Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Huh?” He blinked, and I kept my mouth shut but raised an eyebrow, letting his booze-soaked brain catch up. After a few seconds, his lips curled into a smirk. “Shut up. You did not.” He closely leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “You? Or Alex?” Then he laughed. “It’s gotta be you, he’s too grumpy to relax enough for that. Damn, I am so happy. I feel like a proud papa.”
I raised an eyebrow at our overly enthusiastic friend. “You have a warped view of parenthood.”
Trevor snorted. “You have no idea, my friend. No idea. Guess now I understand why you’re over here and Alex is all the way over there. Needed a little break, huh?” he asked before I had a chance to dive into his cryptic statement about his family. One of these days, we’d get the guy to open, but not tonight. No one deserved to relive bad memories on their birthday.
“You’d be correct. So, you’re having fun tonight?”
Trevor beamed. “I am having a fantastic time. Any night that celebrates me is a wonderful night, wouldn’t you say?”
As I was about to make a snarky comment about his self-esteem, he stiffened, and the elated expression slid right off his face. He paled to the point of concern as he stared across the club.
“Trev? What’s wrong?” I followed his gaze. “Oh shit.” I clenched my teeth to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. What the hell was Parker thinking?
He stood across the dance floor, scanning the room with, well, Trevor the Second hanging off his arm. The guy was young, way younger than Parker, and built with the same slender stature as Trevor. He had tanned skin and spiked his platinum-tipped hair in an artful array while wearing a glittery ensemble Trevor would have loved on any other man.
“Trev…”
He visibly shook off the shock of seeing the man he coveted with someone so similar to him. “It’s fine, Ryder.”
“I’m sorry. I have no idea what he’s thinking. He—”
“I said it’s fine,” Trevor snapped in a tone that let me know it was anything but fine. So much for his fantastic night.
All it took was one second of imagining myself in Trevor’s shoes to feel deep and utter heartbreak. The kind that pulls you two inches under the water and holds you there until you drown, watching what you can’t have right beyond the surface. If Alex strolled into the room with someone so like me on his arm while I pined away for him, it would crush me to dust. I could feel Trevor’s agony from here, no matter how wide he smiled that fake grin.
“Did something happen between you guys?”
Trevor tore his gaze away from his obsession and faced me with despair written all over his shimmering face. “Something besides him telling me I was way too young for him, and nothing would ever happen between us because of it?”
Oh, Christ. After throwing that shit at Trevor, he had the nerve to show up with someone just as young. I had no idea what to say to that. Fucking Parker.
As though he could sense our turmoil, Alex glanced away from his conversation. One look at our faces had him standing and making his excuses to Dom and Luke. He followed Trevor’s longing gaze to where Parker stood with his new plaything, and Alex’s features darkened with disbelief and fury.
“What the fuck?” he said as he reached us. His arm went around my waist, and he drew me to his side. Touching me seemed so ingrained in him at this point that he reached for me seemingly without thought.
I loved it.
My family wasn’t touchy growing up. We weren’t demonstrative or affectionate. My father shook my hand instead of hugging me, even on Christmas or my birthday. I’d never imagined I’d like someone always wanting their hands on me, but it’s become so vital to my existence that it was the first thing I missed when our schedules kept us apart. I wonder if Alex realized he did it, or if it was done without thought.
“It’s your fucking birthday. What the hell is he thinking?” The indignation in his voice would have had my lips twitching if Trevor’s heart wasn’t shattered.
I squeezed Alex’s side. He meant well, but Trevor might benefit more from a distraction than from pointing out the obvious. He met my gaze and nodded as though he understood my silent message.
“Want me to kick his ass?” he asked as he turned back to Trevor. “I could take him with my eyes closed.”
That finally got some version of a laugh from the birthday boy. “No, thank you. It’s not worth risking your job over.”
“I’ll do it,” I piped in. “The man can’t fire me. I quit months ago.”
Trevor snorted as Alex curled his lips inward as though trying to stem a smirk.