Page 104 of Bona Fide

“What the hell?!”

That’s not Wade’s voice.

Breaking from Grant, we both peer over to see Jed standing in the doorway of his office with wide eyes and his jaw almost to the floor.

“Oh, hey,” Grant voices, his arm still around my waist that I don’t remember being there before. “How did dinner go?”

Jed’s eyes slam into his brother as the shock on his face still remains there. “It fucking sucked.”

I break from Grant slowly and round the desk. “What happened?” Jed’s head slowly turns in my direction then soaks me in like he hasn’t seen me in years. We’re past that, I’ve seen him about a handful of times already.

“I broke off our engagement.”

I bellow out a “what” as Grant says “what the hell”.

“Dude,” Grant transmits. “Why?” He comes to stand next to me, just as puzzled as I am as Jed slowly comes out of whatever trance he’s in right now.

“Jed,” I voice. “What happened?”

I just had to deal with eight of your stupid-ass groomsmen.

“I couldn’t do it,” he replies. “I barely know her. And she drives me fucking crazy.” I stride towards him, pulling him into my arms to give him a hug.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter into his shoulder. “Are you okay, though?”

I feel his head tuck into the crook of my neck, his face being suffocated more than likely with my hair. His arms wrap around my waist to return the hug before I give him a little squeeze.

“Talk to me,” I whisper. “Are you okay with all of this?”

“Yeah. I was.”

Slowly, I pull myself away from his body so I can look at his face. “But?”

His brown eyes meet mine, so full of sadness. “But then I saw you kissing my brother...again.”

My heart falls right to my stomach, but his grip stays loomed around me to keep me close. It only urges my fleeting nature to leave this house because I can't hurt him for a second time, especially with the same person. I don't want to inflict my pain onto the man that would never mess with my emotions.

“Jed,” I chant. “I’m—”

“Don’t start that shit again,” Grant snaps behind me, annoyed. “You have or had a fiancée. Rea and I have a past, but we're not about to rekindle it. I'm not that big of a fucking idiot to know that."

"Then why was your mouth on what was mine in the first place?" Jed chides, glaring at his brother from over my shoulder. I begin to take a step back, but Jed holds on firmly to me like I'm his lifeline, and he needs it so that he doesn't lose his shit.

“Been there, done that,” Grant retorts. “We’ve had this fight. I’m not doing it again.”

“Then stay the fuck away from her.”

“She’s a big girl now. I’m not forcing her to do anything.”

“Jed,” I hedge, placing my hand on his chest just to feel his rapid heartbeat. “We weren’t trying to hurt you. I’m just—it was just a kiss.”

"Then why does it feel like you just stomped on my heart again?" he counters, flicking his eyes to mine. "Because it just hit the floor, Rea."

“I’m sorry.” Tears begin to burn the back of my eyes as I push at his chest to let me go. “I didn’t mean—”

“I broke my engagement off because of you. Because I can’t marry a woman who doesn’t make me feel whole inside. Who has the personality of a corpse. Then you come back and...I feel it again.”

I shake my head. “Oh, no, Jed, please don’t—”

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