Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Seth wanted to argue Zach’s observation, but he couldn’t. “How about you mind your own fucking business?”
“Beck is my fucking business,” Zach shot back, then shook his head. “I can’t believe you told me that if I had any questions about grieving and healing, I should come to you.” He scoffed. “At least I’ve already figured out what’s important. If I ever have a chance at love and happiness again, I won’t waste a second on fear.”
With that, Zach rose and found his way to a couple of the only other people he knew at the party, Dean and Jericho.
Seth stood, chest heaving as he tried to bring his temper back under control. It was too fucking loud here. Too fucking happy.
He had to get out.
Before he could fish the keys of his SUV out of his pocket, slap them in Beck’s hand, and call an Uber, Heavenly and the surgeon came off the dance floor, hand in hand, all smiles.
Their girl sidled up to him, wrapping her hands around his arm and her warmth around his cold heart. “You want to dance?”
Beck saved him from answering. “Hang on a second. They’re cutting the cake.”
And Seth would have to walk right past the celebrating trio to get out the fucking door. He was trapped in this loud, crowded room. It felt like the walls were closing in, the ceiling caving in. It was claustrophobic. He couldn’t breathe. He could only watch happy people feed each other cake, share kisses, and talk about their amazing future.
He was going to lose his shit.
Thankfully, they wrapped up the festivities shortly after that. Raine tossed her bouquet. Of course Heavenly caught it, then looked at him with adoration and hope in her eyes. Then the love-drunk trio left.
That was his cue.
“Take these, man.” He handed his keys to Beck. “You and Heavenly stay. I’ve got to get out of here. Headache.”
Beck slanted him an unreadable stare. “We’ll go with you.”
Last fucking thing he wanted. “Stay. Have fun. I know Heavenly has been looking forward to this.”
“Now that Raine is gone, I’m sure she’ll be happy to leave.”
“No, really. I don’t want to be a buzzkill. Stay. I insist.”
Beck grabbed Heavenly’s hand, and together, they closed in. “So do we. Let’s go.”
Seth sulked in the backseat of his own fucking SUV, fuming as Beck drove them home because, according to the surgeon, he was too angry to drive.
Screw him.
They’d slipped out of the reception after Raine, Liam, and Hammer had left to start their new life together and the vanillas had begun to call it a night. It wouldn’t be long before the reception hall reverted to a dungeon for the club members who wanted to play. Heavenly wasn’t ready for that. He and Beck both agreed, so whisking their girl away had been the right call.
While Seth appreciated that fact, he still broiled with rage.
Goddamn Beck. He’d opened his big mouth and started this shit. Now all their friends were up his ass, questioning his decisions. They completely misunderstood him. He was in favor of marriage. In fact, he couldn’t imagine life without Heavenly, and he looked forward to slipping a ring on her finger to prove it. But babies? The good doctor was just itching to force fatherhood down his throat. Seth didn’t fucking appreciate it.
But the car wasn’t the place to argue, and Heavenly didn’t need to hear this confrontation.
It was going to be ugly.
Beside him, she sat, silent, hands folded in her lap. He hadn’t expected her to slide into the back beside him as Beck pulled away from the party. Why had she?
Heavenly and Beck made eye contact in the rearview mirror. He’d bet the two of them had cooked up some new scheme to bring him around to the idea of knocking her up. That fit since Beck had seemingly convinced her she needed babies right this goddamn minute.
“Seth?” Heavenly wrapped a soft hand around his arm. Her big blue eyes asked if he was all right.
He wished she wouldn’t touch him like that. He didn’t want her pity. He’d ten times rather she pull up her pretty dress and offer him her pussy. He’d tucked a condom in his pocket, just in case. But that wasn’t what she sought, so he braced against his racing heart and his rush of lust. “I’m fine.”
In the rearview mirror, Beck flashed him a dubious scowl.
Yeah? Fuck you, too.
She leaned closer. Her tits pressed against his arm, inciting another surge of desire. Seth gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. Why was it that, no matter what he was doing or how he was feeling, he always fucking wanted her? Love. Yeah, he could pin a bunch of the blame on that. But the need—primal, feral, uncontrollable—stemmed from something else he couldn’t put into words.