Page 73 of Dirty Legacy

Brad and Lavender are huddled at a booth in the very back corner. I immediately see why they picked this spot. It’s relatively private, tucked around a jutting wall.

They look like shit. I’m stunned. Brad seems thin and gaunt and pale. His eyes twitch from side to side. Lavender’s worse: she’s all bones and stringy hair and a terrible low-cut top with bad tattoos and cheap nails. She leaps to her feet, glaring at me then at Nadia and Rowan.

“I thought we said for you to come alone? What the fuck is this?”

“They’re my friends. It’s fine, I’m here to pay you, okay?”

“More than you deserve, bitch,” Nadia says, crossing her arms.

“Fuck you. Do I even know you?” Lavender cocks a fist back. “I’m gonna break your smug fucking jaw, cunt.”

“Babe, stop it.” Brad appears at her side, grabbing her wrist and pulling it down. “That’s enough, okay? Let me handle this shit.”

“Fucking sluts.” Lavender spits on the floor at my shoes. “Bitch.” She slips into the booth and throws back her drink, scowling.

“Wow.” I look at Brad. He looks back sheepishly. “This is your life now, huh?”

“Look, I didn’t want this, okay? I’m sorry, Angie, I really am.”

“Don’t apologize to her, you dick,” Rowan snaps. “You’re no better than a rapist, you realize that, right?”

Brad flinches, looking away. “Let’s just get this over with.”

I take him in, and finally, any last attachment I felt for my former boyfriend fades. He’s small, scrawny, pathetic, and weak. I can’t believe I ever thought I loved him.

“I deserved better than you,” I say, taking out my phone. “You’re going to delete all my pictures?”

“I swear. But I thought we said cash?”

“I can’t get five thousand dollars out of a bank on short notice. We’ll do a transfer. Give me your details.”

Brad looks back in a panic. “But we said cash. I mean, do we have a bank, babe?”

“FUCK YOU,” Lavender screams. “We had a deal!”

Rowan starts yelling. Nadia shouts too. Brad shrinks back, making himself small, and I feel the moment about to spiral. This isn’t how I wanted it to go down. Lavender’s waving a bottle around, threatening to kill everyone, and I don’t know what to do.

Until a shadow falls across the booth.

Lavender stops first. Her jaw drops open. She sinks down, lowering the bottle. Then Rowan yelps in alarm and I turn.

Connor looms over us.

Oh, shit.

My husband’s eyes settle on me. His face is impassive and hard. Compared to Brad, he’s a god on earth. Connor’s jaw is cut and sharp, and his tattoos look like fire on his gorgeous tan skin. He fills out his suit like it’s going to break.

“Nadia, please take my little sister outside. I have a car waiting for her.”

Nadia clears her throat. “Uhm, yes, right away, Mr. Maguire.”

“Thank you.”

Rowan allows herself to be dragged away. She cringes at me apologetically, but then my friends are lost to the crowd.

Leaving me alone with my ex, my current, and a crazy bitch.

Connor steps forward. His bulk presses to my side protectively. He faces Lavender down before turning to Brad.