Page 119 of Chasing Forever
“Get the fuck outta here, Holden.” Ben points toward the door.
“Look at this guy.” Holden looks around our table as if they’re his friends. “Mister pro football player who left his girlfriend behind to fuck every other woman who stroked his ego.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Romy says. “You don’t belong in this town, so just leave.”
“I can tell you one thing I know.” Holden leans in, his face close to Lottie, and it’s all I can do not to snatch her around the waist and pull her back into my chest. “I bet you’ve kept it your little secret, haven’t you? You’re both fucking with my life, so why shouldn’t I fuck with yours a little?”
Lottie leans back, her head hitting my chest, and I place my hands on her hips. I’m here, I hope my touch conveys. But I also hope it says, You say the word, and he’s on the ground.
“Are you threatening me?” Lottie lets out a caustic laugh. “This is what you don’t understand, Holden. I’m not that enamored little girl who naïvely believes anything you say. You’re just a loser, a snake in nice clothes, and a pretty package. Romy’s right, you have no place in this town anymore.”
He keeps his eyes on Lottie but talks to me. “So you told him? You know, little brother? That big family you always wanted? Our family name to be carried down generations… that’s not going to happen with your new bride here.”
My fingers flex on Lottie’s hips, but her hands fall to mine, and she squeezes.
“Because she can’t have kids. Did you tell my brother that before you tricked another Watson into marrying you?”
Before I can even get Lottie out of the way, she’s gone from in front of me, her fist cocked back before she lands a punch square to Holden’s right eye.
“Oh, damn!” Ben hollers, and our entire table roars with cheers for her.
Lottie lowers her face to him as Holden bends down, holding his eye. “Your brother does know, asshole. He’s a better man than you. He’s in it for me, not for what I can give him. It’s funny, you know? I wasted so much of my life thinking about what you did to me. So much time feeling like I was worthless. But you’re the worthless one. You’re the one who will never find what I have with your brother because you can never love someone more than you love yourself.”
“Save me the holier-than-thou speech.” Holden stands and looks past Lottie. “All you are is a slut who jumps from brother to brother.”
“Sorry, Lottie.” I nudge her out of the way.
Then I punch him in the right eye and the left. He lifts his gaze. I’ve seen that look so many times before. From the age of four, whenever we’d fight, I’d see that anger flare inside him. He tackles me to the ground and a chair or table falls to my side. I roll us over and straddle him, landing punch after punch.
“Don’t you ever speak to my wife that way again.”
Holden’s hands come up and push at my chest, but I get another blow to his face before someone pulls me off him.
“I’m calling the police,” Holden says, stumbling to his feet.
I yank myself out of Ben’s grip, chest heaving.
Lottie comes over and touches my face where Holden got in a couple hits of his own. “Your lip,” she says, touching it lightly, but I flinch.
“He is the police, you idiot,” Romy shouts at Holden.
I really appreciate the sister vibe she’s giving.
Holden ignores her and pulls out his phone. “I think it’s about time the town golden boy gets knocked down a peg.” He puts his phone to his ear. “Sheriff Watson just assaulted me, and I want to press charges.”
As if my family couldn’t do anything more to hurt me.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Lottie
Brooks sits on a chair, our entire family around us as Holden sits in another chair with the few friends he has in this town.
Melvin walks out from the inside bar, Deputy Moore behind him.
Deputy Moore takes in the scene. The knocked-over furniture that no one has picked up. The drinks spilled on tables. Everyone who is still here is here because they no doubt want to see the drama that’s about to unfold.
The gossip will spiral into false stories like the two brothers were fighting over me, or something so much worse.
