Chapter Twenty-Four
TYLER
My father is a smart man, regardless of his alcohol consumption. Down to who he is, what he does and who he does it with. He craves power and control, which is why he’s started funneling money into politicians. Soon, when his strings are secured, he will be at the top.
The disapproval was already prevalent as soon as Sunny was introduced. Anyone outside of Shelby doesn’t stand a chance to them. Yet, Sunny stood tall and didn’t cower from them the way they expected. I fucking love that girl.
Walking to the balcony that overlooks the outside of the brewery, I find Mitchell there. He’s leaning against the railing with a drink in hand, looking at all the people down below.
I find my place next to him while he continues looking out. Avoiding him is a coward's move. I’ll face my biggest opponent and I’ll do it with a smile on my face.
“So, that’s why things fell through with Shelby,” he says.
“I’m not sure what you mean?”
Downing the rest of his drink, he slams the glass down and meets my gaze. “You’re in love with her.” His eyes narrow below as a sadistic smile pulls his lips.
Following Mitchell’s line of sight, I see Sunny, Sam, and Macey all huddled together on the couches outside, laughing. My suit jacket still slung around Sunny’s shoulders—an unspoken claim to her.
Swallowing hard, I remove my gaze from her and look at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Things fell through with Shelby long before Sunny came into my life.”
Don’t take her from me.
“Oh please, Tyler. It’s written all over your face. You aren’t very good at hiding your emotions. Never have been.”
He knows the blow he just landed on me, considering I’ve spent my life mastering the death of my emotions because of him.
That’s always been his play, to threaten the people I love most if I don’t move when he tugs on my strings. Now he sees his biggest advantage.
“You better be careful, boy. You have a duty. I don’t care what happened, you fix it. A promise is a promise, and she was promised to you.”
I roll my eyes. “Free will exists, Mitchell.”
He lets out an amused laugh, “Now you even sound like her. Have I not taught you better than to be whipped by pussy? Do not fuck this up more than you already have. You are someone and she is no one.”
My jaw clenches as I try to bite back the words I want to scream. She is everything. Clearly the look on my face is evident, because he just keeps fucking going.
“That bad, huh? Pathetic. That will only make you weaker, Tyler. That’s why we don’t marry for love. Makes people too messy and irrational.”
He’s tugging at my strings, desperately provoking a reaction from me to further prove his point. So I close my eyes and take in a deep breath to calm the instinct inside me to move.
I start walking away before I do something to cause a scene and further prove his point.
“We marry for respect, politics, power, contracts, breeding, loyalty, names, bloodlines. Get that around your head.” He taps his head.
“You are twenty-nine years old and not married. You need a respectable woman by your side, so it makes you look like a respectable man. She is a nurse, that’s all.
She has a career and a woman by your side can’t have that.
Your wife’s career will be you and your children.
It will be supporting you. Her life will be you,” he seethes.
“You will marry Shelby, and when that time comes, you can fuck around with whoever. Just make sure you get the right one pregnant.”
I stop at his words and turn around to look at the man I share blood with, forcing me into a world I never wanted to begin with.
“You mess this up and I’ll make sure you never see her again,” Mitchell threatens.
“You’re pathetic,” I say and leave the balcony.
Little does he know I’ll kill him before that ever happens.
SUNNY
After a little bit of searching, I found a small balcony overlooking the outdoor portion of the brewery.
My social battery is low, especially after working the last three days.
It makes me wonder how these people do it.
How they go to events like these filled to the brim with all the most important and powerful people.
How they keep their social batteries charged with so much interaction and importance.
But it’s like Sam and Tyler told me, they were raised and born for this. Bred for it. Products of their environment. If anything, this is probably just a normal Saturday night for them.
Hearing footsteps behind me, I peer over my shoulder to see Tyler standing before me, looking devastating with his hands in the pockets of his charcoal gray suit.
“Can I help you?” I ask, looking back out to the crowd down below while I try to stifle the heat flooding my cheeks.
“There you are,” he whispers. The familiarity of his citrusy, salt scent settles against my skin and fills my lungs. A comfort that I didn’t realize became one.
Reaching both arms around my body, he grasps the railing I’m leaning against. His hard chest presses into my back, bringing his face next to mine from behind.
I feel his heart beating against me so calmly. So confident while mine goes rampant.
“Thank you for coming,” he whispers.
“Don’t get used to it.”
His laugh is dark as night but light as day.
I feel the vibrations of him along my body as his warm breath coats the crook of my neck.
Leaning my head as if I’m observing something, I welcome him instead—a delicate line we tread too often.
He grazes his lips and nose along my neck and the side of my cheek, accepting the invitation.
“This. This is what I can never get used to,” he whispers against my skin.
That soul bridge is just begging us to cross it. The more I resist, the more it pulls me closer, as if there’s an invisible string tethering us together. No amount of untying will release me from him. My bloody fingers are proof of that.
He lays a hand over mine, removing it from the railing. “Let me see you.” He spins me slowly like he always does.
Our eyes meet, his full with such a feral desire that has my breath hitching.
He leans in close, breathing me in as if I’m his oxygen source.
A feline smile spreads across his face as I hold his stare while he thumbs my bottom lip.
I know the things he’s done, and I’m not scared of him.
A man trained to kill yet here I am, challenging him.
His eyes flick to something behind me, and all of a sudden a too wide distance is made between us. I attempt to turn and see where his gaze was focused, but he interrupts me as he pokes an arm out for me to grab. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” I lace my arm around his, heading downstairs to the crowds of people I don’t know.
What did you see, Tyler?
TYLER
We’re parted within minutes because, well, she’s technically Sam’s date, not mine. One day, she will be though. No matter the look Mitchell gave me when he caught us on the balcony.
He thinks my love for Sunny is a weakness, but little does he know it’s now my greatest strength. It’s the thing I needed to finally take the step I’ve been contemplating for far too long.
“Tyler.” I hear Shelby call my name.
Instinctively my jaw clenches at her voice. I don’t want to deal with her right now, but curiosity has me wondering if her presence will summon my girl again. Jealousy looks so damn good on her.
“This place is awesome. The votes are up by a lot. I can’t wait to see what your contribution will do for my father’s campaign in the spring.
You’re going to become a big-name campaign investor.
I feel it.” Her hand falls on my shoulder, all while her brown eyes sparkle with a hope that should’ve been dead long ago.
I have nothing to say. The only reason she is here is because she saw the interaction between Sunny and I. It’d either send her running in the opposite direction or make her see the challenge and want to up it.
To my unfortunate luck, she saw the challenge and took it. The only upside is that Sunny will, too.
“Tyler, come on.” She tugs my arm, trying to regain the attention she’s been lacking from me. I don’t have the fucking patience for this.
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to forgive me. We are supposed to get married, Tyler. You can’t prolong the inevitable.” Her eyes plead, but I have no remorse.
“I think you forget who I am, Shelby.” I eye her with a threat looming between us.
“You and I both know that won’t work.”
“Don’t challenge me.”
I want her to be afraid of me and what I can do. I want her to fear me so she will leave me the fuck alone. She gets off on my power and money, but I’ll make sure it scares her shitless instead.
She swallows hard, and while I wish I cared if she cried, I don’t. I also don’t want to deal with a crying Shelby right now. I dealt with enough of that my entire life.
“We are supposed to be together, Tyler. We were made for one another.” She tries to grab my hand.
I jerk away from her. “No, we are not.”
Because I am made for Sunny.
“What can I do to make this better? It’s been almost a year. How much longer are you going to punish me?”
“Punish you? Shelby, you know what you fucking did. You know what you took from me.”
“I told you I was sorry and that I would do anything to make up for what I did. It was selfish. I know that. But we can fix it.” She tries to place a hand on my face, but I step back from her.
“I will make your life a living hell if you don’t let it go and leave me the fuck alone.”
“Our parents have had this promise to one another since before we were born. We have had this promise. You and I have been promised to one another since before we were alive.” She uses it as a threat, like she does most things. I’m not a man of words—I’m a man of action.
“I have no problem breaking promises, Shelby.” I place my drink on a waiter tray and walk away.
SUNNY
Shortly after Tyler and I’s separation, Sam wastes no time bringing me to jet black hair and ice blue eyes. Connor. He stands tall, wearing a black suit that frames his toned body well, clearly waiting for my arrival. Sam’s on a mission, and unfortunately that mission is me getting laid by Connor.
“Look who I found!” Sam presents me like a gift.
“Fancy seeing you here.” He grabs my hand, pressing his lips to it.
“It really is, isn’t it?” Sam places her hands on her hips. “Well, I’m needed somewhere that isn’t here. I’ll catch you two hotties later.” She takes off into the crowd.
“Sam!” I try stopping her, but she takes off before I can even attempt. Sighing, I look at Connor. “I’m sorry about my obnoxious friend.”
“It’s okay. I’ve known Sam for a while. I know what she’s doing. But even if she weren’t, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t try myself.” He grins.
I smile, considering somehow, even after years in a relationship, I still have some game. I’m not sure what to say or how to react, because just moments ago, Tyler and I were inches from one another’s faces. The kiss we both so desperately wanted looming over our heads.
What I told him on Halloween still stands true. We can only be friends because he could never be a fling. But Connor, maybe he can be.
“Want to play corn-hole?” I motion to the game.
“Sure.” He smiles. “So,” he says, grabbing a sack and tossing. “I’m a little confused because as you know, this world is huge yet tightly knit. I’ve never seen you around the Caddell’s or anyone for that matter. What brought you here?” He scores.
“Well, I’m a nurse here on a travel assignment. I met Sam in her paint shop. The rest is history.” I throw a sack, missing pathetically.
He looks down at it and smiles. “How long are you here for?”
“My contract ends in February.” I watch as he scores again.
“So Boston is temporary, then?”
I miss again. I hate this game. “That is correct.”
“I don’t suppose you have someone waiting for you back home?” His eyes meet mine.
“I do not.”
We both know where this is going. We just don’t know how to verbalize it. Honestly? I’m not sure I want to.
“So.” He takes another sack in his hand.
“So.”
He swallows hard. “I don’t have anyone waiting, either.” He throws the sack, missing this time—I have leverage now.
“Convenient.” I throw my sack and I actually score.
“It is. Except, I did just get out of a long-term relationship.”
“Me too.”
“Convenient.” He smiles.
“Yes, it is.” I smile back.
This feels foreign, and it almost feels wrong, even though I know it shouldn’t. I should be allowed to do this, even if my heart is trying to drag me back to that balcony.
He throws his sack and scores. “So.”
“So.”
“You’re probably like me, and not really looking for anything serious, right?” His eyes flick up to me from under his dark brows.
“Right,” I assure him.
“Perfect.”
“Perfect.”
I throw my sack and score.