Page 47 of Ties That Bind Us

I considered lying for a minute but it didn’t make much of a difference at this point. “Ava.”

“I’m Nick.” Was I hearing things?

I winced at the words, and then twisted my lips into a smile. “You look like more of a Matt, can I call you Matt?”

“You can call me whatever you want, babe.” He chuckled as he finished what was left of his beer.

We spent the next few hours talking and drinking, and I completely lost track of time. He, whoever he was, was helping all of my issues disappear much quicker than I expected. More than anything, he was a warm body who didn’t know who I was or what was going on in my life, and he was taking my mind off of everything.

“It’s closing time, you guys want to settle up?” the bartender asked, clearing our empty glasses away.

Matt reached for his wallet, but I pushed his hand away. “No, let me get this. You’ve helped me more than you know.” I smiled loosely. Between the alcohol and cocaine, I was losing control of my body.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” I insisted, reaching for my purse. Damn it, I didn’t have it, I’d forgotten.

The sparkling ring on my finger caught my attention and I smiled wryly. This was the perfect fuck you to Nick.

I slid it off of my finger and onto the bar top. Both the bartender and Matt stared at me in shock. “I don’t have any cash on me, but will this do?”

“We’ll call it even,” the bartender said, reaching for the ring. My heart skipped slightly as it disappeared. Nick would lose his mind when he found out.

“Why don’t you let me take you back to my place?” Matt said, helping me off the bar stool. That didn’t sound like that bad of an idea. Eventually, I would come out of this state of mind and would need something else to take my mind off of the shambles my life had turned into. And the longer I could put off having to see Nick, the better.

“She’s already with someone.” A dark, menacing voice came from behind me. This time I knew exactly who it was, and it made my stomach lurch. Even in this state, I’d recognize that voice anywhere.

Matt, or Nick, or whatever the hell his name was, chuckled. “Well, maybe she’s tired of her boyfriend,” Matt said, standing protectively in front of me.

“Fiancé, actually,” Nick growled, picking up my left hand, expecting to see his ring. He clenched his jaw when he didn’t, and a sinking feeling grew in the pit of my stomach. “I think it’s time to go home, Ava.” There was nothing in the world as sobering as a pissed-off Nick.

“You don’t have to go anywhere with him if you don’t want to,” Matt said, tilting his head slightly toward me. I noticed Nick’s hands clenched into fists, and the reality of the situation hit me. The drugs, the alcohol, giving my ring away. Nick was only growing angrier by the second, and it wasn’t going to bode well for me, or for this guy who was egging him on.

“Let’s go, Ava,” Nick demanded, grabbing my arm roughly.

Matt stepped forward. “Hey, man, don’t be so rough with—”

Before he could finish the statement, Nick’s fist landed squarely on his jaw, knocking him backward. “Stay the fuck away from her,” he growled, his voice seeping with anger.

“Nick!” I shrieked, latching onto his arm and trying to pull him away.

“Get your ass outside,” he hissed.

“Nick, please,” I begged, not even sure how I wanted to end that statement.

He leaned close to my ear so only I could hear him. “Get your ass outside before I drag you out of this place. Do you understand?”

I nodded meekly, and hurried to the door. Nick was close on my heels, and it might have been me hallucinating, but I swear I could feel the anger radiating off of him.

“I get you’re pissed off, but that doesn’t mean you get to pull this shit,” he growled behind me.

“You have no right to do this,” I said angrily through my tears. The words were jumbled in my head; I could only hope they made sense once I said them. “I’m not a child.”

I fumbled with the keys in my hand but Nick quickly snatched them from me. “Are you fucking high right now?”

I couldn’t bring myself to face him. I hated him for lying to me, but I still hated the idea of disappointing him. This wasn’t fair, none of it was.

He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him, and on instinct I reached out, trying to slap him.

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