Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 62

Chapter 62

ROMAN

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I loosen my tie and slump back into my office chair, the weight of the day finally settling on my shoulders. The clock is creeping toward quitting time, and with it comes the familiar, suffocating wave of my own personal misery.

This is the only moment I allow myself to dwell on her. My work is finished, the world outside my office fades away, and I let my mind wander—what I like to call indulging. Honestly, I have nothing else to occupy my thoughts. Every day blends into the next, a relentless cycle of monotony and dullness that drains me.

I don’t care anymore. It still shocks me how I ended up here, in this pit of despair.

On bad days, I usually hold my tongue, knowing things could always be worse. But right now? They’ve just taken a nosedive a thousand times deeper.

Carmen is the only person I see when I get home, and since our marriage, I’ve been doing my best to avoid her like the plague. What does it matter? I married her, so I owe her nothing—not a single damn thing. Neither she nor her father can change that.

In fact, now that we’re married, I feel freer than ever before.

But then she storms into my office, her voice grating on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. I can’t stand a single thing about her, and sometimes I wonder what the hell I saw in her in the first place—enough to bring her into my bed.

“Honey,” she starts, her tone dripping with false sweetness, “you never answered my calls! Then I texted you, and you ignored that too? Are you so busy that you don’t have time for me anymore?”

Carmen loves playing these little mind games. A bitter smile tugs at the corners of my mouth—that’s how irritated I am—and I keep my gaze fixed on the massive window that stretches across one wall of my office, offering a sweeping view of the city’s best skyline. I don’t even bother to look back at her.

“Roman!” she insists, her voice sharper now. Still, I remain silent. “I need an answer about the cruise so I can plan accordingly. Are you coming or not?”

“No.”

“What?” she snaps, clearly offended. “But it’s an important cruise! There’ll be tons of people to meet and socialize with!”

I hate her more than ever in this moment. Even though I’m the one who dug this hole, I can’t help but resent her. “I don’t care about any of that. I don’t need to socialize with anyone. I’m Roman Fucking Hayes—did you forget that?”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t have more than you already do,” she argues back.

I spin around to face her, clasping my hands together as I ask coldly, “What? Am I too broke for you now? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

She says nothing. I rise from my chair and close the distance between us deliberately. When I’m close enough, I lower my voice to a dangerous whisper. “I’d flush all my money down the drain just to spite you, Carmen. Then you’d be married to a broke man, and all your delusions would vanish.”

Her eyes flash with fury as she grits her teeth. “How dare you say that to me?”

“I’m already married to you,” I remind her bluntly. “You got what you wanted. Now you’ll pay the price. Our deal was to marry, not for me to be a loving husband. You’re not in charge of me. I don’t care about anything you’re interested in. I’m not going to that damn cruise.”

Offended, Carmen snatches up her purse and storms out. Thank God. Finally, I’m alone again, and dark thoughts creep into my mind. Usually, I push them aside, but tonight the urge to see Nikki is overwhelming.

Things between us ended badly, and it’s all on me. I wish I could erase her from my thoughts, but I can’t. I’m tired of fighting my own brain, body, and instincts. I’d give anything to rewind time and make things right.

Anything.

They’re seeing each other?

Once Nikki disappears inside the building, I lose control. My mind spirals into chaos. What the hell did I just witness?

Nothing has ever hurt this much before. It feels like a knife plunged deep into my heart—and now it’s being twisted mercilessly.

I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.

My thoughts darken, and just as I’m about to lose myself completely, I notice someone standing on the sidewalk, staring at me.

Haley.

We lock eyes for what feels like forever, though it’s probably only a few seconds. The sight of this liar, barefaced and bold, makes my blood boil.

How could she feed those lies to Nikki? I know exactly what game she’s playing—I just never thought she’d still be playing it after all these years.

Her eyes are wide, maybe even hopeful. I start the car, wrench my gaze away from her, and speed off. I hope I don’t crash; my mind is a dangerous place right now, and this kind of distraction could be fatal.

I have to do something.

I refuse to let things stay like this—not a chance in hell.