Page 101 of My Undead Heart
Matt walks away and it feels very much like rejection. I’ve never been one to run after a man, but I can finally understand the urge to do so and that thought angers me enough to leave. I’m already late for the party. Jared and Rae have been texting me photos of their fun all night. I thought I’d made the right choice by splitting my evening and coming here first, but now I’m not so sure. Between witnessing the altercation with his father and now this brush off, I’m not positive Matt’s the man I thought he was.
“Mia! Wait up!” Matt’s brother Danny calls out and waves. Nikki’s attached to his side, much as she’s been all night. I have to admit as much as I don’t want to like her merely because of her connection to Violet, she’s been friendly all evening. I wouldn’t go so far as to invite her to hang out, but she’s not the vile person I first assumed.
“Hey,” I say as Danny and Nikki reach me in the crowd. There are still quite a few people loitering around.
“You sticking around to wait for Matt?” Danny asks.
“No, actually I need to catch a bus uptown. My friends throw this killer Halloween party each year and I’m already late.”
He nods. “You want a ride? We were about to take off.”
“Oh, I don’t want to put you out.”
Nikki hooks her arm in mine. “Seriously, Mia? Come with us. Danny’s ride is a thousand times better than a city bus!” She doesn’t even wait for my answer and tugs me outside along with them.
“So, what did you think of the fights?” Danny asks. “First time?”
“Yeah, first fights I’ve watched live. Well, organized and for sport. I’ve seen my fair of bar fights.”
“I’m not gonna lie. There’s something super hot about two guys going at it on the ground.” Nikki giggles and Danny rolls his eyes. “What? Tell me I’m not alone in this, Mia? It’s fucking hot, right?”
“Two dudes. Totally hot.” I agree to that part.
Danny laughs. “Doesn’t work on the flip, though. Two chick fighters? They scare the shit out of me. Those two tonight. Did you see the rage? I think my balls jumped back to hide in their pre-pubescent position. Nothing sexy about that.”
Nikki giggles and murmurs something in Danny’s ear that causes him to clear his throat. I don’t want to know what she said, though my guess is something dirty. These two take touchy-feely to the extreme, and don’t even get me started on thebabypet name. It’s great they’re so in love, but not everyone needs to be subjected to it. We approach a sleek black SUV and Danny produces a key fob that unlocks the doors.
“See. Better than a bus.” Nikki grins and so does Danny. He’s a total gentleman and opens the passenger door for her first, then the back one for me before getting behind the wheel. The SUV is complete with GPS so I give Nikki the address as we roll out into the busy Saturday evening traffic.
“Man, it was so good seeing Matt in his element tonight,” Danny says with admiration.
“How was he as a fighter?” I ask because I’m genuinely curious. Matt doesn’t talk about it, and all I know are from the photos he hangs in his gym.
“Incredibly focused. Owned the room from the minute he set foot inside. A lot like his last kid tonight, Xavier Johnson.”
“Yeah, Matt said he thinks he’ll go pro,” I add.
“I’m sure he will after tonight. But that fight was nothing. Damn, I wish you could’ve seen him back in the day. It was his passion and his whole life.”
“Sounds like it,” I mumble, because as much as Danny’s going on, I feel even more removed from who Matt is. He had this entire career before we met and even though I know about it, I’ve never pushed for details. I want to ask why he quit. Or if he did? Because that argument he was having with his father got really heated. I only caught a few words but I have a feeling there’s a lot more about Matt Haywood he hasn’t shared.
Glancing out the window, I ponder something to say that won’t come off as prying. “Matt said you guys grew up in South Shore. That’s not far from here, is it?”
Danny laughs and shakes his head. I don’t understand what’s so funny until he glances at me through the rear view mirror. “I’m not sure whether you noticed, but Matt and I have different mothers.”
“That part I got.” I roll my eyes.
He quirks his brow and then continues. “I didn’t grow up in South Shore. I grew up in the ’burbs with my mom and grandparents. I had the good childhood.” It’s the way he says that last part that begs for questions. If Danny had the good childhood, what did Matt get? The possibilities hurt my heart.
“Oh, okay.” I’m still confused and trying to piece it together when Nikki twists in her seat so she can meet my gaze.
“Basically, their father was a manwhore back in the day. He never married, slept his way through half the city, and knocked up both of their mothers. Danny and Matt are the only two Haywoods—we think.”
“Nikki!” Danny shakes his head and flicks his gaze back to mine in the mirror. “I’m not sure Matt would appreciate us blabbing our family crap.”
“God! Your brother’s such a downer.” Nikki groans and shoots me a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, Mia. I know you two are together.”
I don’t bother correcting her. I’m more concerned about the fact Matt hasn’t. Does he just let his brother assume we’re a couple? Nikki fills the rest of the ride with her mindless chatter until my temple begins to throb. It’s not her fault, though. It’s all these half-truths, and if I’m being honest, it’s the fact I saw something in Matt tonight that reminded me a whole hell of a lot of my ex-boyfriend from college.
