Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Fury
I stormed out of Sienna’s office before I could succumb to my urges and kiss her senseless. Maybe even bend her over her desk and make her forget the past hour. But it was clear that she needed some time to think things through, not for me to act like a Neanderthal, which I definitely would have if I had stayed. Every primal instinct in my body screamed at me to take her, claim her, lose myself in her. To just let everything go and surrender to passionate desire.
And that would’ve been an even bigger mistake than our impulsive encounter a couple of days ago.
I shoved my hands into my pockets to conceal their trembling and kept my head down as I headed for the exit.
As I hit the cool night air, I realized my usual coping mechanism wasn’t an option anymore. The thought of seeking out a casual hookup left me cold. There was only one woman I craved, and she was decidedly off-limits.
Gavin’s warning echoed in my mind, and I hated to admit it, but maybe he had a point. I was far from the calm, composed man Sienna needed right now. The way I’d lost control earlier proved that.
I pulled out my phone, thumbing through my contacts until I found Carson’s name.
Even though Carson and Cory were twins, I’d always been closer to Cory, even before we’d gone into business together. Still, it wouldn’t be weird for me to reach out to him, especially since he’d already invited me over for dinner. I hadn’t been able to take him up on it yet, so this could take care of two birds with one stone.
Making my way to my car, I texted Carson, asking if he wanted to meet for a drink. His reply was quick enough that I didn’t feel guilty about pulling him away from his gorgeous fiancée, Vix. He gave me the name of the place to meet him and I plugged it into my GPS. Thirty minutes later, I entered the bar and looked around for a familiar face.
While Carson and Cory were fraternal twins and had slightly different coloring, their features were similar enough that it sometimes felt like looking at Cory with baby blue contacts and hair dyed a burnished copper. The pair of them had even pulled off switching once in a while when we were teens, though only if they could wear hats and sunglasses.
I weaved through the crowd, my eyes scanning until they locked onto Carson’s familiar form at the bar. My shoulders relaxed a fraction as he caught sight of me, his hand lifting in a welcoming wave.
“I ordered us each a beer,” Carson said, sliding a frosty glass toward me as I settled onto the neighboring stool.
“Thanks,” I muttered, wrapping my fingers around the cool glass. The condensation dampened my palm as I lifted it to my lips, the bitter taste a welcome distraction.
Carson’s brow furrowed, his eyes searching my face. “Everything okay?”
I let out a long, weary breath, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. “Not even close,” I admitted, my voice rough with frustration and barely contained emotion.
“So is this a ‘I want to sit silently with someone and brood over whatever’s going on’ or a ‘I need to talk before I punch someone’ kind of thing?” Carson’s mouth quirked into a small smile but I couldn’t blame him.
“Shit.” I shook my head. “Sorry. Seeing you the first time since I got here should have been just because we’re family, not because I’m having a shitty day.”
“Hey, no need to feel guilty,” Carson assured me. “That wasn’t my intent. I just wanted to know what you needed.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Okay, we weren’t raised in an emotional vacuum, but I don’t remember you being insightful.”
He shrugged. “Wait until you spend more time with Vix. She just brings out that sort of thing in people.”
We sat for a couple minutes in silence, nursing our drinks, until I decided to talk.
“Honestly, I’m not sure what I want right now,” I admitted. “My head feels like it’s about to explode and I knew if I went home, or even if I just did something physical like working out, I’d be too keyed up to sleep at all tonight.”
“Well,” Carson said, “maybe you need to share some of what’s in your head. Talk to me.”
I didn’t know if it was me missing spending time with Cory, maybe being a little homesick, or knowing Carson was probably right, but after taking another drink of my beer, I opened my mouth and the story poured out. Everything from Sienna picking me up at the airport to me kissing her and walking away tonight. I told him about Gavin warning me off and how I was starting to think he might be right.
When I finished, I took a gulp of my beer and waited for words of wisdom from my cousin. He had a thoughtful expression on his face as he finished his beer and leaned on the bar.
“Vix didn’t have the best time growing up,” Carson said slowly. “And it sounds like Gavin’s saying that Sienna didn’t either, so I understand why he’s being protective. But maybe, if she’s experienced that much trauma, what she really needs is the freedom to make her own decisions instead of having someone else make them for her—whether it’s Gavin telling you to back off or you choosing to follow Gavin’s orders instead of asking her what she wants. Sometimes we think we’re acting for someone’s own good, but in reality, we’re hurting them more by treating them like they shouldn’t have a say in their own lives.”
I took a sip of my beer as I mulled over Carson’s words. He was right, of course. In trying to protect Sienna, we might be inadvertently taking away her choice. The thought made me uncomfortable, forcing me to confront my own paternalistic instincts.
“You’re right,” I admitted. “I’ve been so caught up in my head, in what I think is best for her, that I never even considered asking what she wants.”
Carson nodded. “It’s an easy trap to fall into, especially when you care about someone. But Fury, if you really like this woman, you need to treat her as an equal. Let her make her own choices, even if those choices might end up hurting her—or you.”
I let out a long breath, feeling some of the tension leave my body. “Thanks, man. I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime,” Carson replied, raising his glass in a mock toast. “Now, how about we order some food? I’m starving.”
Grateful for the change of subject, I flagged down the waitress. We ordered a couple of burgers and another round of drinks. As we waited for our food, I shifted the focus off my love life.
“So, how’s the design business going?” I asked, genuinely interested. Carson had always had a genius flair for fashion, and I was proud of how successful he’d become.
Carson’s eyes lit up. “It’s going great, actually. I just landed a contract to design a line of sustainable, size-inclusive formalwear for a major department store chain.”
“That’s fantastic!” I said. “Congratulations, man. You’ve worked hard for this.”
He nodded, a mix of pride and excitement on his face. “Thanks. It’s been a long time coming, but it feels good to see all that effort paying off. And the best part is, I get to stick to my principles. No compromise on sustainability or inclusivity.”
“That’s always been important to you,” I observed. “I remember when you first started out, how passionate you were about making fashion accessible to everyone.”
Carson chuckled. “Yeah, I was pretty idealistic back then. Still am, I guess. But now I have the clout to actually make it happen on a larger scale.”
Our food arrived, and we dug in, the conversation flowing easily between bites. It felt good to catch up with Carson, to talk about something other than my own problems for a while. As I savored the rich flavors of my burger, I finally relaxed. There was something comforting about being with family. It was a reminder that even in the midst of life's challenges, there were still moments of pure joy and connection. And for that, I was grateful.