Page 40 of Rivals Next Door

“Why?”

I tucked my head into my chest, unable to answer her. I refused to get into my psychological issues which stemmed from childhood. We were at her engagement party, and I wasn’t about to overshadow the festivities with my dark emotional cloud.

“Char, you’re supposed to be celebrating, not sitting here listening to me rant about the latest shit I’ve gotten myself into.”

“Coward,” she taunted.

“Fine, I’m a coward. I don’t want to talk about it.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m disappointed in you.”

“I kissed Olivia,” I blurted.

She gasped. “Okay, I’m invested again… details.”

“You women love your gossip, don’t you?”

“We do,” she replied unabashedly.

Chuckling, I recounted the events of that night. Charlotte hung on my every word, and it was a tad amusing. It was different talking about this stuff with a woman than with the guys.

“Does that mean there’s hope for you and Olivia rekindling your romance?” she asked.

I let out a derisive snort. “Hell no, Charlotte. The kiss was a mistake.” I’d never let one moment of weakness and a few sweet memories derail me from the huge victory that I sought.

Her raised eyebrows screamed skeptical.

“It was,” I emphasized. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Besides, after I pretty much destroy her family’s empire, romance will be impossible. She’ll hate me too much after that.”

Why did the thought of Olivia despising me cause a kick in my gut…?

Charlotte studied me for a moment and then she said, “Good luck with your endeavors, Alex, but I doubt it’s going to end well.”

“You sound like Jamie,” I scowled.

She shrugged. “He’s a smart man.”

“Yeah… and he’s looking over here.”

She followed my gaze to Jamie who was gazing at her with a little smile. Charlotte’s lips stretched into a goofy grin. Suddenly, I felt like I was intruding on a private moment.

“Jesus, why don’t you two just get a room?” I muttered.

Charlotte elbowed me in the side, and I snorted.

“I’m going to see what he wants,” she announced.

“Oh, I think I know what he wants,” I said with a hint of disgust.

I shook my head as Charlotte got up and flounced over to her man. Jamie looked at her as if she were the very air he breathed. Maybe that’s how I once looked at Olivia. I really wish I could get her out of my head…

14

OLIVIA

The sound of my heart beating thundered in my ears as I paced the front of the most expensive restaurant in the city. My heels clicked on the concrete sidewalk as I debated whether I should call the cops or some kind of law enforcement. What the hell was I thinking agreeing to meet a potentially dangerous character on my own?

This wasn’t the first time Liam pulled me into his mess. I’d been trying to get in touch with him for days, praying that I wouldn’t get the news that he’d been found dead somewhere. My brother was so troubled and did so much messed up shit that I braced myself for the worst each time he disappeared.

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