Dirty(43)
But Joe hustled ass around the room, getting over to his brother’s side, pronto. “Come on, Eric. Let’s go. Catch you guys later.”
“What is this?” Vaughan stepped up beside Pat, brows pulled in so tight they almost touched.
“I just wanted to say I’m fine with you working at the bar,” said Eric. “It’s fine with me. That’s all I came here for.”
Nell stood at the edge of the room, wringing her hands, looking like she’d bolt at the first opportunity. I set down my wineglass. Whatever was going on, the party was most definitely over.
“Pat,” said Vaughan. “Man?”
Pat just stood there, steaming. And I’d thought Vaughan’s laser beam eyes were impressive. He had nothing on Pat. With the way Pat was glaring at him, Eric should have turned into ashes. Dust.
“Don’t,” warned Nell, eyes silently pleading with her ex. “Do not bring my brother into this.”
“Everyone fucking knows.” With some mumbled expletives, Pat offered her a bitter grin. “Did you really think he wouldn’t find out eventually?”
“Find out what?” asked Vaughan, voice beyond tense. “Nell?”
“They screwed,” said Pat. “Your sister and him. Can you believe that shit?”
“What the fuck?” said Vaughan, eyes huge as he turned to his sister. “Nell?”
“Don’t you look at me like that, Vaughan. You weren’t here, you have no idea what this has been like for me.” Fists tight against her stomach, Nell struggled to stay calm. “It only happened a few weeks ago. Pat and I have been separated for over a year. I am not a cheater.”
“Sorry,” muttered Vaughan. “Didn’t mean to accuse you of anything.”
Nell just shook her head. “And you … you were at the goddamn Iron Horse every night tapping all that ass, weren’t you, Pat?”
His jaw trembled with rage.
“You hypocritical bastard,” she said.
“I didn’t fuck your friend, Nell!”
“I made a mistake. I got drunk, and I made a mistake.” Again, her eyes welled with tears.
Hand outstretched, Eric stepped forward. “Pat—”
“I don’t want to hear a single thing from you.” Beneath his faded black shirt, Pat’s shoulders heaved. “Not a single damn thing ever again.”
Mouth hanging open, Vaughan didn’t seem to know where to look. All of his family and friends gathered around him and now this. What should have been a positive experience had hit the wall.
“I trusted you,” snarled Pat. “I trusted both of you.”
“Enough,” said Vaughan, shoving a hand through his hair, obviously struggling. “Leave, Eric. Now.”
“Christ.” Eric hung his head, giving a harsh laugh. “I came here to smooth things over with you. To bury the hatchet. This is such bullshit.”
“Man, c’mon.” Joe grabbed at Eric’s shoulder, but he shook it off.
“Bullshit is it?” Pat took a step forward. “You fuck my wife and that’s bullshit?”
“You know what I don’t get,” said Eric. “You walked out on her, man. So why are you so bitter about this? Got some regrets, Pat?”
“Stop it.” Nell groaned, tears coursing down her face.
“She wasn’t your wife,” continued Eric as if he hadn’t heard. “You heard her. You two had been separated for ages. It isn’t like you’ve been waiting for the divorce to come through before moving on, is it? More like making up for lost time if you ask me.”
“Both of you assholes, shut up now,” yelled Vaughan. “You don’t make my sister cry. Not here, not in this house.”
Lip curled, Pat glared at Eric. Neither of them moving.
Vaughan took a deep breath, visibly reaching for calm. “I think it’d be best for now if both of you left.”
A sobbing sound came from Nell and she turned her face away, obviously distraught. Funnily enough, the fury in Pat’s eyes faded when he saw her in that state. But I don’t think Eric noticed at all, cruel gaze and handsome face warped with anger.
“You know, Pat, I thought you were crazy sticking with the one woman all these years,” said Eric, holding his face up. His smile was more of a sneer. “But now I understand. Fuck me, if Nell isn’t the hottest piece of—”
With a roar, Vaughan suddenly launched himself at the man. Fists flew, sickening thuds. “You don’t talk about her that way!”
Feet kicking, voices shouting, wood splintering as the coffee table exploded beneath the brawling men. Things moved impossibly fast. Someone was screaming. Nell, I think. It was all too much for my drunk dazed mind to comprehend.