Chapter 51
“Ineed to know exactly what your intentions are with my sister.”
Let’s just rip off the band aid in one fell swoop, why don’t we? I knew this was coming, though. I just thought maybe he’d start the fucking truck first. I’d been wrong.
“Fuck, dude, what a question.” I was stalling, but the way he was looking at me was rattling my nerves.
But my nerves didn’t matter. He wanted an answer. And he deserved one. It had been a long time coming, but the time for me to step up and be a man had come. Everleigh deserved that. Our love deserved it.
“I’m in love with her, West. Is that what you want to hear?”
His mouth dropped. He shook his head in confusion.
“What? Love?” He acted like he’d never heard the word before.
“Yes. I love her. I always have. Are you really surprised?”
“I thought you just wanted to get her in bed.”
“Wow, you think so highly of me,” I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. “Fuck.”
“Theo, do you really think you’re capable of loving anyone?” He asked his question so casually, starting up the truck like he was talking about the weather.
“West, what the hell man? Seriously?” My voice rose in anger. Who the fuck did he think he was to talk to me like that? Who did he think I was?
“I’ve seen you go through so much pussy in the last few years. You don’t know how to settle down. Do you think that’s what Everleigh needs? You can’t even tell your best friend the truth, lying to me for a fucking decade! You think I should trust you with my sister? You should know me better than that, Theo. Because I sure as hell know you.”
My heart skipped a beat in my chest. He wasn’t asking anything I hadn’t already asked myself. I’d wrestled if I was the right person for Ev or not for years. But in the end, I knew I loved her so much I’d die trying to prove myself worthy of her.
“Maybe you knew the person I used to be,” I admitted. “But something inside me has changed, West. I love Everleigh with all my heart. And she loves me, too. And maybe it’ll take some getting used to for you, but I have every intention of spending the rest of my days proving myself worthy to be loved by her. But not to you, West. To her.”
He didn’t say another word for ten minutes. I gave him time to process his feelings. When he finally spoke up, he was pulling into the parking lot of the club. He turned to me, his eyes flashing with anger.
“Stay the fuck away from my sister,” he seethed, pointing a finger into my chest.
“If Everleigh wants to be with me, you can’t stop her.”
“Watch me,” he growled, reaching for the door handle. “She needs someone better than you, Theo. If you really care about her, you’ll leave her the fuck alone. You’ve done enough damage.”
He hopped out of the truck, slamming my door shut on his way out.
I waited a few minutes before going into my office. I sank into my chair, my blood boiling with anger. I could only hope he’d come around eventually.
My phone buzzed beside me, turning itself on now that it had enough of a charge. I picked it up and flipped through my messages, ignoring the work-related ones.
I had one from Ev just checking in on me a few minutes ago. One from West from this morning telling me they were on their way.
And one from the fucking asshole who’d abducted Everleigh.
Hotel Shangri-la, Santa Monica
Room 324
Midnight.
Come alone.
Bring the money.
One slip up and everything goes to TMZ.
“Fuck!” I growled, throwing my phone against the wall.
I had three hours to execute the plan I’d diligently planned.
I grabbed my phone and the bag I’d stashed in my desk and quickly headed down to the temple.
It was too early for anyone to be down there, and I was grateful for the opportunity to pass unnoticed into the side rooms. I hit the hidden switch behind the curtain to open the door to the secret room we’d built into the wall.
I walked in and closed the door behind me. I faced the big wall safe we’d had installed.
As soon as I’d gotten that first text demanding money, I’d put my plan into action. It had taken a lot of sneaking away to make private phone calls to my accountants and personal bankers, but I’d managed to make it happen.
The cash I’d stashed in our safe yesterday would make all this shit go away and then Everleigh and I could begin our lives together.
Tonight, everything I needed to solve this was right there in neat little stacks smiling back at me like the answer to all of my problems.
I didn’t care how much it cost.
Money was nothing compared to what I was gaining.
As quickly as possible, I began shoving the cash into the open duffel bag lying at my feet.