Wild Nights With My Brother's Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 75

ROMAN

Watching Nikki walk away from me stuffs me with all sorts of negative feelings that get my feet moving before I can even stop myself.

I'm going after her.

I take several steps toward the stairs and even charge down them. My fists are clenched and I have this desire to hammer my words into her body, one stroke at a time. Why can't she understand? Why isn't she listening to me?

Despair isn't a good look on me. I'm not used to not getting my way. But it's more than that with Nikki—if I lose her, I don't know what I'll fucking do with myself.

I'm lost without that woman. Lost.

When I walk through the entrance that leads to the main deck, my steps slow as I look around. It's almost like sense knocks into me—what am I doing? I have to give her time to process all of this. I just told her that someone she trusted and loved is a cunt. Nikki has been living with Haley for years.

None of this is easy on her.

"Just relax," I mutter under my breath. "She'll be back I know she will."

Now, with nowhere to go, I decide to make my way to one of Carmen's spots. Usually, when she isn't there, one of her relatives is, and it's important for me to always be seen around because I don't want her to find out about Nikki.

I glance at my watch. They're about to have dinner. So, I'm right on time.

I spot them seated close to the bar, and the one thing I notice right away is how Carmen isn't seated at the table with them.

Odd.

Why wouldn't she be here?

Her father raises her head and we make eye contact, and in his eyes, I see the answer to this question. Exhaustion takes hold of me before I even join them.

Her mother doesn't even look up.

"Where's Carmen?" I ask casually.

Garith watches me through slitted eyes, then says, "I'd like to have a word with you after dinner, Roman. I think this conversation is a long time coming."

I say nothing in response. No doubt she ran to her parents to complain about my treatment. I couldn't possibly care less—starting from today, I'm a free man and these people will regret having messed with me.

Garith Lowett has more to lose than I ever could.

Dinner's an unpleasant piece of shit. I hardly touch anything and focus on stuffing my face with scotch, but not too much of it. I have to be sober for the 'talk' I'll have with this asshole.

Carmen appears halfway through dinner and I only realize it because she shows up behind me and squeezes my shoulder. When I look up, the smile she gives me is a triumphant one.

"Carmen," her father says as she sits down next to me, "I thought you were going to stay in your room and rest for the evening."

"I feel much better now, Daddy."

Her eyes meet mine, and that's when I get it. Ah. She thinks her father and I have had the 'talk', does she? In sick of this shit. So sick I could heave right here on this table.

Without a word, I rise. In the next beat, Carmen asks me, "Where are you going?"

Someone clears their throat next to me and I whirl around and find one of the ship's attendants staring back at me with a pile of pamphlets in her hands. "Excuse me, sir, may I show you to an exclusive show being held at the main theater right now?"

She hands me a pamphlet and I start to decline it before something hits me. A show? What if they're there? It can't be a coincidence that they're not here while there's this event going on?

"Thank you."

I scan the pamphlet, then head to the main theater. It's some kind of musical performance—I can just see Sebastian attending this. A singer's onstage, making a hell of a lot of noise, and there are quite a few people gathered in front of the stage. Some seated. Some are standing.

I spot Nikki in one corner of the room. Sebastian has an arm around her shoulders and she's leaning into him, and by God, does it hurt.

It's like I'm a teenager all over again, feeling the pain of betrayal.

Only, this time, I have the maturity to understand that I'm the one who pushed her into the arms of another man.

I keep watching, growing more and more agitated. The music isn't helping. I think of turning away, but something keeps me rooted to the spot. Maybe it's the fact that though she's here, her mind is in a faraway place, and that's a good thing. That's great. Her eyes are spaced out and she's not paying attention to her surroundings. Sebastian's mother approaches them, and he immediately takes his arm off her and turns his full attention to his mommy. Pathetic fuck.

And Nikki hasn't noticed a thing. Not yet.

But then, she turns her head to look at him, sees him talking to her, and this look crosses her face that lets me know that my time has come.

A smile slowly spreads across my face.

Here we go.