Chapter 18 #2
“Syn’s friends were there too. You’d love Arie and Ever. They’re funny and smart.”
I don’t hear anything past Ever. “Wait, Ever was at Dare’s place?” That motherfucker. I’m going to wring his neck if he touched my woman.
“You know Ever?”
“Something like that.”
Her eyes widen. Blaise jumps up and down on her sky-high heels with a shit-eating grin on her face. “Oh my God, Bobby, she’s the one, isn’t she? That’s why you didn’t kiss my hand.”
Blaise does something I’ve never seen her do with a man. She throws her arms around my neck and hugs me, tight. “I’m so happy for you. If I were to ship any of my friends with you, it’d be Ever. She’s so sweet and has the purest soul.” She puts me at arm’s length. “I’m so happy for you, Cousin.”
Blaise doesn’t say the last word in a whisper. I’m not an unwanted bastard in my cousin’s eyes. I’m family.
“Speaking of the fundraising gala, I have a proposition for you. A charity I’d like you to consider putting your stamp of approval on.” One endorsement from Blaise, and money will be pouring in.
“Tell me more.”
I offer her my arm. She takes it, and we walk along the edge of the ballroom. Maddox follows our movements with what I can only describe as a predatory stare. Blaise stiffens. I ball my hand. “If he gives you any trouble—”
“He wants Betty.”
Betty is Blaise’s sports car.
“Why not sell it to him, then? You can buy more.”
“My father proposed to my mother in Betty.”
“I see.” I didn’t. My father chose his wife over his lover, and my mother died a broken-hearted woman.
“This charity . . .”
“It’s my friend Aaron’s charity. We met at a business convention in Vegas.
He knows how hard it is transitioning from trauma-bonding with fellow soldiers, comrades, a team, to coming home to an empty house and no support system.
His wife divorced him. His kids are grown and don’t keep in touch.
He runs a charity that brings vets, the wounded, the lost, and the disabled out of their isolation and into a team environment again. ”
Aaron’s charity was the reason I paid for Ever’s overdue tuition.
The world needs someone like her. Aaron would count himself lucky to work with someone as passionate as she is about connecting and reconnecting people to what brings them happiness.
Happiness is important, and we should get it when and where we can.
“Right now, it’s video calls,” I explain. “He’d like to expand that to on-site events. Hunting. Learning to play the guitar. Learning a business together. Enjoying watching a game of ball at a sports bar. Going to football games, hockey games. Together.”
Together. That word no longer exists for many of the guys I served with.
“These guys miss their band of brothers. Their families can’t or don’t want to understand what they went through. Many have PTSD. Others have TBI. Or it’s both.”
I was lucky to have neither. Survivor’s guilt doesn’t count. Not in my books.
“Aaron would like to pay for their flights and hotel stays. He’ll need funds for venues. There’s demand and not enough funding.”
I hate to ask for help from my cousin, but doing this for Aaron has nothing to do with my pride and everything to do with doing the right thing for the right reasons.
Blaise stops walking. Her attention strays to the man who’s stormed out of the ballroom. She looks after Maddox and smooths her hand over her hair.
“Tell your friend I’d like to know more.”
“Really?” Blaise is selective with the charities and businesses she endorses. Her family’s clean reputation is important to her.
“Yes, but you do the contacting.”
I nod and tamp down the anger growing inside me that Blaise will never feel comfortable speaking with men other than those from her family or her bodyguards.
When I get ahold of the guy who kidnapped her and buried her underground before the feds found her, I will rip him limb from limb and stop his screaming by feeding him his balls.
No one hurts Ever.
Ever?
Fuck.
Blaise isn’t Ever. Ever was never kidnapped and buried.
A gloved hand touches my arm, yanking me out of my dark thoughts. “Are you okay?” Blaise glances up at me.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
Granger Ward, Blaise’s head of security, walks up to us and hands Blaise a slip of folded paper.
“What is it?” Blaise stares warily at the paper.
“It’s from your admirer. It’s a new price for your car.”
Blaise takes the paper and unfolds it. She sucks in a breath.
I’m curious.
“What’s the price?”
“Half a million.”
I whistle. “Are you sure you won’t sell?”
“No. I don’t believe in love or a forever after, but my parents did. Betty is proof of their love.” She tears the note and addresses Granger. “Tell Mr. Stassi I will never sell him the car.”
“Of course.”
Granger takes the pieces of paper from her and strides to the ballroom’s entrance. A figure steps away from the wall. It’s Maddox. Granger hands him the pieces of his offer, and Maddox glares in our direction. I smirk. That guy has it bad for Betty.
With Blaise holding on to the crook of my arm, I look over my shoulder and wish him luck prying the car from Blaise’s hands, as we make our rounds in the room.
When Blaise has her mind set on something, the world will have to end before she changes her mind.
Fuck, I’m glad she’s on my side.