UNBREAKABLE BOND novel Chapter 5

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“That’s enough Chris.” Damon groused when Chris reached for the bottle of Scotch. “You of all people should know that you can’t solve problems by drinking yourself into a stupor.”

“What the fuck do you suggest I do? Huh?” Chris asked hoarsely. “You know you have to start going for your meetings with another person right?”

“Hell, no,” Damon said sternly. “You’re seeing this through to the end and that’s final.”

Chris groaned. “Has it occurred to you that Shane might not want to do business with you again because of me?” Chris spoke slowly but he wasn’t slurring his words.

“He doesn’t come across as that petty.” Damon guffawed. “He’s a businessman. I don’t think some childhood beef would make him throw everything out. He’s too smart to do that.”

Chris shook his head slowly as he looked at Damon. “It’s not petty, Damon. You have no idea just how serious it was.”

“You did apologize right?” Damon asked with a raised eyebrow. Not that a simple sorry would have wiped the slate clean for Shane, Damon thought. But a sorry from Chris would lessen whatever anger Shane had for his friend. “Tell me you did.” The incident happened years ago for fucks sake, and as the saying went, time was supposed to heal all wounds. From the look of Shane earlier that day, Damon could tell he sure as hell hadn’t forgotten about what had transpired between him and Chris all those years ago. But if Chris had been smart and sensible enough and apologized, there was surely the possibility that Chris wasn’t angry. “‘Cause if you did, then I don’t think Shane would be that pissed off at you.”

Damon had marched Chris out of the conference room to his office when he’d dropped the bombshell about beating Shane Lewis to a pulp. He’d needed a drink and he was sure his friend needed one too.

For a very long time, they’d remained quiet as they drank. They had finished a whole bottle of Scotch already, Chris having consumed the greater portion. A second bottle had been opened and it was already half empty. What actually scared Damon was the fact that Chris didn’t even look drunk. The burden on Chris was obviously too heavy to be drowned by Scotch.

“I wish I could have seen him and apologized to him, Damon. Not that it would have been adequate after what I did to him but...” Chris shrugged. “It would have been a plus.”

“What do you mean you wished you…”

“They left, Damon,” Chris said quietly. “His mother took him away that very night. When I realized what I was doing, saw how badly he was bleeding, saw his tears, the hurt in his eyes…my heart broke. I ran.”