and practically run over to Savannah.

  “There you are!” I scream at her gasping for air.

  Shayne’s eyes lock onto my frantic face, but he doesn’t seem fazed even in the sightest. “Hey, Brooklyn. Glad you stopped by to join in on the festivities. You look like you could use a drink. Todd, pour this lady a shot,” he orders over his shoulder at one of his friends sitting in the booth.

  I watch as who I’m guessing is Todd, pours a shot of blue liquid and hands it over to Shayne, who in turn holds it out to me. I narrow my eyes and shove his hand away.

  “I don’t need your fucking alcohol. What I need is for Savannah to get the hell out of here before Knox shows up and pulverizes you for being near her. Believe me, playing catch up right now is not a good idea. Kayden saw pictures of you two from last night, and let’s just say that he’s not too happy about it. So I think the best thing for us to do is leave and give him time to blow off steam.”

  Shrugging his shoulders and pursing his lips at me, he tips his head back draining the shot. He slams the glass down onto the table before chasing the shot with the beer he’s drinking. Removing the glass bottle from his lips, he slowly licks the alcohol from his lips. “Must I remind you, that innocent belly shot was all your idea? Plus, like you said, it was innocent fun between two friends. Nothing more. So I don’t see how it’s a big deal.”

  I let out a frustrated sigh as I grab Savannah’s hand. “Listen, normally it wouldn’t be a big deal. But there’s a lot of crazy shit going on right now, so at the moment, a little innocent fun looks like a lot more. It’ll blow over if we give Kayden time to cool off. But if he finds you two standing here together it’ll only make matter’s worse.”

  Savannah reaches up resting her hand on Shayne’s shoulder, “She’s right. Listen, I’m really sorry about all of this. I should’ve been smarter last night. I know the press has been stalking me since the whole Nadia story released. You and Kayden are friends and I don’t want—” Savannah’s words taper off as we both notice Kayden storming toward us.

  Spinning on her heels with a panicked look, Savannah reaches out to Kayden yelling his name in a desperate attempt to stop him before he does something he’ll regret in the morning. “Kayden!”

  It’s as if Kayden doesn’t even register her speaking. His entire focus is on Shayne and nothing else matters at the moment.

  I glance between Kayden and Shayne as my heart begins to beat against my chest. This is not good. Not good at all.

  I frantically look around for Dixon hoping he’s right behind Kayden so he can help me defuse this situation before it implodes around us.

  “Hey, Knox.” Shayne gives Kayden a wicked grin that say’s all too loudly without having to speak a single word that he’s looking for a fight. He knows Kayden’s a ticking time bomb and he’s ready to make him finally explode.

  I feel bad for Kayden. As soon as Shayne caught wind of the shit going around tonight about him and Savannah, he should’ve tracked Kayden down and talked it out with him. It was nothing, but the way Shayne is acting like an arrogant asshole it’s only adding fuel to the fire. I just hope the truth about last Halloween doesn’t come out now. This is one big mess and from the look on Kayden’s face, it’s about to get a whole lot messier.

  “Don’t try to act all fuckin’ friendly with me, Shayne. I see straight through your bullshit. First, you were all over my girl last night, and now I find you yet again with her?” Kayden responds with a clipped tone. His jaw ticks and the veins in his arms look like they’re ready to bust straight through his skin at any moment.

  Feeling the need to try and help defuse the situation, I yell at Kayden over the music and grab at his arm, “Kayden, stop. It isn’t worth it. Please just take a moment to think this through.”

  “You two are friends, Kayden. Please, it was nothing! Please stop!” Savannah pleads as she stands side by side with me begging him to calm down and deal with this situation rationally.

  He barely registers us as we try to talk him down. Instead, all of his focus is on Shayne, “Are there not enough women throwing themselves at you, Shayne? You have to try and get with Savannah?”

  Shayne throws his head back letting out a small chuckle in response before taking another pull from his beer. His gaze slowly shifts from Kayden to Savannah. The second she notices his eyes are on her, she drops her head toward the ground.

  Shit. This is not good. I can feel it in my gut that Shayne isn’t going to be smart and keep his fucking mouth shut. I glare at
him, silently pleading with him to leave it alone. But the mischievous and conniving glimmer in his eyes tells me that’s the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.

  Shayne slams his empty bottle down onto the table beside him causing Savannah and me both to flinch. We’re both on edge as we watch the train wreck imploding in front of us. We feel helpless because nothing we say or do now will stop what’s about to happen.

  “If you want to get all territorial, Knox, I can do that, too. I take it from the way you’re talking, that Savannah hasn’t brought you up to speed on all of the men from her past. Because if she had, I know you sure as hell wouldn’t be throwing me this party tonight, and our friendship would’ve been over the minute you two got together.”

  Kayden’s eyes narrow and a look of complete confusion settles in as his brows furrow together.

  I feel every muscle in my body tense as Savannah’s grip on my hand tightens.

  This cannot be happening.

  In a last ditch effort, Savannah reaches out to Kayden again, gripping his forearm and pleading with him, “Kayden, please, don’t do this! Come with me please, so we can talk about this privately.” The panic and fear in her voice makes me physically ill. I find myself wishing that we could turn back the clock twenty-four hours because the pain in my best friend’s face is enough to shred my heart into a million tiny pieces. She doesn’t deserve this humiliation, and that is exactly what Shayne is doing to her.

  At this moment, I’m ready to beat Kayden to the punch—literally— and knock Shayne straight in his devious mouth to shut him the hell up.

  Kayden shakes his head no all the while not taking his eyes off of Shayne. I can see he’s fighting an internal battle…stay here and defend his honor like the caveman in him wants to, or listen to Savannah and walk away.

  “I’m not going anywhere. Not until Shayne here has his moment on his soap box. Go on, Shayne; please enlighten me on your relationship with my fiancée!”

  Oh for fucks sake!

  Leaning against the table and resting his hands on either side of himself, Shayne turns to Savannah. “Sorry, doll, I won’t let him walk around acting like I’m trying to stick my dick into his chick.”

  The group of people who’ve been partying at Shayne’s table have now turned their full attention to the fight underway between the two friends now turned enemies over my best friend.

  “This is fuckin’ stupid! You two need to stop this pissing contest and get over your freaking selves! You guys are friends! Don’t let something so elementary come between you two. Kayden threw you this party, for Christ sake!” I’m fed up with this bullshit. It needs to stop now before it makes this situation worse than it already is. I shove myself between the two barbarians trying to get them to cut this fucking shit out.

  Where the hell is security when you need them?

  I’m standing here in fucking stilettoes and a maxi dress trying to stop a rumble that’s about to occur in this damn club and not one person is attempting to step in and help. They’re all too eager to witness a throw down between Kayden and Shayne.

  Kayden’s frustration is evident as he rakes his fingers through his hair and lets out a sharp breath. Stepping around me he shoves himself back in front of Shayne, fisting his shirt in his hand. Clenching his teeth together Kayden hisses, “Say what it is you have to say—my patience is running thin!”

  Shayne flashes a small smile at Kayden, reciprocating Kayden’s actions. He grabs a fist full of Kayden’s shirt in return as he spits, “Don’t push me, Knox. I never turn down a fight, no matter who the fuck it is.”

  Kayden releases a raspy chuckle as he stares down Shayne. “I never back down either.”

  Ain’t that the truth.

  If you looked up the definition of a fucking Southern hot head, you’d find a picture of Kayden Knox. Logan learned that first hand at Drip in Galveston. Even with Shayne being an MMA fighter, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll meet his match if he’s stupid enough to fight Kayden.

  “I’d hate to beat your ass a week before the big fight. You keep pushing me, and you’ll leave me no other option. So say whatever the fuck you gotta say before I knock your ass out, just for the simple fact that you had your mouth on Savannah last night.”

  Shayne releases his grip on Kayden’s shirt and shoves him back a few steps away from him. Staring him down, Shayne runs his hand over his shaved head. It’s as if he’s getting a thrill out of this blow up happening between them. What kind of person enjoys causing other people pain?

  “You may have Savannah now, but I had her first. I helped soothe her broken heart, and it was the best lay of my life. I had no idea handcuffing a woman to my car and fucking her brains out could be so arousing. I swear I sported a hard on for days after that. Every time I drive my car…” My mouth falls open, and I hear Savannah letting out a sob beside me as her most private moments are told to everyone within earshot.

  Before Shayne can finish what he’s saying, Kayden shuts him up quick by cocking his arm back and connecting his fist with Shayne’s mouth. It’s a fast and quick blow that Shayne doesn’t even see coming because he’s too busy running his mouth and being an arrogant jackass.

  The blow sends Shayne back against the table, spilling drinks everyone and sending glass bottles and cups falling to the ground, shattering around their feet.

  Shayne shakes off the blow and swings up at Kayden as he tries to get up off of the table, but Kayden squats down and shifts his body to the left, successfully avoiding the hit.

  “You’re fuckin’ dead!” Kayden’s words ring out over the music as he fists Shayne’s shirt again and rips him up off the table. Blood pours out of his nose and the corner of his mouth, but he doesn’t seem to care. He wipes at his nose and mouth with the sleeve of his t-shirt and then spits blood leaking from his cut lip onto the floor beside Kayden’s feet. Without warning, he swings again…hard… and this time connects with Kayden’s jaw. It snaps Kayden’s head to the side causing Savannah and I both to let out a shriek of fear and surprise.

  I look around frantically for Braxton and Dixon hoping that they’re on their way to help put a stop to this before they end of killing each other.

  “Come on, Shayne, I know you can hit better than that!” Kayden tells him with a cocky attitude as he rubs at his now red jaw. The smirk playing on Kayden’s lips only infuriates Shayne further.

  “Let’s go. I’m not going to sit here and watch this!” Savannah says between tears as she tugs at me hand and begins fleeing the club.

  She’s going too fast as her legs take long, quick strides. Someone shoves themselves between us as they try to hurry toward where the fight is transpiring. Within seconds, I lose Savannah as she disappears into the crowd of people. I quicken up my pace as I try to catch back up with her. I curse under my breath with frustration as I try to run in these God forsaken heels.

  I spot the back of Savannah’s head bobbing and weaving between people before finally exiting the club. I burst through the door leading out of the club and instantly the brightness of the hallway blinds me. I blink, trying to adjust my eyes as I yell out to her, “Savannah! Friggin’ A! Will you slow down? These heels weren’t exactly made for running!” I catch up with her finally and grab onto her arm to slow her damn ass down.

  “Sorry, B; I just needed to get the hell out of there. Coming to Vegas was not a good idea. Allowing Shayne to take that shot off of me last night was a huge mistake! I can’t get a freakin’ break. My life is a mess right now.”

  We walk in silence for a few minutes as we navigate the hotel trying to find our way back to our wing of the hotel. The place is filled with people even more so than it was a half hour ago. We get a few stares as we make our way toward the wall of elevators, but most of the people here tonight are too wrapped up in their own lives to worry about ours.

  Plus, this is Las Vegas. They see distraught women by the dozens on any given night.

  I finally decide to speak once I see she
’s calmed down and stopped crying. She’s still sniffling a little as she presses the call button for the elevator car. I cautiously approach the subject of what just happened in an attempt to defuse the situation and hopefully make her feel a little better.

  “Give Kayden a little while to cool off; he loves you, Savannah! Some random hookup from your past will not change that. Kayden does have the right to be angry with Shayne. You don’t let a friend throw you a party in his club and not have the decency to try and pull him aside to clear the air. Shayne knew that story was nothing but BS. Last night’s shot was innocent fun. I hate myself for asking you to do it. I had no idea it would blow up into something this big.”

  “Mmm hmm,” is all she say’s before stepping onto the elevator.

  She looks exhausted and completely devastated. I can only hope that things will smooth over by the morning. They’ve been through so much already. I don’t know how much more Savannah can take before she finally gives up and walks away for good. She loves Kayden with all of her heart, but a girl can only take so much before she has to say enough is enough. How many times does one have to be knocked down before they finally cave and say they don’t have any fight left?

  I know Kayden loves her. If he truly loves her as much as he claims he does, then he will have to fight tooth and nail to make things strong between them again. Savannah can’t be the only one fighting to fix the broken pieces in this relationship.

  I only wish that people could leave them alone and simply let them be happy.

  Is that really asking too much?

  As soon as we reenter Kayden’s suite, Savannah plops down onto one of the chairs in the foyer. Kicking her heels off, she leans forward and rests her elbows on her knees and her chin in the palm of her hands. She drops her gaze down to the floor, lost in her thoughts.

  I refuse to let her sit and wallow in self-pity. We’re in Las Vegas, in the most off the hook penthouse suite known to man. She needs to relax and stop stressing. We have to think positive that everything will work out.