I FORGOT HOW IT FEELS to crush on someone so hard. The anticipation of seeing Thalia after work has me buzzing like a swarm of bees on a hot day. We spend all our free time together, but I can’t get enough of her.
I’m seventeen again: horny, infatuated, excited. A teenager in heat. Although, my feelings for Thalia now are far more mature and intense. Back in the day, I mindlessly lost my shit for any girl willing to spread her legs wide open—perks of being a sex-crazed teen.
I’ve had more than my fair share of meaningless sex. Now, the desire is different and harder to muster. It’s not as easy to pique my interest these days, but Thalia has been on my mind non-stop since day one.
When I get back from work, Nico’s white G-Wagon sits parked by the curb. The owner leans against the front grill, clouds of smoke hovering in the hot air.
“Not again.” I point to the cigarette in his hand. “What the fuck happened? We quit together!”
“And now I smoke alone,” he clips, jaw squared, an ever-present air of defensiveness droning around him. “You and Thalia busy tonight?”
I grab the packet off the hood and light one myself, inhaling a long, deep drag. Why did I quit in the first place? “No, we don’t have plans. Why?”
“Kaya wants to go out on a double date.”
The smoke hits the wrong pipe, setting my lungs ablaze. I cough like I’m smoking my very first cigarette. “Kaya?” I question when I can breathe again. “You two a thing now?”
He shrugs it off as if the fact that Nico fucking Hayes is dating isn’t the most bizarre and unexpected piece of information to ever reach my ears.
I always expected to settle down when the right woman came along, and I expect the same from Logan. Although, as I said, he’ll probably settle down for a couple of years, then change his wife for a younger model, and he’ll repeat that until he’s on his deathbed.
We both casually dated a few girls back in school, but Nico? He’s never had a girlfriend. I didn’t think he could commit to a woman for longer than one evening.
“We’ve been seeing each other since the girls went out clubbing,” he admits, eyes on the ground as he kicks a small pebble around before he glances up. “What?” he seethes as I’m still gawking at him with an undoubtedly dumbstruck expression. “You and Thalia are so good together. I thought maybe I should try it too.”
“Whoa… whoa… whoa!” I push away from the car. “Here I was, avoiding you for the last few weeks, thinking you didn’t approve of Thalia and me, and now you—”
“What? Where the fuck did you get that idea from?”
“You always say the life of a bachelor is the best. You’ve never had a girlfriend, and—”
“Yeah, I haven’t. That doesn’t mean I’m against relationships. Jesus, you seriously thought I disapprove of you having a girl?” he huffs, half amused, half offended. “You’re an idiot, you know that? We’re not getting any younger. You think I don’t know we’ll all settle down at some point?”
“We? No way you mean that. Who the hell are you?”
“Of course, we.” He rolls his eyes at my theatrics. “You don’t know me at all, do you?” He shakes his head, sounding bitter, forcing a sharp pang of guilt through my throat. “I want a family one day. A girl to come home to. I have nothing against you and Thalia. I like her. She’s fun and keeps you in check.”
If he really means that, he’s right. I don’t know him all too well. I’ve lived off assumptions. “Sorry, bro. It was shitty of me to just assume.”
He flicks the cigarette butt onto the sidewalk. “Yeah, it was. Even shittier of you to avoid me for three weeks. You’re a grade A douchebag, you know that? I’ve no idea what Thalia sees in you, but that’s an entirely different conversation.”
“Asshole.”
“Seriously, though. Double date. Tonight. We’re going to my restaurant. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
He hops behind the wheel, and I’m left to wrap my head around the fact that my younger brother, Mr. keep them at arm’s length is dating. I wonder if he had the same shut-the-fuck-up moment when he saw me kiss Thalia in his living room.
◆◆◆
“Thalia just got out of the shower, so she won’t be long.” I fling the door open wider to let Nico and Kaya inside.
“She just got out of the shower, and she won’t be long don’t belong in the same sentence, bro.”
They walk in, each step calculated, because Ares is right there, jumping and barking beneath their feet.
“Nah, she doesn’t need much time to get ready.”
“Learn from her,” Nico tells Kaya, his tone almost pleading. “It takes your fine ass an hour to choose the dress.”
“Maybe if you’d stop trying to fuck me every time I’m naked, it wouldn’t take so long.” She pats Ares on the head, walking in further. “I’ll go and check if Thalia needs help.”
“Straight ahead.” I point toward the hallway.
She’s dressed to impress in a tiny, bodycon number accentuating her immaculate, model-like figure and long legs. My brothers have a specific type of woman they’re attracted to. Logan’s all about blondes. He might check out a brunette from time to time as he did with Thalia, but I don’t think he ever fucked a brunette.
Nico, on the other hand, never looked at a blonde twice. He’s all about brunettes. Tall, skinny, with sleek hair and cover-worthy faces.
I was never that fussy. As long as I found the girl attractive, I didn’t care about hair color.
I wonder what the triplets will grow up to favor. They’re still a touch to young and hormone-ruled to have a preference. Anything that moves, has a vagina, and is willing to touch their dicks is probably enough at this point.
Nico and I step into the kitchen, and I grab us each a beer to kill time because now that Kaya has joined Thalia, she’ll help with her hair like last time, and we’ll be stuck here for longer than necessary.
Nico picks up Ares off the floor, scratching his ears and leaning back not to let the pup lick his face. “He’s getting heavy. Have you called the dog trainer yet?”
“Yeah, he’s starting classes next week. Thalia taught him a few tricks, but he’s too friendly toward strangers.”
“Gavin will train that out of him.” He pats Ares’s head. “When you learn to behave yourself, you can stay with me sometimes.”
“Don’t count on it. Shawn already called dibs on babysitting whenever I need.”
“He’ll change his mind when they adopt a kid.”
We change the subject, talking about Nico and Jared’s restaurant we’re supposed to eat at tonight, and go through half of our beer before the bedroom door opens ten minutes later.
Thalia smiles, pleased with how I eye her up, then glances down as if to check what has me so satisfied. She’s wearing the same outfit she wore the day we met—a black high-waist skirt and a crop top. “Good? Or not fancy enough?”
“Perfect.” I hold my hand out, silently asking her to come closer so I can pull her in for a kiss. That’s how I want to have her all the time. Close. Mine.
“Come on, lovebirds! I’m starving.” Kaya yells and stilettos toward the door while I sink deeper into Thalia’s mouth.
“If you want to continue the make-out session, do it in the car,” Nico says. “Just keep it PG-rated, alright?”
“I promise nothing,” Thalia chuckles, inching away.
I pat her butt, knot our fingers, and follow my brother and his girlfriend to the car. Shit, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to Nico dating anyone. Come to think of it, I probably shouldn’t. He’s too unpredictable, vicious and downright intense to make a relationship last.
I’ve not had a chance to visit Nico’s restaurant yet, but once we step through the door, I pause to admire the place. It’s far from what I expected, given Nico’s the owner. Instead of luxury dripping from every detail, the space is intimate and elegant. A dimly lit room filled with two and four-seater tables, a grand piano on a raised platform in the middle of the room, and a fish tank wall behind the bar, with yellow gobies and clownfish curiously swimming back and forth.
The waiter leads us to a round table tucked away by the window, the harbor visible in the distance, bathed in the hue of orange lamps. Dusk is fast approaching, with the first rays of pink and purple cutting across the cloudless sky and reflecting in the calm waves.
Romantic as fuck.
Thalia sits opposite me, next to Kaya, who impatiently flicks through the wine list.
Not how I imagined this double-date thing, but maybe it’s for the best. I don’t think I’d do much else other than touch Thalia if she were closer. I was asleep when she came home from a waitressing gig last night and still sleeping when she left for work this morning. Almost twenty-four hours without her is a bit too long to stomach. I’m whipped and not afraid to admit it.
To myself… in my head.
Thalia orders for the both of us: grilled lobster tails for starters and smoked salmon for the mains. Nico, such a man-man, chooses a steak, and Kaya settles for pasta, filling us in about the new marketing strategy she’s working on to attract a younger crowd to the Country Club.
“We’ll host monthly Unexpected Truth parties at the Country Club from now on. The first one is in three weeks. It’ll be so much bigger than what you’ve seen before.”
“You should think about live music,” Thalia says. “Start with local bands, and once the word-of-mouth gains momentum, think about inviting someone more famous.”
“Uh-oh.” Kaya clears her throat, eyes darting over my shoulder, then to my girlfriend. “Dean’s coming over here.”
Thalia jerks her hand from mine, trying to fuse with the chair. I don’t like that reaction. Not one fucking bit. My head snaps to Dean, who stops at our table, arms crossed, and eyebrows drawn together. He sways from left to right, unsteady on his feet as if he’s wearing heels instead of brown leather shoes.
“Wow!” he breaths, glaring at Thalia. “Now I know why you ditched my calls and stopped serving me on the course. I knew there was more to this.” He points between Thalia and me, “But I thought ’you were smarter, babe. I believed you when you said you weren’t screwing around with Theo.”
I’m on my feet in a heartbeat, my hand clasped around his throat. “And I thought you were smarter than mouthing off to my girl. If I find out, you so much as look at her again, this will end badly for you,” I hiss, shoving him back.
“What’s your problem?” He sways on his feet, backing away. “Don’t act like you give a shit!”
“Out, Dean,” Nico clips, holding my arm to stop me from going after the dipshit. “Now. I won’t hold him back if he decides it’s time to make you bleed, and we both know you won’t come out of that with your face intact.”
Dean eyes us both with comical astonishment comparable to that of a New York taxi driver who gets tipped a dime. What the fuck is it about my stance that leads him to believe I won’t go after him if he says one more word?
Do I look like I’m messing about? I don’t think so. If I did, Nico’s fingers wouldn’t be bruising my bicep.
Dean readjusts his jacket in one forceful tug and turns around, stumbling between the tables, his step unstable. He almost trips over his legs, sauntering toward the bar. Nico motions to the restaurant host to take care of Dean, then yanks my arm hard, forcing me back into my seat.
The ashen hue of Thalia’s cheeks gives way when I catch her hand, brushing my thumb over her knuckles. “What did he say to you when you went out with him? And why aren’t you serving the asshole?”
“He said you’ll throw me out of your house when my holes stop meeting your expectations,” she explains in a dismissive tone. “I got in his face. I think he finds women who don’t let bullshit slide appealing, though. He admitted the flowers were from him and wouldn’t stop hitting on me since. I asked Jared to get someone else to serve him when…” she hesitates, cheeks turning scarlet, “he smacked my ass.”
Nico grips my arm again to keep me in place, but my blood boils, and hell stirs in my head, sputtering like an old engine. I think he can relate because his hold loosens and features pinch. I know that look. The storm in his eyes is a sign he’s changed his mind and is now ready to help me serve Dean some justice.
“I’m sorry,” Thalia utters.
“Sorry? You’re sorry? Shit…” I lean over the table, pressing a kiss to her lips. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who should apologize. I turned this into a game for him when I pulled you away from him at the party.”
“Let it go, okay? Please. He’s not worth the trouble.”
“You are. If he touches you again, I’ll break his hands.”
It takes all I have not to follow Dean, who’s currently at the bar, chugging a glass of whiskey like iced tea on a hot summer day, ignoring the host who’s politely trying to remove him.
Thalia’s not even through her first glass of wine when the bottle empties, the contents in Kaya’s bloodstream, affecting her motor skills. The waiter promptly brings another bottle, keen to impress my brother. The food arrives minutes later, and we go almost the entire meal without another shitstorm.
“Looks like my restaurant is real fucking popular.” Nico clips, grinding his teeth while he stuffs Kaya with two deserts to counteract the wine. I doubt sugar is what she needs. “Kai’s here with his wife.”
My head snaps toward the door, and my muscles tense. I should’ve known I’d bump into him again.
I should’ve mentally prepared.
“Is that…?” Thalia lowers her voice to a whisper. “Is that the guy who stole your game?”
“Yeah,” I say, topping-up hers and Kaya’s glasses with more wine. “Drink up. We’re leaving.”
Kaya downs the glass in one go, polishes off a warm apple pie slice, and grabs her bag all within thirty seconds of me calling it a night. “Let’s go to Q,” she suggests, bouncing in her seat.
“Not a bad idea,” Thalia admits.
I call the waiter over, glancing around the room, and my eyes land on Kai. He sits a few tables away, his eyes on me, a focused, determined look on his traitorous face.
Five minutes later, Nico settles the bill, too stubborn to let me take care of it.
“Do you want to drop the car off at home?” I ask once were safely outside after taking the long way out, navigating the perimeter of the room to stay a safe distance—i.e., more than a punch-landing distance—away from Kai. “We can get an Uber from your place.”
“No, I’ll drive. Wait here. I’ll bring the car around.”
When we arrived, the parking lot was packed to the brim, and he left the G-Wagon at the employee parking lot at the back of the building. He takes Kaya with him, either to keep an eye on her or initiate a quick fuck while Thalia and I wait.
“Theo?”
My eyes close for a brief second. A hot glow sweeps over me from head to toe like a lit fuse of dynamite at the sound of Kai’s voice.
“Listen, man, can we talk? It’s important.”
Thalia steps away to stand behind me, still holding my hand, squeezing firmly as if she knows I might stay in control if she’s close. A whooshing sound reverberates in my head, but the rage I’m usually consumed by when I think about Kai fails to arrive.
Five years have passed since Kai stabbed me in the back, but the sense of betrayal and the all-consuming anger were always in the highest gear whenever I thought about Kai. I was bitter because he made a small fortune off our game, but since Thalia came into my life, money’s no longer my focus. She is.
The rage is still there but not as prominent anymore. Thalia keeps me in check, and the touch of her fingers around mine works like a strong tranquilizer.
“We need to talk,” he says again, sounding out of place. “Come on, man. It’s been years. I’m sorry, alright? Let it go.”
I turn around to find him closer than expected, mere three feet away. I might not care about money as much these days, but the sight of his stupid face has me raging, nonetheless. The fuse burns out, and the dynamite goes kaboom. No countdown, no warning, just an instant blast.
The next thing that registers with me is Kai on the ground, blood gushing from his nose.
“We have nothing to talk about.” I fume, shaking like an uncoiled spring. “Get the fuck out of my face, Kai.” I turn to Thalia just as Nico stops the car behind her, shooting out of the driver’s seat before the wheels come to a full stop.
Kai gathers himself off the ground, his spine like a metal rod now that my unpredictable brother is charging right at him.
“Get in, Thalia,” Nico booms, storming past her. “In!” She steps back, spins on her heel and joins Kaya at the back of the car, slamming the door. “What the fuck did I tell you?” Nico snarls, towering above Kai. He towers above ninety-five percent of people. “Stay away from him.”
“I just want to talk and explain, man. Fuck! I made a huge mistake back then, Theo. I was young! Fucking stupid.” He rubs his face, then wipes his bloody hands down the front of his pants. “I’m sorry. Truly. Come on, you gotta understand.” He steps toward me, but one look at my brother changes his mind.
I can’t blame him for cowering. It’s fucking scary to have Nico looming over you at any given time, but when he’s royally pissed off, you need a bunker to survive. He looks like a death-row inmate—plenty of crazy shit under his belt and nothing to lose.
Kai clears his throat, rocking on the heels of his elegant shoes. “Listen, I hear you’re working on this really cool project. I want to help, you know? Can we grab a drink tomorrow and just talk? My company could help you get your game in front of the right people. It’d be just like the old times.”
“Are you serious?” I scoff, and my eyebrows hit my hairline. “You think you can pull the same stunt twice? Whatever you’re snorting, either quit using or take half.”
“We’ve changed our minds,” Kaya yells, sliding down the window. “Thalia wants to go for a walk down the beach. We can stop for wine on our way there.
“Theo, come on, man. Game on. Play,” he fires his shitty lines at me as he did in college. “Remember? We’ve been friends for years. At least hear me out. We were in college, I—”
“I don’t care. You know what they say. Fool me once. You did, and you won’t be doing it again.”
Nico walks away first, either confident in my ability to keep my shit intact or impenitent to get out of here as soon as humanly possible. I follow suit, deaf to Kai’s pleading.
The four of us end up at the arcade half an hour later, where we waste hard-earned pennies on the slot machines, then spend a couple hours at a deserted, dark beach. Kaya and Thalia drink wine straight from a bottle Kaya bought when Nico wasn’t paying attention.
We’re resting against two six-foot-tall teddies, watching a bunch of high school kids party on a boat a few hundred yards off the coastline. Lucky bastards…
Midnight comes and goes, the dark sky above speckled with bright stars, but the evening turns to shit yet again when Kaya, drunk off her ass, starts arguing with Nico. She wants to go clubbing even though she can’t hold herself upright without assistance.
“You!” she slurs, pausing to hiccup. “You can’t tell me what the fuck I can or—” she hiccups again, eyes bleary. “I can’t do!” She pokes Nico’s chest with her long, manicured nail, the other hand propped against her thin waist. “Fuck. You. I’m going.” She starts toward the pier barefoot. Although zigzagging paints a better picture.
Nico follows quickly and grabs her by her hips, hauling her up. He flings her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, his chest heaving. “The only place you’re going is straight to bed.”
“You’re an asshole!” She rains his back with little fists, kicking and screaming, but it’s like trying to put a dent in a tank with a nerf gun. “Put me down!”
I smirk when he obliges, letting go of her body and she slides down his front, landing ass first on the sand. “Shut up,” he seethes, crouching down to get eye-level with her. “You want to go dancing? Be my fucking guest, but don’t come crawling back to me tomorrow crying and begging.”
Her beautiful face twists in pure shock. Lips part, eyes widen for a second before filling with fresh tears. She gawks at him, chin quivering, and then snap—she’s full-on choking and whimpering, tiny rivers flowing down her cheeks. She lunges herself into his arms, apologizing between pathetic sobs.
That’s the most bizarre scene I’ve ever witnessed. All the more when Nico’s mood does a one-eighty at the snap of fingers. His scowl slips, giving way to deep fucking concern lining his forehead.
“Should we get a cab?” Thalia whispers. She sits between my legs, her back to my chest and tilts her head to speak in my ear. “I’m tired. You’ll have to make me come so I’ll sleep better.”
I kiss the side of her head. “Sounds like a plan.”
