Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
REON
“Did you even give her the ring?” Abigail asks around a mouthful of pizza.
“No.”
“Did she even remember you said you got married?”
“I don’t know.”
“Reon, does she know you’re married?”
“To her. I’m married to her,” I tell Abigail.
“When was the wedding? Come on, Reon, stop this and go after her and tell her.”
“She knows. She seemed to forget, which is fine, considering everything she went through.”
Abigail stares at me, her eyes boring into mine as she eats her pizza. “It’s a fucked-up situation you have right now.”
“I have to get dressed. I have a meeting with Earl.” I stand and head for my bedroom as Abigail yells out, “I’ll come. I miss Earl.”
I don’t tell her she can’t. Earl likes Abigail, probably more than I do. Abigail is set to inherit everything if I die. She’s my only living blood relative and has been the only woman in my life until recently.
My cell hasn’t stopped all morning, with texts and calls flooding in. But when I walked into my room and saw her sleeping peacefully, I took my shirt off and climbed in next to her.
It was the best sleep I’ve ever fucking had.
Lilith made weird noises, and I was careful where I touched her as she was terribly bruised. Hopefully, the IV we gave her helped a little. I disconnected it before I slipped into bed with her.
After quickly throwing my clothes on, I leave my bedroom to find Abigail waiting for me as she slides on a pair of heels.
“Ready?” she asks, and I nod.
We’re quiet on the elevator ride down to the parking garage, but she asks for the keys when we arrive at my car.
“I told you I would buy you a car,” I say on a sigh.
“No, it’s too much fun driving yours. And what would my colleagues say… that I have a sugar daddy?” She scoffs, getting into the driver’s seat and starting the car.
“You could just tell them who I am.”
She laughs as she reverses out of the parking spot and squeals the tires. “Yeah, that’s a no. The world knows who you are, but let’s keep me a secret so I can go on living in my bubble and stealing all your shit when I come to visit.”
I chuckle and give her directions.
During the drive, she tells me that she and Hannah have moved in together, and that they are doing well.
I’m happy for her. Abigail has always known she wasn’t interested in men.
On the other hand, Hannah was with me for a good few weeks before meeting my sister.
I have no bad blood over it. Hannah and I were never meant to be, and she fits with my sister; they complement each other well.
“Um, seems we have an audience today.” She nods to a car I know very well. “Is that Soren?”
“It sure fucking is.” I shake my head.
“Deep breaths, Reon. You can’t kill him. Do you want to end up behind bars?”
“He knows better,” I say. Getting out of the car, I hear Abigail call out from behind me, but I walk straight into the restaurant and over to the table where Earl sits opposite Soren. Maya is with them, holding a glass of champagne in her hand.
“You’re better?” I ask, and she nods, then looks away. Turning my attention to Soren, I force a smile down at him.
“Why are you talking to my employee?” I ask him. Earl says nothing, watching our exchange.
“Just a friendly chat, Reon. You know how business is.” Soren smiles up at me as he reaches for his drink. Staring at me over the rim of his glass, he takes a sip.
Turning to Earl, I wave him off. “Give me a minute, Earl. Please, get Abigail a drink.”
As Abigail walks in, Earl nods and smiles at her, then gets up and walks to the bar. Maya watches with narrowed eyes, having no idea who she is.
I take Earl’s seat opposite Soren and lean back in my chair. “Did you proposition him?” He goes to open his mouth, but I hold up a finger. “Think really hard about your answer, Soren.” Soren smirks, and my fingers tap the table, one pointing to Maya. “I’d hate to cause anyone heart failure,” I add.
Soren’s smile drops, and his eyes narrow.
“You should know if I go down, I won’t be going down quietly… or alone. Or do you forget I have evidence of you fucking a member of the Society’s wife.”
“I haven’t forgotten. We need to put all this behind us and move on for the Society,” he says, licking his lips in frustration.
“If I remember correctly, this was not my fault.” Pointing at him, I seethe. “You interfered, couldn’t stay out of it. Just because you are Lord, that doesn’t mean you can run my life outside the Society. You may hold power, Soren. But make no mistake, I could end you.”
“I have a say,” Soren says through gritted teeth.
“No. I never agreed to that.”
“You have done things for the Society that you can never take back,” he adds.
“Stop dancing around the question and answer me. Did you proposition my employee?”
Maya looks away from us and shifts her attention to Earl and Abigail.
“Well…” he hedges.
“Withdraw the offer right now,” I say to him.
“Or I will pick up that pen and jab it into your sister’s neck.
I wonder how deep it would go and how long it would take for her to bleed out.
” I nod to his shiny silver pen that’s lying on the table.
“Oh, and if I so much as hear that you’ve gone near my wife without me around, I will kill Maya. No hesitation.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Wife?” Maya gasps. “Wife? You can’t be married.” She looks at Soren. “You told me he will marry me.”
Soren eyes me and doesn’t answer Maya. Instead, he directs his answer to me. “I’ll retract my offer, Reon, and this will end today.”
“Good,” I say, sitting back.
“Married? Hello? How can you be married?” Maya screams as Abigail walks over with Earl. “To her? You could do better. Look at her.” I smile as I look up at Abigail. She looks well put together in a flowy dress, shiny pink lips, and hair the same color as mine.
“I never choose violence as an answer, but sometimes a bitch needs to be put in her place,” Abigail says as she eyes Maya. “My brother would never want you. Have you heard of desperation? Because you stink of it.” Abigail turns to Earl. “Should we sit somewhere else until they’re done?”
Earl nods, but before he can go, Soren says, “That offer we discussed? I retract it.”
“Good. I’d hate to turn you down a second time,” Earl says, smiling, and then leads Abigail back to the bar.
“He turned you down?” I ask Soren, grinning.
“Yes, immediately,” he grumbles.
“Good.”
Soren stands and indicates that Maya should do the same. She eyes me as she rises, and Soren places a hand on her shoulder and nods toward the door. With one final glance at me, she strides off as I stand in front of Soren.
“I want our relationship back, Reon. We were close once.”
“Then you went and got a big fucking head and fucked everything up,” I point out.
He chuckles and nods. “Yes, I guess you’re right.”
“I know I’m right.” I turn away from him and head straight over to Earl.
He looks at me and smiles. “You’re getting a raise,” I tell him.
Abigail claps her hands together. “Yeah, let’s celebrate.” She motions to the bartender and says, “Three shots, please.”
“I’m not doing shots,” I tell her. “I’m going to see my wife.” I like the way that sounds coming from my lips.
Earl’s eyes go wide. “Wife? Did I miss something?”
“Yes, seems we all did. Mr. Bachelor here married Lilith. Do you know her?”
Earl turns to look at me. “The woman from the bar?” he asks, and I nod. “Wow, that was…”
“Unexpected,” Abigail finishes for him as the bartender brings over three shots. I sit down and drink one, and somehow, she convinces me to let Lilith breathe without me for a while.
And for the first time in a long while, I drink way too fucking much alcohol.