Page 4 of Life

His twin. I still can’t believe he had an identical twin and I had no idea. Why didn’t Tommy talk about Elijah? Why didn’t his family? I’d been to countless dinnersen la casa familia de laRedding. It doesn’t make sense why his name wouldn’t have come up. We spent Thanksgiving and Christmas together, and nothing. Not a word.

None of it makes any sense. All I know is, when he addressed me from behind, I thought Tommy was speaking to me from beyond the grave. And then I turned around, and it was like seeing a living, breathing ghost. Only he is much larger and more ruggedly handsome. Elijah looks like the type of man who wouldn’t stay in one place for long. He takes good care of himself if the black T-shirt stretched over a massive wall of muscle is any indication. His dark jeans, motorcycle boots, and wide-legged stance proclaim he doesn’t give a fuck what people think of his clothes, because he doesn’t wear them for anyone else. Even at a funeral. Where everyone comes dressed in their Sunday finest, Tommy’s own brother shows up in jeans and a T-shirtafterthe ceremony is over. I don’t know whether to hug the man or flip him off.

When we get outside, Gillian stops me in front of the limo. “Holy shit, Ria. Are you okay?” She holds on to my biceps, her emerald-green eyes staring worriedly into my blue ones.

I shake my head. “I don’t know. Yes. No. Maybe. That was fucked up.”

Chase tugs at his sleeves, straightening them. “I’ll say. You didn’t know he had a twin brother?”

“No. Total messed-up surprise. Tommy and his family never mentioned him at all this past year. I’d remember if my boyfriend had told me he was a twin. An identical twin!”

Gillian pulls me into her arms. “God, this day. Wanna go drink it away at the penthouse?”

Chase tugs Gillian back against his body, whispers into her ear, and places both of his hands over her abdomen. What. The. Fuck. He doesn’t usually act superhumanly possessive around me—only against males who make advances toward his woman. Even if the past few months had brought down a shitstorm of hell and damnation onto our little group, his protectiveness is reaching epic douchebag proportions.

Gillian pats his hands and locks eyes with me, but responds to him. “Oh, I’m not in the drinking mood, honey. I never drink when I’m sad. But Ria and you should definitely tie one on. How about it?” She smiles sweetly at me and pushes a lock of red hair behind her ear.

“Sounds like I’ll be staying atla casaDavis tonight. Chase, you better break outla buena mierda.”

“The good shit.” He smirks. “You got it. Now please get in the car and buckle up.”

I pout. “Always so bossy.”

“Sister, you have no idea.” Gigi sighs dreamily.

“You can tell me all about it over tequila,” I grumble and open the door of the limo. I glance back at the church, the one I will never enter again. “Bye, Tommy,” I whisper at the same time Elijah exits. I hold my breath and watch as his eyes zero in on mine. Then he lifts a hand and waves.

A swift wind blows my hair, chilling me straight down to the bone. Gooseflesh rises on my arms, and my teeth start chattering uncontrollably. I glance once more at the church and wave at the lone figure before dipping my head and getting into the car.

Chapter Two

“Yentonces qué pasó?” I slur into my margarita. Damn, that butler cook guy makes awesome drinks. Benty? Benito? No, no… Bentley. Yeah, that’s his name. He’sincreíble.

Gigi smacks my thigh. “In English!” she scolds and giggles.

Whoops. Didn’t realize that I’d spoken in Spanish. The drinks are going down too easily. “‘And then what happened?,’ is what I said.”

My best friend crosses her legs under her while sitting on the couch next to me. Chase smirks, leaning against the back of the opposite couch. Usually, Chase is one cool cucumber, but since Daniel McBride stalked and kidnapped his beloved Gillian and murdered my Tommy, he has definitely turned more guarded, even a bit icy. Though I can see the edges around him melting the more whiskey he tosses back.

Gillian inhales, locks eyes with me, and blurts out an answer to my question. I have a feeling I know what she is going to say even before she says it.

“We got married!” she squeals, bouncing in her seat, nothing but joy plastered across her face.

I blink a few times, watching the trails of light follow her movement in blurry streaks of rainbow colors. Frizzles of heat shimmer up my body as ire fills in the gaps in each pore.

Shaking my head, I poke her thigh. “I knew it. Just knew it. Youputa! You ran off and got married without your best friends! Without me.No es cool!” I pout and throw daggers over at Chase. “And you”—I move my judging finger to him—“you planned it. You realizeKarma es una puta y su nombre es Maria!” Basically translates to Karma is a bitch, and her name is Maria.

Chase chuckles so hard he chokes on his drink. He uses his fist to pound against his sternum. “Jesus, Maria, you do not hold back.”

“Never have, never will.You eloped.With my best friend. How could you?” My words are straightforward, but I’m not able to hide the dejected edge in my tone.

If I were more put together, I wouldn’t have sounded like a whining child. Unfortunately, a handful of margaritas, a funeral, and no food to speak of… What can I say? The five-year-old makes an appearance. Chase knows Gillian means the world to me.He knows.

Chase’s eyes are an ocean aqua-blue when he takes the chair directly opposite me and reaches for my hand. He’s never done that before, but lately he’s been more forthcoming physically. I’m thrilled he’s making an effort to connect with me and the girls, as if we are now a real part of his life, maybe even his family.

“Maria, I think the real question is, how could I not marry her in private, after the wedding straight from hell?” He lifts one dark espresso-colored eyebrow, mocking me at the same time he speaks the truth.

Bastard has a point. A couple months ago, Gillian and Chase were supposed to be married in a beautiful seaside wedding in Cancun. What happened instead was her stalker broke into the bride’s room, sliced Chase’s mother’s throat, and kidnapped my best friend. He had her for four full days, chained up in a concrete storm shelter, wrapped in nothing but her wedding gown. And all that happened before he started the fire in the San Francisco theatre that changed Kat’s life and ended Tommy’s.

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