Revealed by You(8)

When I looked back down the hallway, she was gone.



***



As pissed off as I was that I wasn’t the one who planned the birthday party for Brett, I did enjoy myself.

Anna went all out. Invited everyone that Brett knew. His sister and her boyfriend. I even saw my brothers, Evan and Ethan. Everett of course, was nowhere to be found, as usual. A sad sigh escaped my lips. He was the one that I worried about the most.

I watched as Brett’s face lit up when his gaze landed on his sister. The small petite woman laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he swung her around.

The larger man that she was with, was Hollywood beautiful. Blond hair, blue eyes. He looked like he just walked out of a magazine.

Brett looked my way, his smile widening. He nodded at me and the three of them headed in my direction when Anna stepped in front of him.

Heat flushed through my body as he looked down at her.

She looked at me over her shoulder and winked before turning back to him. Placing her hands on his chest, she let them graze down his torso.

I bit back a snarl as I watched the action before me. How could he—

He frowned and gripped her wrists, stopping her from going any further.

A breath left me on a whoosh and I turned away.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I felt him approach the booth I was sitting in. It was the same booth we had had some fun in after too many drinks a couple of weeks ago. Memories reined in of that night. Tequila, rum, me bent over the bench…desire curled in my belly and I let out a sigh. I liked to think of it as our booth.

“Evvie.”

I jumped at the deep smooth voice in my ear and I looked up at Brett before noticing that his sister and her boyfriend stood beside him.

His eyes warmed. “I want you to meet my sister.”

The small woman smiled and held out her hand. “We’ve met once before, but I’m Keisha. It’s so nice to see my brother finally settle down with a good woman,” she laughed.

As opposed to a non-good woman? “Thank you.” I returned her hand shake. “I think.”

The larger man with her chuckled. “All he does is talk about you.” He held out his hand. “I’m Garrith.”

I nodded. I remembered him as well, drinking his life away a couple of months ago. The couple looked happy, whole. Complete.

I watched as Keisha fingered a small black collar around her neck when Garrith placed his arm around her shoulders.

“We have to go. Just wanted to say hi and meet the woman who finally captured my brother’s heart,” Keisha explained.

We said our goodbyes and they left, hand in hand out of the club.

“What’s wrong?” Brett asked, sliding into the booth beside me.

“What did Anna want?” I asked. Every so often she would look our way, her gaze filling with a longing for the man that was with me.

“Wanted me to mingle,” Brett said, brushing his finger down my arm.

“She’s in love with you.” As soon as the words left my lips, I believed them myself. I tried convincing myself that she didn’t have feelings for my boyfriend. I just met the woman but the look I had seen on her face every time she looked at him, reminded me that I gave him that look also.

He stiffened beside me. “She is not.”

I scoffed and turned to him. “No? How come she touches you every time she can or looks at you with a longing like she needs to have you?”

He shook his head. “That’s not tr—”

“Don’t say it’s not true because it’s the same look that I give you.”

He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. “She was in love with me in high school but I thought she got over it. It’s been years since I’ve seen her. I expected her to move on.”

A laugh escaped my lips.

He frowned. “What?”

“As much as I don’t like the way she looks at you, I get it. If it was me, I would never be able to get over you, Brett.”

His mouth inched closer to mine. “I don’t want you to get over me.”

I smiled. “She just better remember that you’re mine.”

“Even if she doesn’t, she won’t get what she wants,” he said, brushing his lips across mine.

“You don’t know the power of a woman,” I whispered.

He lifted his head, his eyes narrowing before he pinched my chin. “Do you trust me?”

I swallowed at the harsh tone of his voice. “Yes, but I don’t trust her.”

His hand wrapped around my throat, holding my head in place as he stared intently into my eyes. “I don’t expect you to. But you better trust me. I love you. You are it for me. I don’t want anyone else. How many times do I have to tell you that?”