Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
NATE
Padding back to my living room, Jeff takes his place back on my lap and I pick my controller up and lose myself in my game for a few hours, like nothing life changing has just happened.
I do what I do best.
Suppress it and forget it ever happened.
My phone buzzes and I have no idea how long I have been sitting, rotting on my sofa whilst I lost myself in some mind-numbing game.
But I like that.
I like that I can lose myself in some kind of virtual reality.
“Yup,” I say into the speaker phone with an over-the-top exhale of breath.
“Where are you?” Keaton’s voice floats through the speaker.
“At home?” my brows furrow as I glance my eyes up to the large clock on the wall, it’s just past five p.m.
“It’s our monthly dinner night, Connie has cooked up a feast.”
I rub my temple with my index and middle finger.
Shit.
“Sorry man…” I trail off, looking at Jeff who has moved from my lap to the other end of the sofa.
“Nah, nope,” Keaton cuts in, “you’re not blowing this out, get yourself up and over to Kaleb and Connie’s…” he pauses for a moment, “now!” and the phone goes dead.
“Asshole,” I curse him out to the room.
Reluctantly, I push to my feet and walk out the room with a little more gusto than I wanted. I love my friends, they’re my brothers. We met in college, started up Mills, Spencer, King and well, the rest is history. But now they’re all settled down; Titus and Keaton are married. Not to each other, to their wives, Amora and Arizona. Kaleb is due to be married to Connie soon, and then there is me.
The thing is, they have no idea about my private life. I love them dearly, but my private life is my own. I don’t divulge anything. They know all they have to know.
My name is Nate.
I was born May 3 rd 1977.
My favorite color is orange.
My favorite food is sliders.
I’m a basic man.
But I harbour secrets that are buried so deep within my soul that I will never speak them out loud.
There was no need to.
Well, not for now anyway.
I got showered and dressed within twenty minutes of Keaton’s call. My hair is messy, loose curls teasing the nape of my neck, thick hair, wavy on top. I really did need a haircut but kind of digging the longer style. Pushing my black rimmed glasses up my nose, I spray my cologne and grab my keys from the side table by the door.
“Bye Jeff,” I call out, closing it behind me and walking towards the sidewalk. I unlocked my car, an all-black Mercedes G Wagon, a basic car for a basic man… okay, not a basic car. I like my cars okay, I like nice things.
I am just a car man. Any form of car racing, F1, Indie, I’m there perched in front of the television. I like getting a new car every few months. I get bored easily.
Climbing into the driver’s side, I start it up and drive towards Kaleb and Connie’s.
They live in a penthouse apartment on the upper east side. Prestigious and where the money is.
The other three guys and I live a little further out from that side of New York, all in pretty townhouses.
Pulling down the small alley and into the underground parking lot, I pull into one of the visitor bays.
I am really late.
Kaleb is going to be fuming.
I’ve been so preoccupied with James and Secure Corp that dinner at the Mills’ was the last thing on my mind.
Cutting the engine, I fall out of the car with grace and make my way to the private elevator that serves Kaleb and Connie’s floor.
I take a minute to reflect over my friends and their wives or fiancées. They’re a good pick, all kind of suited in a way. Each brings out the best in others. Each woman brings the light to their darkness.
Weird really.
How they work.
Matches made in heaven and all that.
I glance down at my left hand, won’t be long and I’ll have a ring there, tying me to someone in the same way as my friends. But bonds won’t be there as such, this is just a business transaction so to speak.
The final thing to help me take down Secure Corp once and for all.
The last piece of the puzzle.
And that’s James.
I was surprised she was so willing, but by the sounds of it, she wants to take them down as much as me.
My reasons are a little different to hers.
Her ex sounds like a right asshole.
His loss is my gain though, I guess.
The elevator pings and I tug on the collar of my white polo. I’d decided on a polo and cargos. Kind of casual, kind of not.
Two strides and I am in their apartment.
“Well, well, well,” Connie smirks as she meets me, her hand with the huge diamond on wraps around my back as she cuddles me hello.
“Sorry I am late, your husband failed to tell me,” I whisper, placing a kiss on her cheek and handing her the bottle of Mo?t I grabbed from my cellar.
“Typical Kaleb,” she places her hand on my chest before I step into their home, and she walks down towards the kitchen.
Everyone is here.
All eyes are on me.
“Well, hello boys,” I smirk, walking into the open planned living area and kissing the wives on their cheeks as I pass.
Kaleb, Keaton, Killian and Titus are standing by the bar in the corner, all nursing scotch.
“Nice of you to join us,” Kaleb rolls his eyes and Keaton chuckles.
“Yeah sorry, I had some stuff to sort out.” I nod, taking a crystal tumbler from Titus and taking a mouthful.
“Care to elaborate?” Kaleb asks and I shake my head from side to side.
“Nope,” I shrug my shoulders and sneak away from the guys, moving towards the girls who look like they're deep in gossip. “Who are we hating on today?” I tease, taking a sip of my drink and humming in appreciation at how good it tastes.
“We’re not hating,” Amora rolls her eyes; they’re pretty. One blue, one brown. Freckles scattered like a constellation across her face. Fiery red hair that sits in waves down her back.
“I don’t believe you,” I raise a brow, a boyish smirk on my face.
“We’re just talking about the dirty sex session Reese and Killian had last night.”
“Ooo is that so,” I look over my shoulder at Killian, before turning back to Reese, her cheeks flame red. Petite, slim and tanned skin. Shoulder length dirty blonde hair, I feel like she should be living in California, with the sea on her back door, surfing against the waves.
“We’re not having this conversation,” she covers her face, and I chuckle.
“Fair, I’ll move away.” Tongue in cheek, I spin on my heel as Connie enters the room and declares that dinner is ready.
We all follow her to the elaborate dining area, the table is decorated and dimly lit with candles. She has made this place a home. It used to be so cold, so perfect, and nothing out of place. But because of her, it’s lived in. She took it from a house to a home and I am glad that she came into Kaleb’s life when she did.
Taking our seats, I am seated next to Arizona.
“Little King,” I smile at her, and I hear a low growl coming from beside her before he sticks his head forward, eyes narrowing.
“Mills,” he grunts. I scoff. “Her name is Mills.”
Arizona rolls her eyes.
“How are you Nate?” she asks as she forks a carrot.
“Not too bad, how about you? How are the boys and the old fucker next to you?”
“We’re all very well thank you,” she scoops Keaton’s hand into hers, “as well as this old fucker,” she nudges into her husband and a low laugh vibrates through him.
The sound of a knife tapping on the side of the glass has us all looking up towards Connie, my hand lazily hanging over the back of Ari’s chair.
“We have called you here for a kind of last night dinner…” she trails off, “and yes, we’re not getting married for another month but it’s going to be a hectic few weeks,” she looks down at Kaleb and gives him a soft smile, “and I love our dinners, but this will be the last one before I am Mrs Mills.”
And the room erupts in whistles and applause.
“I can’t wait for you to be my wife,” Kaleb grins like a damn Cheshire cat as Connie sits down, leaning into her and dusting his lips over hers.
Killian clears his throat, but Kaleb flips him off.
“So,” Titus asks from opposite me, “what’s new with you?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Come on, there has to be something?” he presses as he takes a mouthful of drink and I sigh, my chest rattling.
I am getting married to a pretty little redhead just to fuck over a business .
“Gaming, work, breathing, eating, drinking… same old shit,” I roll my lips.
“Boring,” Keaton yawns and I roll my eyes.
“Is there a lady in your life?”
“Nope,” I shut that down before they even had a chance to notice the slight hesitation in my voice. “But I do wonder…” I pause for a moment and glare at Keaton before my eyes dust to Titus, knowing full well he is going to explode as soon as I begin talking, “if I did have Ari stay with me, whether it would have been me sitting next to her with a ring wrapped around my finger rather than you,” my lips twitch but I fight the smirk that is threatening to give me away.
“Fuck you,” Keaton spits and leans back in his chair, his arm reaching behind Arizona as he slaps me around the back of my head and I hiss with a laugh.
“To be honest, I think I would rather that,” and Titus lifts his glass to his lips, a smirk playing across his lips as he takes a mouthful and swallows it down.
“Asshole,” Keaton cusses and I chuckle softly before dragging my eyes away and settling on Connie as I give her a tight smile, Kaleb catching it and smiling back towards me.
I give him a curt nod before he slips into conversation with Killian.
So I just sit, listening to the noise around me and letting my thoughts wander to James.
Dinner is finished, the drinks have flowed and I realised I was never happier than I was now, sitting with my family.
Who I chose.
They were mine and I would never want to be without them.
“You ready?” I ask before we walk into City Hall, my fingers dangerously close to brushing hers.
“Yup,” she exhales heavily, her wild blue eyes bounce between mine, and I don’t miss the hesitation in her voice, but I won’t let her know I heard it, won’t let her know I can see the vulnerability all over her face.
She looks pretty.
Off the shoulder white dress, sitting just past her knees. White, lace fascinator in her beautiful red hair that sits in loose curls.
She looks truly perfect.
I glance over her shoulder, my lips twitching at the two girls that stand behind her. Thunderous storm clouds in their eyes, arms crossed against their chest. I lower my lips to her ear.
“Why are there two very angry looking women standing behind you?”
“That’s Heidi and Brooke. Bridesmaids and witnesses,” she shrugs up then links her fingers through mine. “Are we actually doing this then?” she scrunches her nose, a little crinkle sitting over the bridge and my skin prickles as she sucks in a deep inhale of breath.
“We’re doing this.”
We walk in, hands locked and stand in front of the officiator and start reciting the vows. Heidi and Brooke—not sure which one is which—are sitting in the seats to my left still looking just as annoyed as they were when they arrived.
“I now pronounce you, husband and wife, you may kiss the bride,” the officiant says, closing her book softly and I shoot my shot.
Leaning in, my newly ringed hand cups her cheek, my thumb brushing ever so slightly against the softness of her skin. My lips purse into a gentle smile just as they dust across hers.
She doesn’t pull back. If anything she leans into me, her body melting against mine as our lips lock and our tongues dance.
And just for that moment.
Everything is quiet.
My mind is silent.
I can’t quite remember the last time I felt this at peace.
She pulls away and the noise comes back with force, a high pitch ring in my ears has me stepping back and rubbing the base of my neck.
“You good?” she asks.
“Yeah, wife, I really am. Come,” I hold my hand out for her and smile when her fingers link with mine. To her this may be a business transaction, but to me… it’s so much more than that.