Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 161

NICOLE

I meet with Roman’s lawyer at the police station and we manage to bail him out.

Seeing him is a relief because for a crazy moment, kjust imagined how bad things could get. What if he had accidentally killed Sebastian? He’d be arrested for a long time, right on the day of our marriage.

That would be heartbreaking.

But we’re together now and he looks exhausted but fine.

He’s in one piece, at least. He exchanges a few words with

– his lawyer, who then says goodbye, and now we’re heading toward my car together. He has an arm around my shoulder.

“Your lawyer told me Sebastian pressed charges.”

Roman scoffs. “He’s a pussy, that’s why. I didn’t expect anything less from him.”

“Why’d you hit him?”

He looks at me like I’ve just asked him the dumbest question on planet earth. “Are you kidding?”

I sigh, exasperated and frustrated. “Roman, there was no reason for you to pick a fight with him. I didn’t want you to get into a situation like this with him. There was no need. I told you, there was never anything between us and I wishHe whirls around and places his hands on either side of my face. “Nikki, our fight had nothing to do with that, alright? I told you I believed you and I’m not lying about that. I punched him in the face because I warned him to stay away from you and he told me he wouldn’t. Now, let’s get in the car and go home. Okay?”

I search his eyes. I know he’s telling me the truth but I’m still unsettled by this whole thing. I unlock the car and Roman gets in the passenger’s seat. I’m driving. We’re awfully quiet now and I have this fear that maybe I said the wrong thing.

I’m not trying to pick Sebastian’s side over his.

I just don’t understand the need for such violence.

I start toward the penthouse. We hit traffic, so we have to wait for several, and I mean several minutes behind other cars. Roman’s silent. He’s staring out the window. There’s a tick in his jaw that lets me know he’s very upset.

I sigh. I don’t know how to fix this.

“Did you talk to Mason?”

I tense. “About what?”

He turns his head to look at me. “Our marriage, maybe?”

“I haven’t had the time. And anyway, things between us are…” I glance at him. “He and Haley got back together.””Yeah, I know.”

I snap my head in his direction this time. I’m genuinely speechless by his answer for several seconds. “You…knew?”

“For a while now.”

I just can’t believe i’m hearing this. “What….How long is a while, Roman?”

“During the break. He told me. We were drinking once and he confessed. I guess he felt he couldn’t share it with you.”

“I don’t understand why you’re being so casual about this whole thing,” I exclaim. “Haley’s a bitch! There’s no doubt that she’s only using him because she didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Roman looks at me intently. “It’s his choice, Nikki. If he chose to forgive her, then all you can do is support him.

He’s an adult. He knows what’s right for him.”

“No, he doesn’t!” I say angrily as I step on the gas.” • Mason’s blinded by her! He always has been! I’m not saying I’ll say this to his face, but between us, can you at least admit that?”

Roman shrugs. “She has her issues like everyone else.”

Irritation washes over me. I have to look away from him.”

Unbelievable.”

A few beats of silence pass. I’m fuming even though Ididn’t think that I would get to this point yesterday. I thought it would be something I’d just accept. Büt I care about my brother too much to be okay with this.

I know Haley isn’t right for him. I know it.

“If someone told you this would happen back then, how would you have reacted?” I ask.

“I wouldn’t have believed it,” he admits. “I was so fiercely Loyal to Mason, you know? I would never have gone out with you, no matter how cute I found you.”

“Cute?”

“Yeah. Just cute. You were still in high school, Nikki. What kind of man do you take me for?”

“Twasn’t a child when we had that moment in our kitchen,

” I remind him. “Why didn’t you make a move then?

Because of Mason?”

Roman looks at me for a long time. “Yeah. I thought about him. If I knew he would’ve fucked Haley behind my back, l wouldn’t have hesitated. I wanted you that night, you know that? I really did. That’s why I had to walk away. But I forgot about it as soon as | left. I had other things on’my mind.” ~

“Like what?”

“How to make a million dollars.”

I laugh. “And you did. You made that million.”

“I made a lot more.” He pauses, then runs his tongue along his teeth. “But sometimes I wonder, you know? Howthings would’ve turned out if we’d… you know.”

“I wonder, too,” I admit.

He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “I guess it doesn’t matter, because either way, we would’ve ended up here.”

I smile, feeling better already. “I guess you’re right.”