Page 79 of Last Round

“Hey,” I interject, regaining my senses and sitting upright. It’s my turn to shield Molly. “I get you’re mad and you have the right to be pissed. You can say whatever you want about me. But leave Molly out of it.”

“What? You fucked every other chick in this city, and she was fresh meat?” Sean’s glare becomes deadly. “How long have you wanted to fuck my sister? Were you pressuring her back then? Is that why she changed her mind about going to college and ran halfway across the country?” Sean’s fist is raised, prepared to hit me, and this time it looks like his intention is to kill not maim.

“I love him,” Molly cries out. Sean freezes, appearing to be just as shocked by his sister’s declaration as I am. “This was all me. Killian told me no, several times. But I went after him, not the other way around. I’ve been in love with him since I was old enough to understand what these feelings meant. You’re right. I hightailed it out of here because of him. But it’s not how you think. I couldn’t stand spending every day forced to see someone I love, who would never see or love me the same.”

My jaw drops as I stare at her. She told me about the crush she had on me back in the day, but I never realized how deep it went. I figured it was just some silly schoolgirl thing. Not to the point where the reason she’s been gone for seven years was because of me.

Sean laughs. “You love him? God, I can’t believe Jessica was right. I spent my whole night defending you to her. That you’re smart and will land on your feet, with or without my help. But now…” He looks between us. “He’s going to ruin your life and I’m not going to sit here and witness it. Both of you can fuck off.” Sean storms out of the room.

“Sean,” Molly cries before wrapping herself in the sheet and running after him.

She loves me.

I lie back on the bed, my face throbbing, and stare at the ceiling. My heart constricts at the realization that in a single instant I not only received the most amazing news but lost my best friend, my business partner,my brother… and it seems my girl too. Sean poured a bucket of ice-cold reality on us, and without giving me a second glance, Molly chased after him. Leaving me alone, naked, and bloodied on a pile of sheets that still smell like us.

Moving On

Molly

Talkaboutafuckingwake-up call. I mean, it could’ve been worse. He could have shown up a couple of hours earlier while I was riding Killian like the stallion he is. That probably would have ended with one or both of them in a body bag. Still, I knew Sean was going to be mad—everyone did—but this is too much. Punching Kill was one thing; it’s how those two have always resolved their issues. But those awful things he said. That wasn’t Sean. Itisn’thim.

“Sean, please wait.” I catch up to my brother just outside the apartment door. And thank god, because I really didn’t want the additional embarrassment of chasing him through the gym or down the street butt naked and wrapped in a sheet.

He stops, turns around, and eyes me up and down before pivoting on his heel again. “I can’t even look at you right now.”

“Then come back inside.” I adjust the bedsheet before a nipple slip adds fuel to the fire. “We will get dressed, put on some coffee—fuck it, grab the whiskey—and talk about this like the grown-ass adults I know we are.”

He scoffs, his arms crossed while refusing to even try to meet me in the middle.

“Sean, you’re not being fair.”

“Fair!” He spins to face me and hollers, “How am I supposed to be fucking fair? My man-whoring best friend is sticking his filthy, Frankenstein-looking dick in my naive little sister.” He pauses to rub his palms down his face. “God, you’re like a lovesick little puppy and he’s taking full advantage of it.”

My fists clench around the sheet. “Look, I totally expected you to be mad. Fuck, even throw a punch or two. Butthis.” I gesture to him. “I never expected you to be such an unbelievable asshole.”

His expression softens as he takes a step forward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—” He reaches out, but I take a step back, hugging myself tightly.

“No, Sean, you said exactly what you meant,” I say, sniffling. When a reality you don’t like starts to set in and you begin to accept it, it’s a very weird sensation. It’s like this cold hollow feeling in your chest that makes it difficult to take your next breath. “You’re only sorry because you said it out loud and can’t take it back.” He doesn’t correct me. “This was a huge mistake.”

“Good,” he sighs, obviously relieved. “Then let’s go back inside, grab your shit, and go home.”

“No, Sean.” I shake my head and maintain my distance from someone I’ve looked up to my entire life. “My mistake was following you out here. Being foolish enough to think that I could reason with you. Get you to come inside and talk about this like a mature adult. Or at least like his best friend and my big brother. You should go.” I turn my back on him.

“Molly, wait.”

“Go.” My head sags. “This might not be my home, but I meant it when I said I love him. If you think so little of the man you’ve claimed was your best friend your entire life, then you have no business being here. Killian doesn’t deserve that.” My resolve gives me the courage to straighten my spine, pivot, and look him in the eyes. “Goodbye, Sean. I hope you and Jessica are very happy together.” With that, I spin and enter the apartment, slam the door in his face, and secure the chain. While he’s being an utter dumbass, I want to believe that my brother isn’t dumb enough to bust down the door.

Standing on the threshold to the bedroom, I watch as Killian lies there, bloodied and defeated while staring up at the spinning ceiling fan. I absolutely hate seeing him like this. That being said, I love him even more for not hitting back, for not stooping to Sean’s level. Yes, they’ve gotten in fights before, not just sparring but rolling around on the ground having a bare-knuckle brawl. Still, I’ve never seen Sean look so cold and heartless, especially not with his fist raised to his friend. I didn’t even recognize him; he was a complete stranger.

I wipe away my tears. Sean’s gotten enough of them from me in the last twenty-four hours. “He’s gone.”

Killian doesn’t say anything as I crawl into bed. My fingers hover over the damage my idiot brother caused. A new wave of fury boils up within me. Not just because he repeatedly punched a man who was defenseless, lying naked in bed. It’s that he would risk hitting him in the face like that at all. I inspect Killian’s eye, making sure Sean at least had enough common sense not to strike him there.One good hit, the doctor cautioned after the fight that ended Killian’s career. That’s all it would take and he could go blind, have brain damage, or worse… die.

“I’m so sorry, Killian. This is all my fault—”

He grips my wrist. “None of this is your fault, Molly.”

“It is,” I sigh. “He shouldn’t have found out that way.” If I didn’t let Tony’s sudden reemergence throw me off balance, or Jessica’s bitchy presence hold me back, we would have told him weeks ago. While none of that remotely excuses his behavior, I want to believe that his reaction was fueled by the rage of finding us naked and spooning. And not just the fact that we’re together.

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