Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 121

NICOLE

I step back and stare at my reflection in the mirror. I’m dressed pretty formally in black dress pants and a satin blouse. My hair is tied back. I mean business and I want The Bruiser to know that.

I drive to the location of the restaurant. I second-guess myself until the last possible second, when I park the car.

“Here we go,”I whisper to myself, reaching for my bag on the passenger’s seat.

I walk into the restaurant and someone comes to me right

‘away-the manager. “Good afternoon. Do you have a reservation?”

“I’m actually here to meet someone.”

“The name?”

I freeze. I have no idea what his name is and I can’t very well say that I’m looking for someone named The Bruiser.

“…l’m not sure.”

“But this person is here right now?”

“Yes.”

She walks away and I’m waiting at the front desk. I glance at the door, contemplate leaving. Hm, why not? Maybethis is a sign that things won’t work out.

But the manager returns and escorts me to my table with a smile. As kfollow her, I take note of how full the restaurant is. There are quite a lot of people here and that makes me feel safer.

The sight of The Bruiser seated alone at a table, though… that makes me have second thoughts. But he looks friendly enough. He even smiles at me as I approach and says to the manager, “Thank you, Carla.”

Once we’re left alone, he gestures for me to sit down. God, this is so surreal. Being here with him. In broad daylight. A place that isn’t Ashvale.

“Hello, Nicole,” he says warmly, like he wasn’t dismissive the other night. God, that feels like it happened a hundred years ago.

“Bruiser.”

Before we can continue, someone takes our order and then disappears. I search my mind for something to say, but nothing springs to mind. Thankfully, I don’t have to break the silence, because he says, “I’ve been looking forward to this meeting all day. I’m glad you decided to come.”

“I wouldn’t have been here if you weren’t insistent,” | mention. “And I also would’ve skipped this meeting if you hadn’t promised me that this would be the last time we’d see each other.”Nicole…I don’t see why there has to be so much hostility between us. We’re family, after all. Whether you like it or not.”

I frown. “And when did you realize that? After I left?”

“Yes, actually.”

I’m having water. He’s having wine. He orders a steak, and I go for a salad but only because he insists in front of the waiter.

“That makes no sense,” | point out.

It doesn’t make sense to me either.”

I frown. I don’t understand where this is going at all.

The Bruiser sits back in his chair and watches me closely before saying, “I remember your mother. I didn’t want to tell you at the time, but I do. She was an ambitious woman. Had big dreams.”

Hearing him talk about Ma makes my throat tight and irritates me more than I’d like to admit. “You don’t know anything about her, so don’t pretend that you do.”

Did I hear him right?

“After the gala, we can discuss things more because everything will be clearer by then,” he claims. “I have a problem I have to get rid of first.”

“in not going to the gala, and I’m not accepting your offer to work for you.”

“Why not?”

I scoff. “Have you been listening to me? Do I really have to repeat myself? I don’t want anything to do with you because you’re a jerk who hurt my Ma. You’re cruel.”

“No. I pay for a service,” he says a bit more forcefully. “And it’s entirely up to the women to either accept it or not. don’t force anyone. I pay fairly well for the services they provide, and it’s not like they didn’t know what they were getting into. My sexual appetites have nothing to do with the kind of man l am where business is concerned. It has nothing to do with who I am as a family man, either. My tastes are my tastes.”

I give him a look. “I take it you’re married?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Then how would you explain my sudden appearance in your life?”lquestion. “How would your family take it? Or do you intend to hide me from the world?”

“That part I haven’t decided yet,” he admits. “But I’ll tell you this: I see a lot of myself in you. More than I have in any of my children.”

I stare at him for a few seconds. When the salad arrives, I realize I’m not hungry at all. I can’t stay here for another second. “No, I’m not interested. I’ve listened to what you have to say. Am I allowed to leave?”

The Bruiser smiles and nods, gesturing at the exit with his hand. I stand up and walk away. I don’t look back, but that doesn’t help me at all. I don’t feel the closure that l’ve been meaning to feel. The one I was supposed to experience as I head in my car and drive away.

In fact, I have a feeling that this isn’t over.