by Chloe Walsh
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Derek demanded, his tone laced with disgust. “You haven’t listened to a word I have said, have you?”
“No,” I chuckled. “I haven’t. I’m here to enjoy myself, dude. I’ve had a bad fucking year. Give me one night off. I’ll fix your mess in the morning.”
“Don’t bother,” Derek muttered before stalking off. “Oh Kyle,” Derek called out, turning around to sneer at me. “Might want to keep an eye on your wife,” he taunted and pointed over to where Danny had joined Lee and Karen on the dance floor. “Or do you want the night off from her, too?” he snickered before sauntering off.
Bastard . . .
I felt a shoulder brush against mine and tensed. Looking over at the person who had come to sit beside me, I could safely say I’d never been so relieved to see him. “I got your text,” Mike said with a smile. “Thanks for the invite.”
“No problem,” I muttered, putting my hand on his arm. “Sit down, man.”
The look of relief was obvious on my baby brother’s face as he let out a sigh and sat on the bar stool beside mine. “Who’s the dick?” he asked, inclining his head in the direction of the dance-floor and I snickered.
It felt fucking good that someone other than me held that opinion. “Danny Fucking Valentine,” I snarled before ordering a round of beers.
Passing one to Mike, I clinked my bottle against his and took a sip. “He’s more than a dick—stupid fuck has his eyes on what’s mine.”
Mike nodded as his eyes slipped past mine to where Danny, Karen, Lee and Derek–the turncoat–were dancing. My eyes landed on the raven-haired woman dancing in the middle of them and I groaned. Cindy. Fucking great . . .
“It’s a pointless attempt, Kyle,” Mike said. “She’s not going anywhere . . . well,” he chuckled, pointing to Karen and Lee as they shimmied off in the direction of the restrooms. “Apart from the bathroom.”
“Yeah,” I muttered, tossing back another shot of whiskey before chasing it with a beer. “I know.”
“This is so messed up, Karen,” I groaned from where I was currently cornered in the bathroom, sitting on the closed lid of a toilet with a frantic Karen pacing the limited space. “You should have told me from the beginning who Jordan’s father was.”
“I know,” she cried, chewing on her fingernails. “I screwed up, Lee. I know. He was drunk and I was in love. I thought . . .” She paused and she covered her face with her hands before plopping down on my lap.
“Make yourself comfortable,” I chuckled, patting her on the back.
“Thanks,” she sighed. “Did you see the way he was looking at me?” she sobbed. “Oh god, Lee, I still love him and he’s only here because Jordan asked him to take me out, but then he says things that make me feel things, but he doesn’t . . .”
“He doesn’t what?” I asked, confused. The smell of alcohol on her breath was no doubt her brother’s fault. Danny had been trying to feed us shots with the past hour and I was getting really annoyed with the ‘come hither’ looks he was giving me. And I was growing even more agitated with the way Cindy watched me out of the corner of her eye. Ugh . . . This night was turning out to be a disaster.
I’d apparently become Karen’s safety net and Derek’s wing man, and all I wanted to do was cuddle my handsome drunk husband who was sitting at the bar sulking. I had no idea why Kyle was moping at the bar, but I planned on shaking him out of it . . . just as soon as I got out from under Karen’s boney butt.
“He doesn’t feel things,” she sniffled. “At least not for me.” She exhaled a shuddering breath. “I’ve been in love with him since forever and he’ll forever be in love with a ghost.”
“They were broken up when she died,” I told her, feeling like I was betraying Cam for saying this, but I was secretly rooting for Karen. Derek deserved to be happy. This woman could make him happy. I just knew it . . .”She cheated on him, Karen.”
Karen’s head snapped up. “What?” Wiping the smudges of mascara from under her eyes, she sniffed. “When?”
“Cam left him for Kyle’s brother Mike, a couple of months before the shooting,” I whispered. “They’d been having an affair behind Derek’s back for months beforehand.”
“Oh my god,” she whispered as she jumped off my lap. “I didn’t know that.”
“He can heal, Karen,” I told her as I stood up and straightened my dress before unlocking the cubicle door. “Don’t give up on him,” I told her gently. “He’s not entirely broken. Just have patience with him. Derek will do right by you, I just know it.”
“I guess you probably think I’m a head-case, right?” she mumbled awkwardly as we made our way back to the bar. “Chasing after a man and then hiding away because of a huge fear of rejection?”
“No,” I chuckled. “Believe me, I understand.”
“Where are you going?” she squealed when I moved towards the bar.
“Uh, I’m going to spend some time with Kyle,” I said. “My feet are killing me, Karen. I can’t dance anymore.”
“No, no, no,” she begged, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “Lee, please. Don’t leave me on my own with him.” She bit down on her lip and shivered. “I’m drunk. I could say anything . . .” She covered her hand with her mouth, her eyes wide, and her expression anxious.
I sighed wearily and threw my hands in the air. “Ten more minutes.”
“Would you fucking look at that,” I snarled, barely keeping my ass on my stool. Every instinct inside of me demanded I crush every bone in Danny Valentine’s body, starting with his neck. I was losing patience fast with the shameless fucking way he gawked at my wife every damn time she turned her back on him.
“Now you know how she felt with Rachel,” Mike hiccupped as he made a clumsy attempt at turning on his stool. “Uh, Kyle, I think that last beer really fucked me, bro.”
I shook my head. “Oh yeah, it was the last beer that fucked you.” My words were dripping with sarcasm. “Nothing at all to do with the half dozen shots you just tossed back your throat.”
Mike grabbed the front of my shirt, eyes wide and blinking. “Holy shit, Kyle, did he just touch her ass?”
I wasn’t too entirely fucking sure, but he sure as hell was sitting too close to my fucking wife.
I slammed my bottle down on the bar and stood up. The blood in my veins was pumping so hard I could hear it roaring in my ears. I stormed over to their table, with Mike hot on my heels. If I wasn’t so intent on drawing blood, I would have taken a few seconds to analyze the fact that my brother was having my back. But I had a bone to pick with the piece of shit trying to squeeze in on my girl. I met Lee’s eyes first. She looked confused as if she didn’t understand why I looked ready to kill.
“You,” I growled, pointing a finger at Danny. “Up.”
Derek, who was sitting on the other side of Danny, leapt out of his seat and squeezed in between us. “Dude, calm down. You’re about to make a huge . . .”
“Got a problem, Carter?” Danny taunted as he stood next to Derek. “You got some beef with me? Fine. Come and play in the big boy’s yard.”
He curled his fingers in a ‘bring it on’ gesture and I saw red. I hurled my fist at his face, but the fucker ducked and swung back, catching me with an upper cut to my jaw.
I ran my tongue around the inside of my mouth, mentally taking stock of my teeth before spitting out a mouthful of blood. “Enjoy that,” I told him, smirking. “Fucking savor it. You won’t get another.”
“Kyle,” Lee cried as she pressed herself against my chest, running her hands over my chest. “Are you okay?” Her hands closed over my cheeks. “Baby, what are you doing? Talk to me.”
“Get out of my way, princess,” I warned. “Get the fuck out of here. Now.” I didn’t look at her when I spoke, I fucking couldn’t. I was too drunk and out of control to be anywhere near her. Right at that moment, Lee was like petrol and I was on fire.
Danny smirked. “
Yeah, Lee, be a good little girl and do what you’re told.”
“Move,” I growled, trying to pry her off me as I kept my eyes locked on Danny.
She didn’t move.
Not one fucking inch.
She kept her body glued to mine as if it could stop me from attacking. “No,” she said in defiance. “Please stop this. Come home with me.”
When I didn’t respond, she started to plead with Mike. “Mike, please do something.”
“With pleasure,” Mike smirked. Closing his fist, he punched Derek in the nose.
Blood sprayed from Derek’s nose as he wiped his face with his sleeve and a wave of anger rolled through me.
Fuck.
Not Derek.
Shit.
“I took your anger and I took your fucking beatings,” Mike roared, chest heaving. “Because I fucking deserved it, but you stepped over the line, Porter.”
“It’s done,” Derek warned, looking nervous. What the hell. .? I was so distracted by their weird confrontation that I felt myself calming. “We’re even,” Derek added, his tone held a hint of desperation.
“Even?” Mike roared, shoving Derek in the chest.
I was surprised as hell that Derek didn’t retaliate. Fuck, he looked guilty as sin . . .
“I broke up a relationship between teenagers because I was in love,” Mike roared. “I loved her. But you,” he sneered. “You broke up a marriage, Derek.”
Oh shit.
The cat was out of the bag . . .
“What are you talking about, Mike?” Lee demanded angrily.
“It’s not how it sounds,” Derek muttered, eyes locked on Karen.
“It’s exactly how it sounds,” Mike interrupted, his tone furious. “He slept with my mother and now her marriage is down the drain. She’s gone by the way,” he spat. “Back to England. I hope your revenge was worth it.”
“Anna’s gone?” I asked Mike. “When?”
“She left after the funeral,” Mike choked out. “Didn’t want to worry you.”
Fuck. “Oh.” Patting his shoulder awkwardly, I cleared my throat. “Sorry about your mom, dude.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Karen climbing to her feet and grabbing her bag. Derek also noticed her because he moved towards her quickly. “Karen,” he begged. “Karen, wait.”
“For what, Derek?” Karen demanded. “So I can hear more details of your lurid sex life.” She shook her head. “I’d rather not.” With that, Karen stalked off.
“You think that’s lurid?” Cindy, who’d been keeping her mouth shut up until this moment, cackled. “You should hear some of Kyle’s tales.” She winked at me. “Isn’t that right, speedy?”
“Speedy,” Danny chuckled. “Good one, babe.” Smirking at me, Danny continued to say, “I forgot you two had a thing.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I shot back quickly, eyes locked on Cindy’s. “I can only remember one woman.”
“You would say that,” she spat and I made a mental note to myself; Cindy was a nasty drunk. “But you were the one who said I fucked you raw.” She smirked. “Weren’t those your exact words, Kyle?”
“Yeah, they were,” I shot back and mentally kicked myself in the balls. Stupid, Carter, Stupid . . .”But I was sixteen, so what the fuck did I know then,” I added lamely. “I forgot you many times since, sweetheart, so don’t flatter yourself.” Dammit, shut your fucking mouth . . .
“Ugh,” Lee groaned and jerked away from me. “I’d rather not hear this either,” she hissed before stalking off.
“Good job,” I snarled as I turned around to chase after Lee. “Thanks a fucking bunch, Cindy.”
I turned on my heel and stormed through the bar. I spotted Karen at the bar and made a beeline for her.
“Are you okay?” I could feel Karen’s eyes boring into the side of my face. The concern in her voice made the lump in my throat thicken.
“No,” I choked out. “Are you?”
“No,” she growled. “I hate men.”
“I hate my husband’s ex-girlfriends who won’t go the hell away,” I grumbled. Hoisting myself onto the barstool next to her, I proceeded to grab her drink and toss it back.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Of course he had to follow me.
Kyle grabbed the glass and brought it up to his nose. “Are you insane?”
“It was sprite,” I hissed before covering my face with my hands. “But you should practice what you preach,” I added before twisting away from him. “You stink of whiskey.”
“Are you really going to freak out over something I did when I was fucking sixteen?” Kyle demanded.
Say no, Lee, say no . . .”Yes,” I hissed, ignoring my common sense. I was so tired of the drama.
Fucked her raw . . . ugh
“Are you really gonna fucking ignore me?” Kyle demanded, crowding me with his body.
I turned my back, answering his question with my body language.
He grabbed my hips and swung me around on my stool to face him. “You’re overreacting, Lee,” he growled as he pushed himself between my legs. The smell of alcohol on his breath was overpowering. “She was a huge mistake years before we met.”
He caught my hand and tugged on it roughly. “Feel that?” he hissed as he pressed my hand over the bulge in his jeans. “That’s because of you. That’s fucking for you.”
My heart was racing so fast; a mixture of lust and fury. I wanted him, I couldn’t deny it, but I’d be damned if I rolled over and let him make an idiot out of me. Hearing Kyle talk about being with Cindy made me want to vomit.
“I’m trying to enjoy my night,” I growled, snatching my hand away. I shoved my hands against his chest to put some space between our bodies, but of course, it was like trying to shove a tree trunk. The man was made of steel.
“You’re really mad at me?” he asked, curling his hand around the back of my neck. “Lee, I was sixteen years old. There isn’t a teenage boy on the planet who would turn up a shot with a nineteen year old.”
“Wow, Kyle. You really don’t do yourself any favors, do you?” Karen said sharply as she turned on her seat to glare at Kyle.
“Wow, Karen,” Kyle said in a sarcastic tone of voice. “You don’t know when to keep your nose out of other people’s business, do you?” He turned to face me. “Come outside with me; let me set the fucking story straight.”
“If you were my boyfriend I’d have you neutered,” Karen hissed.
“Don’t stir the shit pot, Karen,” Kyle snarled. “Unless you wanna lick the spoon.”
“Were you discussing your sexual history with your ex-girlfriend right in front of me?” I asked deadpan. “Did you or did you not tell us that she fucked you raw?”
Kyle held a hand up. “Okay, but you’re taking my fucking words out of context. You’re doing that shitty thing women do when they want to stay mad.”
“Oh go . . . sing for it, Kyle,” I hissed.
“Sing for it?” He shook his head. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Interpret it whatever way you want,” I spat.
“You wanna hear me fucking sing?” Kyle snarled, shaking his head. “You got it.”
Turning around, Kyle strode off through the crowd. When he reached the stage where the band were playing my heart stopped in my chest.
Oh my god . . .
He climbed onto the stage, I watched in horror as Kyle starting talking to one of the band members. I narrowed my eyes in a warning and was met with a smirk.
That bastard.
Who the hell did he think he was, a freaking Chippendale?
“Hey everyone,” Kyle slurred into the microphone, as he swayed slightly from side to side for a moment before finding his balance.
Some strongly worded compliments were tossed out from the crowd of—what I could only describe as—aggressive middle-aged cougars who were yodeling like horned-up teenagers at the sight of
my husband. Kyle grinned down at them and their screams ricocheted through the building.
“So, my wife’s kinda pissed with me right now.”
Boos galore came from the now large crowd of women surrounding the stage and a few death threats followed.
“I deserve it,” Kyle added with a chuckle. “She told me I had to sing for it . . .” He picked up a guitar and strummed it with skill I never knew he possessed. “So that’s what I’m gonna do, but I’m . . .” Kyle’s voice broke off as he raked a hand through his hair and smiled almost bashfully over to where we were standing at the bar.
He raised his brow and smirked. “I’m gonna need my brother to help me with this one.”
I gaped in a mixture of shock, confusion and fierce pride as Mike stepped forward.
The dirty-mouthed group of women who had been screaming at Kyle, clawed and rubbed against Mike as he pushed his way up to the stage.
Kyle and Mike spoke briefly—and animatedly—to one another for a couple of minutes until Kyle pulled a quarter from his pocket and tossed the coin in the air.
Shaking his head, Mike picked up a banjo and stepped up to the mic stand. “As you can see, I lost the coin toss, girls,” Mike chuckled with fondness in his tone. “So here’s my brother’s song choice; ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’ from The Pogues.”
“Oh great,” Cindy’s voice groaned in my ear and I turned to face her. “As if he’s not hot enough already,” she pouted. “Put a guitar around that man’s neck and he’s like a walking orgasm.”
I rolled my eyes and bit down hard on the inside of mouth to keep my tongue in check.
Bitch.
“Have you any morals, Cindy?” Karen demanded in a disgusted tone. “Like any at all?”
“What? I’m only stating a fact.” Cindy raised her hands in defense. “Kyle Carter is hot,” she specified in an unapologetic tone. “Give him a guitar and he’s doubly hot. Add that sexy raspy voice of his and be prepared to change your undies.”
She shrugged noncommittally before looking me directly in the eyes. “Just saying . . .”