Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 119

NICOLE

Mason and I go our separate ways because he has to go back to work and I, in turn, have to take care of my phone situation, and I haven’t forgotten that Roman’s driver is downstairs, waiting for me in the car.

I’m a nervous wreck and it’s hard for me to stay focused when I have the invitation and The Bruiser on my mind. I can’t begin to imagine why he decided to follow me and Mason and have the invite glued on the door with his number.

1 made it pretty clear that I wanted nothing to do with him. I’m sure about that.

I get the phone situation resolved as quickly as possible. I buy a new phone, go to my service provider, and everything is sorted. I sit with my brand new phone in my hand, suddenly second-guessing myself. Should I go through with this? Calling The Bruiser feels like walking into something from which there is no return.

He was an asshole to me. So, what does he want now?

I ask Roman’s driver to drop me off at home. I’ve got a few hours until I’m meant to have dinner with Roman, so l have time to kill and decide whether or not l’ll see this through.

Will my curiosity condemn me yet again? Do I ignore him?What are the chances that he’ll keep on pestering me if ignore him now?

As soon as reach the apartment, I fish my phone out of my bag and find myself typing in his number. My hands are shaking just lightly and the question of whether or not this should be done is hammering against the side of my head.

I might as well just do it…right?

I press the phone to my ear and my heart is practically beating in my throat as | listen to the ringing and wait for him to pick up the call. If he doesn’t, then I can call this a-

“I was wondering if you’d call or not,” he says as soon as he picks up. I recognize the sound of his voice right away.

He speaks softly in his deep velvety voice, but there’s danger behind every word he says. “I guess I surprised myself. I didn’t think it would.”

“I’m very glad to have disappointed you, then,” I retort. “Of course, I’d call. How did you even find me?”

“I can find whoever I want. Anytime. Anywhere. That’s the power of money, dear daughter.”

“Don’t call me that,” I say before shuddering. “I already told you why I went looking for you, and it wasn’t for us to have a little father-daughter bonding moment. What do you want from me?”

“I want to make up for how I treated you the other night,” he claims. His words take me completely by surprise. “| guess I was taken by surprise, and this rarely happens to me. I didn’t know how to act.”

“I don’t need you to do that.”

“I insist.”

“Why bother?”

At this question, he chuckles. “To tell you the truth? I have no idea, either. It’s how the saying goes: Blood is thicker than water.”

No, I don’t know anything about that.”

” was hoping we could have a chance to smooth things over. Have dinner with me. We can talk about a few things and have everything straightened out.”

I scoff. “If you’re afraid I’ll run to the press or something, you can rest assured. I won’t bother. I don’t even know your real name, Bruiser.”

“I could tell it to you right now.”

“I’m not interested in it. Please. I only called so you could leave me alone.”

“And the invitation?”

I take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of my nose. “I can’t accept the invitation. I don’t know you.””That could change.” When I don’t reply, he adds, “I’m persistent. I always have been. When I want something, I get it, and right now, I want to meet with you, Nicole Monroe. I did some digging on you, and it’s made me curious.

He can’t harm me there.

“Not unless he owns it,” Mason points out. “It’s clear that this man has a lot of influence. You have to be careful, Nicole.”

“I might still change my mind.”

“Yeah, right,” Mason spits. “I know you, which means | could smell the bullshit that came out of your mouth just now. You’re going to go because you can’t help yourself.”

“Is that so bad?”

“Yes.”

The next call I receive is from Roman, claiming he’sdownstairs, and I go to him after saying goodbye to my brother. As I head toward the door, he jokes, “Sure. Go and leave me alone with your stalker of a father who knows where we live.”

“Well, you’re a big boy. Just fight him.”

I push all this to the back of my mind as I join Roman in the car. The first thing we do is share a kiss, and already, I start to feel a lot better. “How has your day been? Did you Like your new phone? Everything sorted?”

“Yeah, it’s all fine now. Thank you for offering to buy it.”

Roman chuckles. “Don’t thank me for it. It’s the very least | could do for the woman I love. Hungry?”

I smile and kiss his cheek. “Starving.”