Identical Disaster (The Sterling Shore Series Book 8)

by C. M. Owens

“You’re an asshole.”

  “Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment,” I mutter, wishing she’d talk just a little softer and show my head some mercy.

  “Why the fuck did you tell Bo that I’m the one who told you about Dixon? Who really told you? And why the hell did you blame her for not telling you instead of me?”

  That has me all kinds of confused.

  “What?”

  “Answer my questions.”

  I’m trying to understand her questions. Damn tequila.

  “I didn’t tell Bo you told me anything. But then again, she lies, so that’s her lying again by putting words in my mouth. Cody told me. Why are you acting like you knew?”

  She takes a step back, then she releases some hellacious groan that really annoys my already pissed off headache.

  “Bo didn’t put words in your mouth, you asshole. Bo isn’t saying anything at all about the breakup. Bora just assumed it was me who told you, I guess. She is furious, because Bo called me the second she found out about Dixon being a cheater, and this is how she’s rewarded. Bora immediately broke up with him, by the way. Girl had no clue. And Dixon was trying to get a spot in Pretty Posh that is bigger than a secretary’s position. Because that’s what he is. He’s not a manager. At all. Never has been a manager. He was recently promoted as Billy Prize’s fucking secretary.”

  I’m torn between laughing at the fact that pompous ass is a secretary and has been pretending to be a manager for years, and…

  “Wait,” I say, holding my hand up. “Back up. What do you mean Bo called you when she found out?”

  Viv sits down, and she goes over the other night step by step, slowly letting it sink into my alcohol-slowed brain. When it finally does, I swallow a hard knot in my throat.

  “Let me guess, you talked to her like she was shit. Sort of like you do me. And Mom. And Dad if he pisses you off. Or Cody. Or Dustin. Or—”

  “I get it,” I growl, interrupting her. “I’m an asshole. Motherfucker! Why the hell didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

  “Why? Because we’re so close?” She snorts. “You would have given me an I-told-you-so speech while I was trying not to let my life fall apart. You’re an insensitive asshole. That’s why I didn’t tell you. Do one thing wrong, and your mouth is lethal. So I asked Bo to give me a day or two to get my head wrapped around things, and what did you do? Crushed her for being a good person who cared enough to risk her relationship with our family just to let me know what was going on.”

  My chest caves in on itself, and I sit back, reeling as everything comes crashing down on me.

  “Oh shit,” I groan. Immediately, I jump up, then stagger because… Well, tequila.

  “What are you doing?” Viv asks as I throw on my sneakers and grab my keys.

  “What the hell do you think I’m doing?”

  “You can’t drive. Hell, you can barely walk. Apologizing drunk is not a good idea.”

  “Partially drunk,” I correct her.

  She puffs out a breath while coming to jerk my keys out of my hand. “I’m only driving you there because Bo deserves an apology. I also want her to know I had nothing to do with you being an asshole.”

  I don’t argue with her, and I rush her to my car. She drives like she’s just turned one-hundred, but I keep my mouth shut. It’s done enough damage lately. Apparently more than I even realized.

  When we reach the Sterling Front building, I even wait on Viv at the elevator, despite the fact I just want to hurry up and get to Bo’s office. The elevator takes for-fucking-ever, but it finally opens up on Pretty Posh’s executive floor.

  Unlike the last time, the receptionist doesn’t smile, wave and buzz me back. She glares daggers at me.

  “You can’t go in,” she tells me.

  “Looks like she thinks you’re an asshole too,” Viv points out.

  “I really need to talk to Bo,” I say, aiming for a charming smile, and hoping it isn’t a drunken idiot’s smile.

  “No. There’s only one person on this floor who is nice to all the little people, and you yelled at her the last time you were here. Now she’s not being nice to anyone. So you can leave.”

  My brow furrows in confusion, because what she said doesn’t make sense.

  “I’m here to apologize to her for yelling. Maybe it will change things,” I say, still trying to wrap my head around her meaning.

  She tightens her lips, but then she shakes her head. “It’s not up to me. I’ll buzz Ms. Brendon.”

  She pushes a button on her headset, waits a beat, then speaks into it.

  “Ms. Brendon, the jackass is back. Do you want me to call security?”

  Viv snorts, and I glare down at her while she tries to contain her laughter. Guess I deserve that.

  The receptionist looks back at me, smiling bitterly.

  “She’s giving you five minutes to clear the floor before I call security.”

  My heart sinks, and Viv’s amusement dies. I really did fuck up.

  Chapter 42

  BO

  Bora has called numerous times, and for the first time in my life, I haven’t rushed to answer it. I’d say it feels good, but I still feel nothing.

  Propping up on my couch with my wine and pizza, I flip on the TV.

  Jax’s number pops up on my phone, and I make a mental note to change my number while tossing my phone aside. Viv’s number flashes right behind it, but I just glance in its direction, not bothering to answer.

  The keypad on my door activates, and I watch as Shanna walks in, glaring at me like she’s about to unleash one of her tirades.

  “You have to snap out of this,” she growls. “This isn’t you! You’re not a bitch, and you’ve been a bitch since that jerk yelled at you the other day! Talk to me and—”

  “My home,” I remind her, using my bottle of wine to gesture around it. “Get out.”

  Her mouth opens, and that same, unmistakable hurt flashes through her eyes.

  Nothing.

  “Bo, what’s going on?!”

  “See, everyone keeps asking that. Why? Because they can’t treat me the way they always do. You can’t barge into my house and tell me how to act or how to be. You can’t come in here and act like you have the right to bark out orders. It’s old. I’m over it. You can leave.”

  She takes a step back, and that same acceptance Bora had crosses her eyes before she walks away. When an unknown number pops up on my phone, I answer it just as Shanna exits my home without winning this war, slamming the door behind her.

  I still don’t have to argue with stubborn people. But I also don’t have to listen to them talking on and on about how I should be reacting. They love hearing themselves talk, but I’m done listening.

  “Hello.”

  “Bo? Sweetie, it’s Mom.”

  Ah, so they pulled out the big guns.

  “Whose number is this?” I ask, only mildly curious about it.

  “It belongs to a friend. Honey, I spoke to your father, and he said you’re in a bad place right now.”

  “My place is great. Just had it renovated not too long ago. Amazing views of the city,” I retort dryly.

  I can almost hear her thinking, and I use the silence as a chance to take a bite of pizza. Not even pizza makes me feel anything.

  “Sweetie, I’m going to come visit you. I think I know what’s going on.”

  So sick of this.

  “And you’re going to do what? Set me up on a date with some guy I have nothing in common with? Never understood your drive to get me a man when you make it just fine without one. Don’t bother coming over. I don’t need a blind date.”

  She heaves out a weary breath. “This isn’t you. Honey, I really do know what’s going on. Just stay put if you’re at home. I’m coming whether you like it or not.”

  “What’s going on is I’m done with everyone stepping all over me and talking to me however they feel like it. That’s what’s going on. No, you’re not coming. I’m not going to pu
t my busy life on pause just so you can come shine down your infinite wisdom, despite the fact you stopped being a mother long before you went on your quest to find yourself. Stay where you are. Like I told Dad, I don’t need anyone.”

  “Bo!” she gasps, acting as though she’s actually hurt.

  “I’m finding myself, Mom. You of all people should understand that.”

  I hang up on her, and ignore the phone call when she calls back. Eventually, they’ll figure it out.

  Nothing is wrong. I’m just finally done.

  Chapter 43

  JAX

  I curse as I toss my phone aside. Bo won’t return any of my calls or texts. She doesn’t have social media, so that’s a no-go option.

  The gym is packed when Corbin walks in, glaring daggers at me like he’s ready to rip me in half.

  Lovely. He must have found out.

  “What the hell happened? Ruby said Bo won’t answer her calls, and Bora has called Ruby to tell her you fucked Bo up or something. Bora is worried, and Ruby is freaked out because she said Bora never worries.”

  “I fucked up,” I admit, groaning as I scrub my face. “And now she won’t let me fix it. Hell, she had her apartment building ban me from the premises, which I didn’t find out until I showed up there and was told by the doorman I couldn’t enter. He had my fucking picture. Like I was a criminal.”

  Corbin loses some of the anger in his eyes, and it gets replaced with a mix of pity and empathy.

  “Can’t really judge you for fucking up. Guess that would make me hypocritical.”

  I snort derisively. “You think?”

  He glares at me, but I pull my phone out to try and call Bo again. This time, I get a disconnected message. She really disconnected her fucking phone?

  “What?” Corbin asks.

  “Any chance Ruby has Bo’s new number?” I ask grimly.

  He curses while picking up his phone and dialing Ruby. I assume.

  “It must be bad. Jax said her phone is disconnected now. You may need to go over there,” he tells her. “Yeah. Love you too, babe. Call me if you need any help.”

  As he hangs up, he gives me a bigger look of pity.

  “What?”

  “Ruby is going to bust your kneecaps with a baseball bat. Sorry.”

  That’s not an empty threat. At this moment, I’d stand still and let her take the swings.

  “I can’t fix it if she won’t see me, and aside from stalking her apartment to catch her on her way to work or from work, I can’t see her.”

  Would it be too much if I sat outside and waited for her to walk to work?

  “I sent roses,” I admit, already knowing how lame that is.

  “Roses don’t really work,” he points out.

  “What’d you do to get Ruby back?”

  He frowns. “I don’t think I should be giving relationship advice. Besides, my relationship isn’t… Well, it isn’t the normal standard.”

  “I met Bo because she was pretending to be her sister when she went on a family vacation with me. During our three weeks away, we barely spent any time apart, and I barely batted an eye when I realized she was someone else. So, I wouldn’t classify us as the normal standard either.”

  He thinks it over before nodding. “I gave Ruby all my boxes of secrets when our game of Triple Dare ended. It sort of bared my soul and all that, since ninety percent of them were about her and all the shit I’d been holding in for years. Don’t suppose you have those on hand.”

  Great. One person who actually has a more twisted relationship than me.

  “What did Kode do to get Tria back?” I ask.

  Desperation makes me look pathetic, but I don’t care.

  “Punched a guy in a bar for touching her ass. At least that’s the gist of it. But it was a different set of circumstances.”

  I could totally punch someone out for Bo. Hell, Cody would volunteer, considering he’s dodging me since he found out the real story and actually feels like shit. Viv, of all people, showed up and reamed his ass in front of an entire class, and Cody hasn’t made eye contact with me since then.

  “Then you have Dane, who showed up with all of us at Rain’s rental across the country and pretty much told her she had to marry him. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. And Kade jumped from a tree to a bedroom window when Raya was avoiding him.”

  “I may have it bad for Bo, but marriage isn’t on the table. And Bo lives just under the penthouse floor of her apartment building. No trees reach that high.”

  “Tag forced Ash to move in with him, even though technically she was the one who messed up and did the groveling, so I don’t think that situation will work out for you.”

  I could totally force Bo to move in with me… Then go to prison for kidnapping.

  “Wren sort of had to prove he was father material to win Allie, so again, that doesn’t apply. Then there’s Rye. He—”

  “Stopping you there. I’m not sticking a snake in her panty drawer,” I tell him, to which he snickers.

  “That prank actually didn’t work out. Anyway, he won her back by telling her about everything in his past he’d been holding back for years. Hell, we still don’t know what happened, to be honest. Only Brin seems to. And Ethan and Wren of course, but they don’t spill secrets.”

  Not going to help me. My past was fine, even though I feel like a spoiled brat because of it.

  “I gotta get out of here and clear my head,” I tell him, blowing out a breath.

  He doesn’t argue when I leave, and my mind turns over a thousand apologies to give her if I ever get the chance. After parking, I head into my apartment building, and it hits me… There’s definitely one thing I’ve done wrong.

  The bed.

  Bo didn’t want to come here because of her sister.

  How the hell did I not realize sooner? Because I’m a selfish ass, that’s why.

  Fuck it. I’ll get a whole new apartment with all new furniture. I don’t care if it costs me the rest of my trust.

  I’m not inside my apartment for long before someone knocks, and I practically jog to the door. When I swing it open, my heart leaps to my throat, but in the next second it plummets to my feet with disappointment.

  Those aren’t Bo’s eyes staring back at me, and Bo doesn’t stand that way.

  “Bora,” I say through clenched teeth.

  “Kudos to you for being able to tell us apart,” she bites out.

  She glares at me before shouldering her way into my home, and I roll my eyes.

  “Gee. Come on in,” I dryly state, turning to face her as I shut the door.

  “I can’t believe I ever accused you of being too nice,” she growls.

  “I can’t either. You must like them to be an extra big asshole. Oh wait. That’s right. You do, considering you were fucking Dixon.”

  She scowls at me before pointing her finger at my chest. “You’re the biggest prick I’ve ever met. In fact, of all the sorry losers and assholes I’ve ever known—which is a monumental list—you’re the worst. How could you hurt her like that? Hurt Bo?”

  When tears gather in her eyes, I lose a bit of my harshness.

  “I fucked up. She won’t talk to me. That’s where this is going, so let’s cut to it.”

  “She won’t talk to anyone. Hell, she works right beside me, and doesn’t say a word unless it’s work related. She has cut out my mother, my father, even Shanna. It’s like she’s suddenly unleashing years of pent-up resentment, and she’s done with all of us.”

  My shoulders are heavy enough, so I’m not about to take the blame for all that.

  “You think this is all on me?” I growl.

  “Yes. Yes, I do,” she says simply, adding a nod for good measure.

  Bo really is a fucking saint to have dealt with her for so long.

  “I was just the straw that broke the camel’s back, Bora. I’ve barely even played a part in this. I’m just waiting on her to realize that. I know I fucked up, but not nearly as much
as all of you have. Right now most of the blame is on me, at least in her eyes. I’m the one she feels like betrayed her because she never expected it from me. I pushed her over the edge she’s been teetering on for who knows how long if she’s surrounded by you and people like you all the time.”

  “You can’t blame this on me. This is all on you,” she argues, pointing her finger at me like that helps drive home her point.

  “Ever think she was tired of being used by you?” I ask. “No. You didn’t. Why? Because you didn’t give a damn about her. You only cared that someone was doing all the bullshit for you because you’re a selfish brat.”

  You’d think I just slapped her, and it makes me tense up. I’ve been trying to speak less lately, because my mouth cost me the girl. Last thing I need to do is verbally accost her sister. Because they’ll eventually make up.

  I’ll be twice as fucked then.

  To my surprise, Bora doesn’t argue.

  “I know,” she says softly, then rolls her shoulders back and glares at me with the promise of more arguing. “I know I took advantage of her, but I’ve never used her. Everyone takes advantage of her.”

  She says it as though it’s okay to do if everyone else is doing it.

  I could argue with her, but I’m being good and keeping my mouth shut. Bo needs to speak up more, and I need to learn when to shut the fuck up and not say whatever rolls off the tip of my tongue in the heat of the moment.

  “Bo always did everything when we were growing up,” she says, defeated. “Mom would spend hours meditating or reading about “self-discovery” when we were little. Bo learned to cook, clean, and everything else to be a little mother by the time she was ten. She never complained, and I thought she enjoyed it. She’d help me with homework, argue with me about bed time, and even cook our food for the day. You would have thought she was years older than me, instead of just a cool minute.”

  My already aching chest almost turns inside-out.

  “She’s always defused every situation. She took a lot of verbal lashings over the years because Dad and I don’t always get along, and Bo won’t let us talk until we’ve cooled down. Instead, she always gets verbally pummeled by everything we would say to the other if Bo wasn’t mediating. Same with Shanna. Shanna’s a hothead, and Bo has been there to take her pushiness and verbal accosting since the beginning. She never strikes back. Now… Now it’s like she won’t even hear any of us.”