Chapter 12 #2
I smack my soon-to-be brother-in-law on the back. “You’re misquoting. The line is, ‘You were supposed to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!’ And it doesn’t quite work in this scenario, but I appreciate the effort. Let’s go.”
Just then the front door flies open. “I’m here!
” Margot cries out, her dark-brown curls flying everywhere.
“Pour me all the wine. The others are on their way and I’m going to need alcohol if I’m to make it through a night with three pregnant women talking baby showers and deliveries.
” She frowns when she spots Brecken and me.
“Wait, I thought this was a dickless night. How am I supposed to complain about Drew pushing me down the aisle if men are here?”
“These two clowns were just leaving,” Rina exclaims. “Here. I already poured you a glass and the food is on its way. Help me set out the candy I bought because Carter is all over Grace every time she tries to sneak anything. Have fun, you two.” She gives Brecken a long kiss before she shoves him in the direction of the door.
I offer Margot a wave and kiss my sister on the forehead, then Brecken and I leave, heading out into the dark, wet night.
Thankfully, the rain stopped about an hour ago.
“Did you ever think this would be us?” Brecken muses as we turn up Congress Street. “Totally crazy in love with our women and still having to chase after them?”
I think about that for a second. “Honestly, no. At least you have Rina. My reunion with Raven tonight did not go according to plan.”
Just then a hand hits my back and I startle for a second until I realize it’s Carter and Oliver.
“What did you think would happen?” Carter asks, his arm slung over my shoulder.
“That she’d see you again and immediately forget the last four years while simultaneously falling into your arms and onto your dick? ”
I shrug him off as we enter the dimly lit bar that’s shockingly mostly empty. This place with its amazing food, Boston chic ambience, and good music is always packed no matter what night of the week we’re here. And tonight’s Saturday.
We greet Jonah, Wes, and Drew, who are already here, and take seats at the bar.
“Kind of, yeah,” I answer Carter. “I knew she was hurt, and I knew she liked to pretend I didn’t exist, but I just never…” I never thought she actually hated me the way she claims.
“You hurt her.”
“Thanks for the reminder, Oli. The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.”
“Stop quoting Star Wars like a loser and let me talk.”
“Brecken started it,” I throw back at him.
“And now you’re back to being petulant,” Brecken drawls.
“Whatever,” Oliver growls, slapping his hand on the bar in frustration. “What I meant was you hurt her. But it’s more than that. She was in love with you. Ready to flip her entire world upside down for you. You became her dream and then you broke that—”
“For her own good,” I snap, interrupting him.
Oliver smirks at me, shaking his head as he holds up a consolatory hand. “I know that. But does she?”
How can she not is my automatic response, but I’m thinking I’m wrong about that.
Tonight she did not behave or react in a way that suggests she does know.
Maybe I was too presumptuous in assuming she’d eventually see through what I did that night.
I thought she knew me and that once she got over the initial sting, she’d read it for what it was.
Oliver’s right, though. Raven was ready to flip her world upside down for me.
She was ready to give up on London and The Conservatory to move to Minnesota with me while I finished out my neurosurgery residency.
I couldn’t let her do that. I couldn’t. She was eighteen and so talented and I wasn’t going to let her ruin her life before eventually growing to resent me.
But she wouldn’t listen. She just wouldn’t fucking listen, so I had to take extreme measures to get her to.
And this is how it turned out. With her hating me and wanting nothing to do with me when all I want is her.
I knew that night I’d have to fight heaven and hell to win her back so, bring on the chips and popcorn and settle in. The show’s about to begin.
“I did that with Aria,” Wes comments, snapping me out of my thoughts. He squeezes the back of his neck. “I was crazy for her when we were in high school, but then I left, and my life fell apart and I didn’t… I didn’t come back for her when I should have. I did everything wrong.”
“So how did you win her back?” I press when he lets that sentence hang to check his pager, ever the trauma surgeon.
He shrugs, giving me a “duh” look. “I fought for her, man. I was persistent and honest, and I talked more than I think I’ve ever talked in my life until I made her not just listen but hear me.”
Huh. Yeah, I think I need to work on that.
The bartender comes over and we place our drink orders. “Why is the place so empty tonight?” Drew asks as we glance around.
“See them?” The bartender points to the back of the room where there’s a partially sectioned-off private space. “Private event and they rented out the whole place. Have a bar and food set up back there too.”
“Oh,” Jonah remarks with a chuckle. “Does that mean we’re not supposed to be here?”
“Brecken and his guests are always welcome.”
The bartender fist pumps Brecken and then goes about making our drinks.
“He’s the owner,” Brecken informs us when all our curious gazes fall on him. “He was having a little bit of financial trouble and I helped him get his investments in order and his business back on track.”
Brecken is an investment banker. A brilliant one at that and has taken over a lot of my investments as well as my brothers’. Jonah, too, is a billionaire doctor and judging by the nod he’s giving Brecken, he’s doing the same.
We start talking Bruins hockey—Brecken is a psycho fan with season tickets—and Patriots football because we’re fucking New England sports fans and that’s what we do, when something catches my eye.
Or more like someone. That Antonio guy. I’d swear it’s him talking to a couple of other men in the back.
My bourbon is set down in front of me and I take a sip, still staring at him. I only saw him in the dark when he was talking to Raven and didn’t pay much attention to him when he was on stage. But…
“Hey.” I stop the bartender before he can go back there. “What’s the private party?”
“Musicians from the Boston Symphony. They had a special charity performance tonight or something and they’re glad-handing some big donors.”
A smirk springs to my lips for all of two seconds.
Then it dies in place as I catch sight of Raven talking to Antonio, him standing close.
Too close. And unfortunately, Raven has changed her outfit since I saw her only a few short hours ago.
Now she’s wearing a sparkly silver cocktail dress that is impossibly short and tight.
Not to mention a solid two sizes too small, especially across her tits that are practically spilling out of the deep V-neck.
And this dickhead isn’t missing that for a second.
Her hair and makeup are fixed too, eyes smoky and rimmed in kohl.
I wonder if she ran all the way back out to the compound to change or if she went to a friend’s place to clean up.
As with every time I see her, my heart starts to pound and my stomach clenches.
But this is more than just the visual of her.
It’s this motherfucker ogling my girl when she looks like a fucking goddess and is dressed like a stripper.
My hand tightens around my glass as I bring it up to my lips, downing the rest of my drink in one swallow.
“What’s wrong?” Carter asks. “What are you staring at? Wait,” he says, squinting. “Is that… oh fuck, it is.”
“Seems fate believes I deserve a second chance tonight after all.” I set my glass down and swivel in my chair.
“Who’s the twatwaffle she’s talking to?” Brecken demands.
“Her conductor.”
“He’s gotta be in his forties,” Oliver jumps in.
“Easily,” Carter agrees. “And is all over her. So how are we playing this? Distraction, subterfuge, or gangbusters?”
“We’re all doctors here except Breck,” Drew deadpans. “Easy enough to kill a guy. What we’re really lacking is a lawyer in our crew.”
“Yeah. Where’s Josh when you need him?” Wes laughs. “Is he with the women tonight?”
Josh is Aria’s gay best friend and a lawyer, so there you go. Problem solved.
“Looks like killing him won’t be an issue then,” I grit out sardonically.
Raven laughs at something he says, and he touches her back, drawing her closer, and I see fucking red everywhere.
It’s like the room has been doused in blood, so potent I can taste it on my tongue.
Heat crawls up my spine and no. No motherfucking way am I letting this go down. Not this guy. Not any guy.
No one will have Raven other than me.
And I’m about to make damn sure of it.