Page 12 of Forsaking All Others

“That’s not true,” she argues. “I brought my potato salad to the cookout last summer.”

My brows draw together.

More bullshit.

“Gonna ask one more time,” I say as I round the bar. Coming to stand in front of her, I match her stance by crossing my arms against my chest. Her gaze lowers to my forearms, specifically to the spot where her name is forever inked to my skin. “Holly,” I call. She lifts her gaze. “Why are you here?”

Swallowing, she drops her arms to her sides and clears her throat.

“The truth,” I demand.

“I…” Her voice trails and she shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. Tell Leftie I hope he enjoys the steak.” With that she turns to leave, but my reflexes are quick and I tag her arm before she can walk away from me.

“Don’t touch me,” she snaps as she spins around to face me, pulling her arm away. Those fucking eyes of hers narrow into tiny slits.

Angry.

So fucking angry.

And pretty too.

Hot—real fucking hot.

Makes me want to fuck the anger right out of her.

“Don’t you dare fucking touch me. Not after…” Her voice trails as she stops herself from completing the sentence.

Like I said, typical Holly.

“Not after her,” I finish for her. “That’s what you were about to say, isn’t it?” Her silence is all the confirmation I need and the shred of patience I was holding onto snaps. The fucking woman moved on, got remarried and had a baby with another man and here we are. “Woman you got the biggest pair of balls I’ve ever encountered.”

She laughs bitterly, but there isn’t a trace of humor to be found in her eyes. Stepping forward, she pokes a finger against my chest.

“This is all your fault,” she grinds out.

My hand closes around her wrist and I bend my head, making it so that my eyes are level with hers.

Christ.

Those fucking eyes.

They do me in and before I realize what the fuck I’m doing, I touch my forehead to hers and reach around to cup the back of her neck.

“Been nailed to that cross for a long time, baby,” I rasp. “How long you gonna keep me there?”

“Mav,” she whispers. “Please.”

My gaze drops to her lips.

“Please, what?” I ask huskily. When she doesn’t answer, I give her neck a gentle squeeze. The tip of my nose brushes hers and I continue. “You came here looking for something, Holly, now I don’t know what that something is, but I’ll give you some truth. You and me, there’s no escaping that shit. We can pretend all we want but all it takes is a couple of hours in the same room, at the same table, and we get dragged back in time, to when it was you and me against the fucking world. Now, I’m feeling generous, so I’ll give you some more truth. Every time I’m inside another woman, all I see is you. It’s always been you, Holly, and it’s gonna keep being you until the day I die, so unless it’s about the kids, don’t come here no more.”

I can’t take it anymore.

A door opens and someone clears their throat. My fingers loosen around Holly’s neck and I take a step backward, glancing over my shoulder to find King standing in front of the chapel. Beside him is my brother, Shady, and his eyes are pinned to Holly.

The motherfucker still holds a candle for her.

I guess we got more in common than either of us care to admit.

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