Page 175 of Reaper's Rival

“I did talk to him.”

“Yeah, but usually your talking isn’t talking.”

“Well, tonight it was.” She clicked her fingers at the bartender.

She was avoiding eye contact, which normally meant one thing. Something big happened. What did she do? Whatever it was, she was regretting it. I could tell from the look on her face and the way she was standing. She wasn’t happy.

“God, this prospect sucks at manning a bar,” she grumbled.

“Hey Kim?”

“What, Abby?” She dragged her eyes off the bartender to look at me.

Then there it was. Pain. It was so clear in her eyes. Did I push her further? Did I ask why?

“We were about to start a drinking game. Every time Dad gulps one back, we do too.” I smiled softly at her. Now was not the time to bring it up. Now was the time to get her drunk, because she needed to forget about reality for a while.

“Isn’t he still with that blonde?” Kim looked over her shoulder only to see Dad having a drink.

“Yep.” I grinned. “And hating every minute of it.”

“Looks like I’m already behind.” She looked back at me, this time with a smile on her face. Being her twin, I knew when to push and when to back off. And right now, she just needed her sister to let her breathe.

***

I was supporting Kim up as I unlocked my bedroom door. She groaned as we just made it through the entry and I was dumping her on the bed. She might be tiny, but she was heavy! Well, at least heavy to me.

“It’s not fair!” she goes. “You have everything, and I have nothing.”

“Kim, you’re drunk.” I pulled off her high heels. How did she walk in these?

“You got the husband, the baby, and all I have is…” She looked at me with an empty expression. “Nothing.”

I hadn’t wanted to bring it up all night. In fact, I stayed right away from the subject. “Well, that’s not true.” I looked down at her. “You have Trigger.”

She immediately starting laughing dryly. “No, not anymore.”

“Whatever happened can be undone, Kim.” I thought they had just had another fight to add to the many.

“No, I took a stand. And this time. I’m not crawling back to him.” She pulled herself up the bed till her head was resting on my pillows. “He wants this casual thing, and I want something serious. Something stable. Like you and Kade.”

“Come on. Kade and I stable? Now that’s a joke.” I was the one laughing this time.

“You know what I mean, Abby. Reaper is there for you. No matter what. I want that. And if Trigger won’t give it. I’ll find it with someone else.”

From the tone of her voice and the serious expression she was giving me, I was kind of getting the impression she wasn’t joking.

“So you seriously broke up with him?” I looked her dead in the eye. “Unless he wants serious?” Which we both knew Trigger wasn’t capable of.

Her bottom lip dropped and she nodded her head. “I think I’ve done the right thing. But it is the complete opposite of what my heart wants.”

“Our heart doesn’t always lead us in the best direction.” I was speaking from experience. Reaper and I had done it the hard way, but look where we had turned out. Though he wasn’t here now and I didn’t know when I would see him next. He also hadn’t checked in. I think doing it the hard way was the best way for us.

Kim slid between the sheets and I flicked off the lights.

“Yeah, maybe you are right,” she muttered into the pillow before falling asleep.

She was drunk, so sleep came easily to her. Me, however? I was wide awake wondering what my husband was doing. Did he miss me like I missed him?

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