Declan nudged me. “Do you really need another glass?”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “I only had one?”
He sighed and Gerald joined in. “Oh, my sweet cousin. Sorry dude, she’s kind of an alcoholic.”
My mouth dropped, and before I could respond someone else did.
“No, she’s not!” Eve quipped before casting her gaze downward once Gerald shot her a look.
“Eve’s right. Mags is far from an alcoholic. Besides, I’ve seen you at the bars. You have no room to talk, Gerry.” Luca leaned forward on his elbows.
“It’s Gerald!” He slapped a hand on the table.
Eve jumped, just like the rest of us. She stood up with her eyes blazing in embarrassment before she scampered away with no word.
Gerald stood up and glared in between Luca and I. “Anyone ever told Declan here how you and Luca know each other?”
Declan looked up at him with a quizzical expression. “They know each other? Isn’t Luca Faith’s cousin?”
“Yes. And your girlfriend’s fucked him twice. Too bad Luca never thought she was good enough to stick around for.” Gerald stormed off in Eve’s direction.
I flinched back at his words and grabbed my filled-to-the-rim wine glass, putting it to my lips and tilting my head back. I drank all of the wine and set the glass back down. “Should someone go check on Eve?”
“I’m sure Gerald has it under control.” Declan narrowed his eyes at my empty glass.
I fucking hope not.
I glanced at Faith who was clearing her throat. “This isn’t the kind of bonding I had in mind. Asher and I are going to check on Eve.” She gave me a concerned gaze. “Dinner is over.”
Asher and Faith got up and left the table. Jamie and her husband left as soon as they could.
I sat in between two men who were staring each other down, and I craved another glass of wine. I wasn’t an alcoholic by any means, but I wanted to get wasted right then. I focused on Declan. His shoulders were tense, and his gaze was unmoving from Luca’s.
“I should’ve told you about our past. I’m sorry about that. But, Gerald wasn’t totally wrong. Luca really doesn’t want me like that.” The earth rocked beneath me, and my mind drifted in and out like the tide outside. “So, there was no need to bring up the past.”
Though my vision wavered, there was one thing I was sure of, Luca didn’t want me, and it fucking sucked because no man has compared to him, including Declan.
Luca touched my thigh, and I turned toward him. Something flashed beneath the surface of his hardened expression. There was a sudden shift in the air but it was too late, and the emotion disappeared before I could identify it.
Declan stood up and ran a hand through his perfect hair, messing it up for once in his life. “It’s been a long day. We can talk about this tomorrow.”
“It’s only seven.” Luca got to his feet.
I stood beside my date—the man who was stable, the man whowantedme. “Declan’s right. I should get some rest. I feel like shit.”
His arm snaked around my waist to steady me. I hadn’t realized I drank so much. What was the alcohol content of that wine?
Luca stalked off in the opposite direction, not glancing back. I swallowed my pride. Hearing that he didn’t want me out loud and admitting it all in the same night was not doing me any favors.
Declan helped me to our room. I locked myself in the bathroom to take a hot shower and rinse the makeup off. By the time I got out of the bathroom, it was almost nine, and Declan was already asleep. As soon as my head hit that over-fluffed pillow, my racing thoughts of the night ceased.
Day Two
8 AM - 9 AM - Breakfast
Gerald’s pugnacious voice from last night echoed in my mind.Too bad Luca never thought she was good enough to stick around for.My nails bit into my palm. That couldn’t have been further from the truth but could my dumbass speak up? No. Of course not. Because it was easier that way.
I kicked myself as I made my way down the corridor to the dining hall for breakfast. My eyes found Mags first like they always had. Her hair was still in that greasy bun from yesterday, and she hadn’t bothered to cover her wound. She wore sweats and a t-shirt with her eyes red and puffy. It looked like she’d cried all night. A pang shot through my chest at the thought.
