Damaged 2 (12 page)

I
smirk because it was so unlike me. "I walked up to him in a parking lot and offered
to sleep with him. It was kind of random. I was trying something new." I can't
look at her.

"Looks
like it worked out."

"Actually,
he threw me out that first night." Screw this. I'm doing the shot. I lift the
glass to my lips and let the liquid flood my mouth, but it's too slow. It
starts to burn before I manage to empty the glass.

Avery
laughs. "Holy fuck, you're crazier than I am. Swallow it before it burns a hole
in your face!" She's too loud. Everyone turns to look at us.

I
feel too many eyes on the side of my face and panic. I can't swallow the
liquor. It was too much and my eyes are burning like my brains are on fire. I
start to squeal and fan my face, like that'll help. Avery yells at me to
swallow it, but now I can't. I have too much liquid in my mouth and I'm pretty
sure my tongue has flames shooting out the end.

I
frantically look around, trying to figure out how to spit it out, but there is
nowhere.
Way to be classy
. There's a couple of guys sitting a few stools
over drinking. The one closest to her has a tall glass. Avery reaches for it,
tosses the contents in the drain on the other side of the bar, and slams it
down in front of me. I spit it out into the cup as fast as humanly possible
while Avery laughs hysterically.

"Oh
my God, you're just like me!"

I'm
not sure about that, but I can't talk. I fan my open mouth as people stare at
me with knowing expressions on their faces. Avery leans into me, laughing, and
tells me not to scrape my tongue, since that will only make it worse. My eyes water
and tears streak down my face. The bartender shoots Avery a look and puts down
a glass of water in front of me. Avery reaches into her purse and slips him a
big bill. All is forgiven, and he actually smiles at her.

"That
was the funniest thing I've seen in an insanely long time." She hangs on my
shoulder and then looks at me. Her little fingers dab away my tears without
messing up my makeup. "There you go. Good as new."

"That
was so disgusting. I can't believe I spewed." I start giggling and can't stop.
Avery chortles with me. It feels like I've known her forever. It's really weird
and not lost on me. I don't get along well with many people. I tap her arm a
few times and manage to say, totally straight-faced, "That was evil. Really.
Frock you."

Avery
honks out a huge laugh and slaps her hands over her mouth. Frantic giggles
burst forth from both of us and fill up the bar. I can't breathe, and I'm
pretty close to falling off my stool. A guy tries to hit on us, but neither of
us can stop laughing long enough to look at him. A second later, I feel his
hand on my shoulder. The smile is torn off my face as I round on the person,
ready to punch. I've already formed a fist when Avery touches my hand.

It's
not a random guy. Sean is standing there looking much too serious. His deep
blue eyes shift between Avery and me. "Ladies." He arches a dark brow at me
like he disapproves. "Dinner is on the table." He extends his elbow to me. I
hesitate because I don't want to take it. My skin is still covered in goose
bumps from the first time he touched me.

Avery
leans forward and pushes his arm away. "We'll be right there. Give us a sec."
Sean looks annoyed, but walks away. His posture is so perfect. He carries
himself differently than Peter, but their confident stride is the same. Avery
pulls me out of my thoughts. "You okay?"

"Yeah,
I'm fine." I'm not. I'm too jumpy for a normal person and she noticed.

Avery
gives me a knowing look. "If you ever need somebody to talk to, I've been
through hell and back. I know stuff, even if I seem like an idiot most of the
time."

I
appreciate the gesture, and smile at her. The look she gives me says she knows
what happened on some level. I see it in her eyes.

I
nod and tuck my hair behind my ear, breaking her gaze. "I might have a question
or two for you, actually." I tell her what I'm thinking, and she answers my
inquiries without judgment.

CHAPTER
17

"Peter
tells me that you were his student." Sean gives me a sharp look that says I'm
devoid of morals.

"Yeah,
Peter was my boss, too." I poke around at my food.

Peter
ordered for me while we were at the bar. The food is good, but it feels like
I'm being judged and I hate that. Especially by him. Sean pisses me off. He has
this superior thing going on, and I can't stand it when people think they're
better than everyone else. Maybe I shouldn't say it, but I do. I place my fork
down and look up at him. "Listen, if you want to throw stones, you probably
shouldn't have bought your date."

"Oh,
snap." Avery grins and lowers her gaze to her salad.

Sean's
eyes bore into mine. I don't look down. He's a facsimile of Peter with harder
edges. "You think I'm judging you?"

"Yes."

"I
wasn't," he says, still staring at me like he has no manners at all.

"Then
why'd you bring it up?"

Peter
watches us but doesn't intervene. Instead he leans back in his chair and
steeples his fingers, tapping them together lightly and looking at his brother.

"Because
I thought it was interesting." Sean cuts his gaze over to his brother. "Is she
always this adversarial?"

"Only
when you piss her off." Peter smiles at me and resumes eating his dinner. His
eyes flick up with amusement after he takes a bite.

"It
was a rude question," I say, still glaring at him. Maybe I should let it go.

Sean
straightens in his chair. "Very well. Then turnabout is fair play, so ask
something of equal boorishness."

"Boorishness?"

"It
means rude—"

"I
know what it means. Fine, I have a question. Why do you keep calling Avery? Why
not just date her like a normal person?"

Sean
sounds completely dignified when he says, "Because I'm not a normal person."

I
give him a face that says I think his answer is crap.

Avery
leans forward and rests her elbow on the table as she gazes at him. "Sean, you
told her to ask you. Tell her whatever you want." They are the weirdest couple
I've ever seen. She's so light, and he's so dark. I wonder if there's more to
both them. There has to be some common thread somewhere.

Sean
leans back in his chair and looks me over. "I don't like you."

"I
don't care."
Holy shit, that was blunt. Who the hell says stuff like that?
Peter is getting agitated, but I shake my head slightly. I don't need him to
rescue me, not from this guy.

Sean
makes a disgruntled sound at the back of his throat. "I asked her to be my
mistress."

"How
flattering." I glance at Avery and can tell my gut reaction is right—it's not
flattering at all.

"Isn't
it?" Sean's tone sounds sincere but he can't be.

I
glance at Avery. "Is he serious?"

Avery
nods. "One hundred percent." Her voice hitches slightly, like it bothers her
that he didn't ask for more. I catch it and wonder if Sean knows. He doesn't
seem to, but then again he seems to be acting assy on purpose.

"Well,
good luck with that, Sean." I don't mean to, but I make a face as I look at
Peter.

Sean
doesn't let it slip by. "You think it's inappropriate? Really, after screwing
your professor and superior, you really think you have the right to judge me?"

"Sean,"
Avery warns and glances at Peter.

"That's
enough," Peter scolds. It silences Sean, but I stare burning holes into Sean's
forehead. He glances up at me.

"You
think I'm after his family's money, don't you? You think that I'm not good
enough for him, that I'm some white-trash gold digger. Isn't that right?" My
jaw tightens as I speak. I see it in his eyes before he has a chance to answer,
so I cut him off. "I don't need his goddamn money. I can get by on my own. I
always have, and I always will. You on the other hand will die miserable and
alone. In the five seconds since I've met you, I could see that Avery deserves
so much more, more than you could ever give her. You're chasing a dream. Wake
up." I snap the last two words at him as my palms slap the table. The
silverware shakes.

I
glance over at Peter. "I'm sorry, Peter. I'm not sure why we came here
tonight."

Peter
exhales slowly and glances at Sean. There's a warning in his eyes. At first I
think Peter's telling Sean to back off, but that isn't it.

Sean
rolls his eyes, like this much drama gives him heartburn. He taps the butt of
his knife on the table before lifting it and using it like a pointer, gesturing
to his brother. "Because Peter wants me to come with the two of you."

CHAPTER
18

"Peter
wants you to do what?" I swear to God the vulture must have eaten my brains
while I was asleep last night, because there is no way in hell that Sean just
said that. Peter didn't tell me what he wanted or why he needed Sean, but I
don't like it, mostly because Sean hates my guts for no apparent reason. It's
hard enough facing what I have to face. I don't want Sean there crushing me as
well.

Peter
leans forward and takes my hand. "It's just for a day or two. You don't even
have to talk to him." Sean doesn't move, but the way he watches us says
everything. He thinks that I'm bad news for his little brother. Sean's gaze
returns to his plate. His lips part as he cuts through his steak. Peter turns
abruptly and cuts off Sean before he can speak. "Shut up and eat your dinner."

Avery
pokes her food and eats slowly. She didn't know their plan either based on the
look on her face. "How long will you be gone?" It's a loaded question. Avery
isn't asking for dates, although that's part of it. She's asking Sean something
else. I wonder if he notices.

Sean's
voice softens, but he doesn't look at her. "Only a couple of days."

She
nods. "What about tonight? And tomorrow?"

"It's
your decision," Sean answers, sounding like he couldn't care less.

Avery
gently places her fork down, then puts her napkin on the table. She stands and
smiles at Peter and me. "It was nice to meet you." She turns to Sean and gives
him a look that could castrate another man. Her voice is cold and completely
detached. "Do whatever you want."

Avery
walks away, but I don't know why. It feels like they were having a private
conversation even though it was in front of us. Sean said the wrong thing. He
doesn't chase after her, and Avery doesn't slow down or look back. She knows
Sean won't rush after her.

Awkward
silence fills the table. Peter is leaning on one arm, watching his brother with
a grin on his face. Sean lifts his dark gaze and notices Peter's amusement.
"What?" Sean snaps.

"You
like her, a lot."

"It's
not your concern." Sean sips some of that disgusting amber liquid from his
glass.

"Of
course not. Just stating the obvious." Peter's gaze follows Avery. "It's
interesting; that's all. The woman clearly brought you to your knees, but
you're too proud to chase after her. Too bad she's used goods, huh?" Before I
can scold Peter for saying such a thing, Sean bolts upright and grabs Peter by
the throat. Sean hisses something, but Peter is laughing over the threats.
Peter rips his brother's hands away and blurts out, "You are so fucked."

Everyone
is looking at us. Sean sits down again as Peter continues to grin like it's
funny. I kick Peter under the table, trying to make him stop. Sean is sending
off the crazy vibe in massive waves and I don't want him to kill us in the
parking lot.

Peter
shakes his head and pushes his hair out of his eyes. "So you know?"

Sean
works his jaw before taking a swig from his glass. "Of course I know."

"Does
he know what?" I interrupt and look between them.

When
Sean doesn't answer, Peter says in a playful tone, "He loves her."

"Then
why'd you let her storm away?" Sean glares at me with venom in his eyes. He
doesn't like this, but I have no idea what part he finds objectionable. Screw
this. Avery was nice and this guy clearly needs a kick in the ass. "Do you need
a textbook or something? Avery knew you wouldn't follow her when she walked
away. She wanted you to say you wanted her. She wanted to go with you. What the
hell are you sitting here for if you love her? How damaged are you?" I don't
understand him at all. That cold confidence speckled across Sean's face is
maddening, especially if he really loves her. Sean holds himself in check and
buries every emotion that might play across his face.

Peter
is nothing like Sean. They may look the same, but they're not. Peter still has
a lightness about him. He jokes, smiles, and teases. Sean had all the light
sucked out of him a long time ago. The man is a thunderstorm waiting to kill
someone.

"Why
should I go after her?" he asks callously. The way he sits in his seat and
doesn't bother to look up at me says he could care less what I think, but then
again, people like Sean don't waste words.

"What,
do you need a lesson or something? If you love her, you can't let her think you
don't care. And why the hell are you sharing her with other men? Or women or
goats? Or whatever the hell she's doing? Why haven't you saved her yet? What
are you waiting for, an invitation?"

Peter's
gaze flicks between me and his brother. When Sean looks his way, Peter smiles
pleasantly, like I didn't verbally bitchslap his brother. Sean asks Peter, "And
your opinion is…?"

"My
opinion is that the great Sean Ferro has fallen. You're a dick if you let her
get away. She seems to tolerate you for whatever reason and you let her leave."
Peter lifts the bread basket and tears off a piece of a roll, then pops it in
his mouth. "No one tolerates you unless they're blood or paid."