Page 35 of When the Last One Falls
“Well, I guess alls well that ends well,” Dylan said. “You get your mines back, don’t have to pay back your parents’ debt, and get a nice, quick, uncomplicated divorce.” She grinned. “I say that’s cause for celebration.”
I knew what she was doing.
She was calling me out on my feelings for Brantley, and she sucked for it.
Logically, I knew that I should be ecstatic. I knew that I should be happy with this new turn of developments. I knew that it was a way better option than being married in name only. Still, as selfish as it was, he had promised to pay for Lindsey’s medical costs, and divorcing me freed him from that obligation. Divorcing me freed him from everything.
“He promised to pay for Lindsey’s medical care,” I said to no one in particular.
“Maybe you can make that a condition of the divorce,” Huntley suggested.
“Even I’m not that much of a slimeball to do that, Huntley,” I told her. “With everything that he’s losing with this supposed divorce, the last thing that I’m going to do is ask him to honor a monetary commitment that he isn’t obligated to honor.”
“Or maybe you need you get your head out of your ass and apologize,” Dylan huffed.
“Dylan!” Huntley chastised. “Be nice.”
“Oh, c’mon,” she grumbled. “Everyone here knows that I’m right. Keris got caught up in her feelings, and she took it out on Brantley because her pride is a stubborn sonofabitch.” Her head swiveled to look at all of us. “Tell me I’m wrong? Tell me that KerisKingstonisn’t the most stubborn out of all of us.”
No one said a word, and it really sucked when someone stuffed crow in your mouth like that. My feelingshadbeen hurt, and anger had allowed me to live in ignorant bliss for an entire week. Plus, there was no denying how my stomach had cramped painfully at Beau’s announcement.
“So, what if I do care about him?” I posed. “You heard his brother. He’s going to divorce me.”
Dylan’s face softened. “Look, Keris, I get it,” she said. “I really do. Nothing sucks worse than having to admit when you’re wrong.”
“No shit,” Huntley muttered, and that’s when everything came crashing down around me. I’d had the opportunity to have something better than what my two friends had, and I had allowed my pride to send me off the rails.
“Call him, show up at his office, do whatever you have to in order to see him,” Dylan went on. “Then be honest. As painful as it’s going to be, you need to be completely honest with him about how you feel, Keris. No half-measures if you really don’t want him divorcing you.”
“Yeah, easier said than done,” I sighed, however, knowing that I didn’t have a choice.
Chapter 24
Brantley~
Ididn’t want to be here, but I’d known about Ares Cormac’s accepting his invitation, so I was here just to show my face. In a few days, I was about to forfeit the mines and file for divorce, and I was not going to let anyone think that I was broken over it, no matter how tight my chest felt.
It had taken only two days for me to realize that Keris was like a drug to me. There would be no being married in name only because I couldn’t be sure that I’d stick to my end of the bargain. Keris was all or nothing for me, and I knew enough to know that. Like a true junkie, if I had access to her, then I was going to take a hit sooner or later.
So, after that revelation had hit me in the face, I’d met with my father, telling him my plans to give up the mines and divorce Keris. Of course, he had lost his damn mind, ranting and raving over the lost possible revenue, but I hadn’t cared, still didn’t. Greed wasn’t going to ruin the rest of my life, especially when it wasn’t evenmygreed that we were talking about here.
The only downside to attending tonight’s charity auction was that it was for the arts, and I’d known before accepting that Keris might be here, along with her two friends. Antiquities, art, and gems usually ran together, so that might be a problem. Luckily, I had invited Shera Holgram as my date, hoping to make my point. Though there was nothing going on between me and Shera, no one would know that. She was actually one of our charity heads and her expertise was in antiques, so she had a good eye for the best investments tonight. Magnus and Onyx were also in attendance, though they had chosen to arrive alone. Still, the more the better for me.
With Shera off examining the pieces, and Magnus stalking her because he wasn’t our CFO for nothing, it was just me and Onyx nursing our drinks, watching the flurry of activity that always accompanied these types of events.
“Look, I know this might not be the best time to bring this up, but are you sure, man?” he asked, and I didn’t even have to ask him what he was talking about.
I wasn’t sure what was going on, but for the past week, Keris had been calling, texting, and leaving voicemails until I’d had to block her number. After that, she’d had the gall to show up at the offices, having her escorted from the building a fortunately discreet affair. Not having read her texts or listen to her voicemails, I had no idea what was so important, but again, I was an addict where she was concerned, so I’d made sure not to tempt myself. I also knew that she was still at the house because my housekeeper had been kind enough to keep me informed of Keris’ activities. It could be that Keris had been calling to ask me for some more time before forcing her to move out. Nothing else made sense.
“I can’t be married to a woman that sees me as a monster, Onyx,” I answered. “Not when I care for her the way that I do.” Onyx and Magnus knew all the dirt, including how I’d gone and fallen in love with my wife. “Besides, she deserves to be happy.”
“And you don’t?” he challenged.
“I guess that depends on who you ask,” I answered before taking another drink of my whiskey.
“Well, brace yourself, my friend,” he grumbled. “She just walked into the building.”
Unable to help myself, I turned to look, and I wished that I hadn’t. With her hair piled up on the top of her head, whisps of chocolate cascading all around her head, her face looked flawless. Still, that was nothing compared to the dress that she had on.
