Page 57 of My Ex-Boyfriend's Brothers

“I’m going to confront him. I was kind of hoping you’d come with me.” She saw my face and rushed on. “He didn’t just hurt me. He hurt you, too. He deserves to have to face both of us.”

It wasn’t something I ever would’ve done before. I’d let him get away with murder during our relationship and I’d never been confrontational. “What he’s done to you is much worse, Christina. You don’t need to share that moment with me.”

“I want to. I want him to see us together. I want him to see us and know that he failed.” She sniffed. “I think you’re my only real friend, Maggie. That’s the most pitiful thing I’ve ever said, considering I’ve only know you for two weeks, but it’s true. I’m surrounded by people who want something from me and it’s exhausting. They feel what they think I want them to feel. You’redifferent, though. I just want to have someone by my side who’s angry for their own reasons and not just because I told them to be.”

“Okay.” I nodded. “I’ll be there.”

She moved closer and hugged me. “Let me call your guys and explain. I messed up and I’d like to make it right.”

A sob wracked my body and without any additional warning, Christina and I both broke down into ugly tears. It was only after we’d cried ourselves out and ended up lying side by side in my bed that I answered her.

“I don’t want you to call them.” I turned my face towards hers and gave a small smile when I felt her grab my hand. “It’s over. I think it’s best to just leave it alone.”

48

***Maggie***

Christina let us into her suite that morning after we’d spent hours in my bed crying together. We were both at our lowest but somehow stronger for it. She was ready to confront Brad and I was ready to be at her side through everything. The way I saw it, she was about to set herself free from a nightmare of a man.

Brad was snoring on his back, his naked body exposed as Christina and I stood at the foot of the bed, hands on our hips. He had no idea the trouble coming his way.

She kicked the bed and hissed his name. “Brad!”

He jerked awake and immediately gripped his head. “Jesus. What time is it? I need more sleep, Chris. I feel like shit.”

“You’re about to feel a whole lot worse.” I took pleasure in watching him shoot up at the sound of my voice. I laughed as he yanked a sheet over himself and turned red at the sight of us.

“What the fuck is this?”

Christina inched her chin higher. “This is your reality check. You and I are through, Brad. I want nothing to do with you.You’re a lying, cheating pig and I feel sorry for the woman who eventually does end up stuck with you.”

“Wait. Wait a second. What are you talking about? Christina, baby, what’s wrong? Talk to me.” He shot a nervous look at me. “Has she been lying to you? You can’t believe her. She wants this. She wants to break us up.”

I scoffed. “You think I worked my ass off just to break up the wedding? Are you fucking stupid?”

“I went through your phone.” Christina’s voice shook and I gripped her hand in mine. “You’re an asshole.”

Frantically searching the bed for his phone, as if that would make it not true, Brad finally gave up and glared at us. “Whatever you saw, it’s not real.”

“Shut up already.” She sighed. “This is over. I’m not marrying you. I want you out of my house and I never want to see you again. You’re a piece of shit. Worse, you’re mean just because you can be.”

“Nice black eyes, by the way.” I smiled even wider. “Did Jackson do that?”

His reddening face gave him away. I was right. “You can’t do this. You can’t call off the wedding. Our families are here.”

“They can stay for the party if they want. I’ll be celebrating dodging a massive bullet.” Christina scowled down at him. “Get out of my room. If you’re still here when I come back in an hour, I’ll have security throw you out.”

“This is ridiculous! You’re going to regret this. This is the biggest mistake you’ll ever make! You walk away from me and I’ll never give you another chance. You’re losing the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

A rushed knock on the door made me flinch but when Christina pulled the door open a moment later and Sharon sauntered in, the flinch turned into a full-body chill. As elegant as ever in a white shift dress, she sauntered into the room withher nose in the air. She only seemed to notice something wasn’t right when no one acknowledged her.

“What’s going on?”

“Your son is a cheater and the wedding’s off. That’s the gist.”

Sharon’s sharp gaze lasered in on me. “This has something to do with you, doesn’t it? My husband told me exactly what you were up to with Luke and I can see you’re causing a scandal here.”

“Me? No.” I’d always been a little terrified of Sharon. She’d never been shy about letting me know Brad was dating beneath his means.

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