Chapter 7 Tyler #2
“You’re not dragging me down. You say you want to be around more often.
This is the kind of shit we need to talk about.
You’re so fucking unhappy. You’ve been this way for years.
Your relationship with Harper has fallen apart.
You and Felix are in a terrible place. Why are you working so hard when you hate your job?
Quit and find something better. It’s not like you need the money.
At the very least, take leave for a few months so you can work on finding happiness again. ”
I exhale loudly, wishing it were that easy. Stepping back from my job feels like an impulsive decision when I have responsibilities within the company and people depending on me. I’m not a spontaneous person.
My whole life has been regimented. I’ve always fallen into line, followed rules and complied with my father’s word.
Maybe that’s the problem.
The times I’ve been happiest were when I stopped caring about “the right thing” and gave in to temptation.
What would honestly happen if I said fuck it to every responsibility and stress I have? Stop playing everything so safe.
After all, I’ve hit rock bottom. There isn’t much else to lose.
These last eight years have felt like I’m drowning, grasping for a safety line that’s always out of reach.
What if I just need to accept I have no control over anything, there is no safety, and embrace the unknown instead of fighting it?
“Dan,” Harper calls out. “Ally is ready to practice the dance with you.”
Her focus switches to me. She’s smiling at me again, my beautiful Harper.
In the lead up to this weekend, my mind has been absent during work meetings, wondering how our first encounter would play out. Would she be angry with me? Or worse—would she act polite, ignoring our history? Would she ignore me completely? I was so sure there would be some negative interaction.
Instead, she’s all smiles for me. When we first saw each other in the bathroom, her gorgeous blue eyes laid upon me with love and heat, like she wanted to be fucked on the sink. She let me hold her.
I want Harper back in my arms every day for the rest of my life, and I don’t want a single one of those days to go by without Felix at our side.
Whatever I’m doing with my life right now sure as hell isn’t working.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I draft a brief email on my phone, detailing that I’ll be taking extended leave from work, starting immediately.
“Everything all good?” Dan asks me.
My pulse races as I stare at the email addressed to my secretary. The voice of reason in my head tells me to delete the draft.
My thumb hits send and suddenly I’m laughing, filled with disbelief. I’m panicked yet… A weight is instantly lifted from my chest.
“Yeah, bro. I’m good.” I turn my phone off, making me unreachable. There’ll be drama to deal with when the email is received. My father will be disappointed in me when he finds out I’m abandoning the business he passed down to me. But those issues don’t belong to this weekend.
I leave Dan to his dance lesson, still laughing to myself as I head through the gardens, taking a walk around the property to clear my head and just breathe for goddamn once.
Not even a minute later, once I’ve passed staff setting up the marquee, I find Felix mid-conversation on his phone, unaware of my presence while discussing his speakeasy.
“I’ve looked into Mitchel Gregor. He’s our best option for expanding The Scarlet Mirage, but fuck, Theo, I hate trusting new people with my business. I’ll need to meet the guy first to scope him out—”
Felix’s eyes flick to me, harsh as always. He instantly ends the phone call and heads in the opposite direction.
Before he’s too far away, I call out, “If you’re looking for someone to expand The Scarlet Mirage, I’ll help.”
“Not interested in mixing family and business.”
“I’ll do it for free.”
Felix turns around, his voice low and direct. “Let me rephrase. I’m not interested in doing business with you.”
The rejection is expected. Now that I’ve got his attention, I search for something else to say. “I’m glad you and Harper reconnected.”
He scoffs. “You two tell each other everything? That’s a change.”
“It’s been eight years, Felix. When are you going to—”
“Harper and I didn’t reconnect,” he laughs.
“I was in need of a good fuck. Your girlfriend was the only thing around. She spread her legs so easily for me. Moaned real pretty too. I could turn her into my whore and she’d happily submit.
I bet she’d let me place a collar around her neck and parade her on a leash.
But she’s out of my system now. You can have your little princess back. ”
“So you can jerk off while watching me fuck her?” The way he talks about Harper has me seeing red. I know he doesn’t mean any of it. He’s trying to get under my skin.
“Please. You’re the one who always got off on the three of us being together. You’re the only one who’s still jerking off to some fantasy where we all play house. Move on with your life. Learn when you’re not wanted.”
“You can be a real dickhead. I didn’t come here to fight with you.”
“You came to beg for forgiveness again?” Felix steps right up to me, invading my personal space.
I shove him away but all he does is laugh, taunting me.
“I hear you. You’re sorry. Now hear me. I can act civil toward you when the occasion calls for it.
I can smile for photographers so everyone believes the Blackwoods are a perfect family.
I can play poker with you and our brothers every year on Mom’s anniversary so Dan and Killian feel like the four of us are connected.
But it’s all an act. I’m never letting you back into my life the way you once were. Fucking Judas.”