“If y’all want to say it’s always been the two of you for each other, then great.” One of his shoulders lifted, the action nearly as slight as the hand raise. “I hope it works out for you. Honestly, I do. But before you come back at me for anything else, stop and think about how we all just found out y’all are married. Well, except for Evans,” he relented.
“And me,” Thatch added, earning a sharp, bemused look from Briggs. “I found out yesterday.”
Briggs’ mouth opened only to shut. “I was with the two of you yesterday.”
Thatch shrugged as if he’d enjoyed knowing something Briggs hadn’t, when he’d always hated secrets between any of us. “And I found out before I texted you.”
“You didn’t believe me when I told you the first time,” I reminded Briggs. “Didn’t see a point in telling you again.”
“You told them?” Mallory hissed, even though her eyes were wide with wonder and worry, as if she was trying to figure out what hadledto me telling them.
I slanted my head her way and lowered my voice to an unrepentant mumble. “I was losing you, Peach.”
Her brows drew together in sorrow before smoothing out when Briggs continued.
“Fine. HowRush and Ifound out y’all are married. Not even in a relationship—already married. We found out in the middle of one of your arguments, after months of Monroe being a shell of herself. Months where we were all sure you were sleeping with at least one other person.” He waited until my attention was back on him to give me a meaningful look. “I’d have conversations with both of you regardless. But that’s what I’m going off.”
Silence filled the conference room before I finally nodded. “I haven’t been,” I began, then swallowed uncomfortably. “Monroe and I have been going around in circles on this, and I know part of the reason why she doesn’t believe it is because y’all are so sure of it too, but I haven’t been with anyone in years,” I told them, then hurried to add, “I like being around people. I liked going on datesbecauseI like being around people. But nearly every one of those women knew what wouldn’t be happening andwhybefore we ever went out for a fun, no-expectations dinner. And, yeah, I liked picking up women because I knew it irritated Monroe, and irritating Monroe has always been a favorite pastime.” The corner of my mouth twitched sadly. “What did it matter what I was doing when I knew—thoughtI knew—she wanted nothing to do with me?
“However,” I continued as my stare sought out hers, “these past few days especially have made me painfully aware of how I come across to women, even when I couldn’t be more disinterested. And I know all those things combined arethe main reason behind why Monroe’s struggling to believe anything about—well, the entire time I’ve known her.” I flicked my attention Briggs’ way again. “And what you implied about our future isn’t gonna help.”
Briggs glanced between us before pulling his tablet in front of him and repeating, “Like I said, I hope it works out for you.” With another meaningful look from Mallory to me, he added, “Really. And not just for the sake of Shadow.”
“What he means iscongratulations,” Rush said. “I’m happy for y’all, and I know he is too.”
Briggs slanted a glare at Rush. “I said I was.”
A sharp laugh burst from Thatch as Rush shook his head, fighting a smile. “Briggs...” Amusement laced Rush’s tone. “No. Not even close.”
Briggs gave his best friend a dull look, then focused on Mallory. “I’m—” Dark eyes snapped my way when my phone chimed. “Meeting, Gray.”
“Is that what this is?” Evans murmured as the chime sounded again, his sarcasm nearly drowned out by a healthy dose of irritation.
“Was just focused on getting here,” I said apologetically as I slipped my hand into my pocket to turn my phone on vibrate. But when it went off again almost immediately, I slowly slipped the device from my pocket.
It could’ve been anyone.
It could’ve been any of my cousins checking in after how I’d run out after Mallory. It could’ve been my parents or my sisters, if they’d found out I’d gone to Amber and hadn’t gone to visit.
But something ominous and cold crawled up my spine and gripped tight as Tessa’s features flashed through my mind again and mixed with Briggs’ earlier words, drowning out what he was saying to Mallory right then.
“Are your cousins capable? Tell them to start watching her immediately.”
My stomach dropped when I glanced at the lock screen of my phone, filled with messages from Cayson and his wife.
Just as I started tapping into them, another popped up from Emberly, sending me to her thread first.
Emberly Dixon
What’d she say when you saw her?!
Like EXACT words, Hudson!
Without responding, I moved into my messages with Cayson, my lungs straining as I read what he’d sent.
Cayson Dixon
You need to get back here. We might’ve been wrong.
