Page 22 of Chance
“Abi, stop,” I whispered, sucking in a fortifying breath.“Please.You don’t have to apologize to me.God, you saved Evy.And me.You’re responsible for reuniting me with my sister.That is everything.Freaking everything.I’m so grateful.So, so grateful.”
She twisted her fingers together.“I shouldn’t have played around, though.My continued curiosity is why you are here now.I asked Vaughn to guide you and Everly to Creswell Springs.It’s a safe place, and I wanted to meet you both.That we became friends was an added bonus.Not that I expect you to still want to be my friend.This crosses so many lines.”
“Do you even understand that you are a real-life guardian angel?”I demanded quietly, aware of the people around us, frustrated with her for torturing herself over being such a good person.Sammy had disappeared after pushing me into the chair, but there were still curious people at other tables.None of them could ever know about what had happened that night.Too many people had risked their futures to ensure I had one.
“If you sent your husband to help us, then you know what happened that night, right?”Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded, telling me without words that she knew all about what had transpired.She knew my shame.“Can you please stop apologizing for saving my life?”
Fingers trembling, I placed my hand palm up on the table that separated us.Without hesitation, Abi placed hers in mine.“I really want us to be friends.”
“Me too.”
Chance
Droppingthe fresh round of beers off to my dad, I shot Sammy a glare when I realized Evie wasn’t with her.“Where is she?”
“She and Abi are around here somewhere,” she said as she took a drink of her beer.“Don’t worry.My brother is with them.”
Muttering a curse under my breath, I stomped off in search of my girl.Being away from her for too long caused a restlessness in me that couldn’t easily be settled just because I had eyes on her.I needed my hands on her.
With the bar so crowded, it took me a minute to find her.I spotted Vaughn first, and my eyes were drawn directly to the back of Evie’s blond head like a magnet.They were at a corner table with Abi.As I got closer and fewer people were in my way, I noticed that Abi was crying, but she was smiling.Her hand was holding on to Evie’s on top of the table.
Evie’s voice reached me.“Thank you for telling me.Evy and I need to talk about this.I want our fresh start to be here, but not if it’s going to hurt my sister.She still hasn’t confided in me, and I know it’s because she wants to protect me.”
“I understand.I’m protective of my sister too,” Abi said with a nod, dashing away her tears with her free hand.
Vaughn’s head lifted in my direction, his face stoic as always.It was bizarre to see him with Abi.He looked so much like Ryan that it was a mind trip to watch him with his wife.I kept expecting Nova to pop up at any moment, and I was disappointed every time she didn’t.She was in New York, though, exactly where she belonged.With the real Ryan.
I gave Vaughn a chin lift.He was an enigma, much like his younger brother.What little I did know about the man was more than enough.He was a masterminded hacker, had the kind of skills many government agencies would be blessed to have, and he walked a very fine line with mental stability.Basically, he was Sammy in male form, with computer skills thrown in as an added danger.
Having two of Anya Vitucci’s offspring living in the same small town could be the perfect recipe for disaster—or world peace.I doubted there was a happy medium.They were the all-or-nothing type.
Attuned to her husband’s shifting attention, Abi lifted her head.Her smile slipped slightly.She was normally sweet, but she had the capacity for the kind of temper that would burn the town to the ground.With Sammy as her sister-in-law and guard dog, she now had the means to easily turn Creswell Springs to literal ashes.
Evie followed her friend’s gaze and looked up when I was a few feet away.Her eyes were glassy, but I wasn’t sure if that was because she was a little tipsy or if she’d been crying like Abi was.Either way, it was time to get my peaches home.
“Hey,” Evie said, her smile on the wobbly side.
As soon as I reached her, I crouched down.“You keep disappearing on me.”
“It’s a big bar, and everyone seems to have spread out,” she excused.“Abi invited me tonight.It would be rude if I just ditched her.”
Taking her hands in both of mine, I entwined our fingers.She was so much smaller than me.I was going to have to be careful with her.In more ways than one.Capturing her gaze, I saw the innocence swimming in those hypnotic depths, along with uncertainty.
“Let’s go home.”I wasn’t sure how much longer I could share her attention without losing my freaking mind.Too many people were looking at her, wondering why she was with a dickhead like me, thinking of ways to steal her from me.
It’d taken a control I’d never thought I possessed to keep from touching her the way I wanted to all night.She was so damn enticing in her pretty dress that clung to all the right places on her body.I’d had to stop myself from kissing her a hundred times, knowing I’d never make it out of the bar if I got a real taste of her like I’d been craving all damn day.
Every inch of her was mine to have and hold and taste, but I’d resisted the overwhelming urge to maul her in front of everyone.If I didn’t get her out of there soon, though, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to restrain myself.
“Okay,” she whispered, sinking her teeth into her plump bottom lip.
Straightening, I pulled her up with me.Abi stood with Vaughn, in sync with each other.Keeping hold of one of Evie’s hands, I waited while the girls hugged with promises to text later.
As I guided Evie toward the door, a few other people tried to stop us.River.Delaney and Nishia.Some chick whose name I didn’t remember who didn’t belong to our group but called Evie by name like they were long-lost friends.I’d had sex with the girl.I just couldn’t remember when.She gave me a wink as she smiled at Evie like the bitch she was.
Fuck’s sake.
Losing my patience, I hooked one arm around Evie’s waist and carried her out of the bar.Hearing her giggle, I tightened my hold as I turned in the direction of my truck, letting the door slam shut behind us.
