Page 11 of Restrained

I wave him off as politely as I can. I’ve already betrayed my little brother enough. Going to dinner with Viv and Sawyer? Not a good idea. “No thanks. I have a lot of work I need to get done, but you guys have fun.”

I start toward the kitchen, and I hear Vivienne tell the boys she’ll be back as she follows me. I go to the fridge and grab a bottle of wine, closing the door and turning toward Viv. “Want some?”

She shakes her head as she slides onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. “No, thank you.”

I grab a wine glass and pour some of the delicious red wine into it, taking a small sip. “You okay?”

She nods her head, but I see her hesitance. “I’m fine.”

My eyes drift toward the living room, but I can’t see Sawyer or Baz. I look back at Viv. “You can talk to me.”

“I know.” She takes a deep, sad breath. “There’s really nothing to talk about, though.”

I place the bottle of wine back in the fridge before joining her on the stool by her side. “So, are you and Sawyer getting serious?” Maybe it’s not polite to ask, but I’m curious. And I can’t picture Sawyer getting serious with anyone.

“I don’t know.” She gnaws on her bottom lip, looking as confused and lost as my little brother did on the video call. “I care about him. He’s a lot better of a guy than I thought.”

“You sure?” I smile coyly and take a sip of wine as she laughs.

“He’s no saint, but who is? And yes, I know he’s done some pretty shitty things.”

“To women.” I interject. I don’t want to push her away from Sawyer, but the stories I've heard about him aren’t great, and Viv is family.

“Yes. To women. He’s always been a player, but you know what, Lola?” She’s not angry, however there is a determination there. “He’s owned up to it. He regrets a lot of things, and with me,...” she sighs, “he’s been honest.”

As far as she knows.

I don’t say it out loud, but how do you ever really know if someone is being honest. A liar isn’t going to tell you they’re lying.

“Just be careful.”

“I will. But as of right now, there’s no commitment. We’re just taking it very slow.”

I study her, unsure of what the hell that means. “So, you’re both allowed to be with other people?”

She shrugs. “Yes.”

“And it doesn’t bother you?”

“I don’t know. Right now, I'm not in the position to ask him not to sleep with anyone else, and vice versa.”

If she’s fine with him sleeping with other women, I would say what they have is definitelynotserious.

I take another drink of the red liquid.Although what the hell do I know about any of it?

She shrugs her small shoulders and laughs. “Well, at least he’s not bad to look at while I figure things out.”

“Just look?”

She blushes slightly, and I laugh with her. I shouldn’t dig too deep into her business, but I do want her to talk to me like she would any friend. I don’t want to see her hurting.

Sawyer pops his head in the kitchen, and I smile when I see Baz at his side. He’s definitely a Sawyer fan. “We’re going to revolt if we don’t get to eat soon.”

Vivienne laughs easily, and I see the freedom Sawyer allows her. With Asher, there was tension, but with Sawyer, it seems she can relax with him. “One moment.”

He nods and picks Baz up, setting him on his shoulders as they head back to the living room.

Viv’s attention is back on me. “You sure you don’t want to go?”

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