Working On Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 6) (4 page)

“I’m always pale.
And where did you come from so fast?”

“I was over there
when I saw you go pale, and I ran back over. Despite what you just
said, you’re not always this shade. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing I
didn’t know already Miles.”

He looks confused for a
few seconds, but then he gets it. He closes his eyes, clenches his
jaw, and drops his head. “Can we talk now? I know it’s your
party, but I won’t take long. It’s just really important that I
talk to you.”

“Okay.”

I know I should be
hanging out with the people at my party, but Miles looks so serious.
I want to know what caused him to be nice to me all of a sudden. His
smile is back, and he takes my hand as he stands, pulling me to my
feet. He doesn’t let go of my hand as we walk towards the house.

We’ve only taken a
few steps when Nick walks into the backyard. His face is a mess and
his arm is in a sling. There are police officers with him and they’re
walking towards us. Well, Nick is more limping towards us.

“Shit. Whatever
happens, Xandy, just know I love you.”

“What? Miles?” He
loves me?

He doesn’t have time
to answer. “That’s him. The guy who attacked me for no reason.”

“I had…”

“Shut up, Miles.
Don’t say another word,” Jane says.

“Aww how cute.
Letting an old lady tell you what to do.”

Miles is gripping my
hand so tight, I think it could break. “You need to leave, Nick. I
told you not to come tonight. That it was over.”

“I was surprised
until your new fuck here came to see me. You should’ve been
thanking me, man. I mean, I taught her everything she knows. If you’d
waited until after tonight, she would’ve been even more fun. You
have no idea what I had planned.”

“Fucking bastard,”
Miles says as he lets go of me and lunges for Nick.

Matt grabs him and
holds him tight. He’s still struggling when one of the policeman
steps forward. “Calm down, bro. Don’t make it any worse with the
cops here.”

“I’m actually sorry
to do this, but I have to take you in.”

Miles stops struggling
and stands still while he’s read his rights and handcuffed. I know
tears are running down my face, but I don’t care. Miles beat up
Nick. He knows. I know he does. I’m so mortified. And scared for
Miles. I don’t want him going to jail for me.

“No. Please. This is
my fault. Don’t arrest him.”

“I could be persuaded
to drop the charges, Alex.”

“Fuck no!” Miles
starts struggling, trying to get to Nick.

My uncles get in
between them, forming a wall as they glare at my ex. He shrinks back
a little. Individually, they can be scary when they want to be.
Together? Yeah, not a good idea to piss them off.

“I don’t know
what’s going on, but if you did something to Alex, you’re going
to be dealing with all of us.”

“He threatened me.
You heard him. Ryan Griffin threatened me.”

“My son didn’t
threaten you. He just let you know that we won’t let you harm
Alex.” My grandpa turns to the police. “Do you have another set
of handcuffs? This young man is trespassing, and I’d like him
arrested.”

“They can’t arrest
me.”

“Actually, we can. If
you weren’t invited to this party, you
are
trespassing.”

“What? Come on. I had
to find him. I knew he’d be here.”

“You’ve interrupted
a private function in my home and have apparently done something to
my granddaughter. I’m pressing charges.”

I see Nick start to
panic. Nothing is more important to him than his image. To be
arrested for trespassing at my grandparents’ house would be bad for
him. Really bad.

“Don’t press
charges against Miles and my grandfather won’t have you arrested.”

“You little bitch.”

“You obviously have a
death wish, asshole,” Matt tells him.

Nick looks to where my
uncles are glaring at him, barely controlled rage evident on their
faces. Miles is still struggling to get free, too. Plus, all the
women are now behind me and I’m pretty sure they have murder on
their minds and faces as well. I can see the moment when he knows
he’s been beat.

“Let him go. I’m
not pressing charges.”

“Do you still want to
press charges, Mr. Griffin?”

“As long as he leaves
now, no.”

* * *

Miles

Well, that was not what
I was hoping to have happen tonight. I was almost arrested because of
that little asshole. Yeah, I fucked him up. But we both know he
deserved it. He’s lucky he’s still breathing. I let him live
because I
didn’t
want to go to jail. What kind of man has someone arrested for a beat
down?

I don’t have time to
dwell on that as Gary thanks everyone for coming and asks everyone
but family to leave. My family stays since it’s obvious I’m
involved somehow, but everyone else goes. Shit. I just realized that
no one even sang “Happy Birthday” to Alex. I’ll make it up to
her somehow.

We all go inside and
sit on couches in their family room. I want to sit next to Alex, but
there’s not a spot next to her, so I sit with Matt and my gram. I
try to catch her eye, though, but she won’t look at me. My heart
sinks as I realize I was right. She doesn’t care that I told her I
love her. She hates me too much. Damn Quinn for making me think I had
a chance.

“Alex, we need to
know what’s going on.”

“I can’t tell you.
I can’t. It’s too embarrassing, Grandpa.”

“I’m going to speak
for everyone here. We love you. Nothing you tell us is going to
change that. If Miles beat Nick up for something he did to you, then
it had to be pretty bad. I am a little surprised that you told him,
though. I know the two of you were close when you used to spend the
summers with him in Florida, but I didn’t think you still were.”

“We’re not. I-I
didn’t tell him anything.”

“I told him.”

“Quinn, why?”

“It’s not my place
to tell you, Alex.”

“I already told her,
but it didn’t mean anything.” I can’t keep the bitterness out
of my voice.

“You told me?”

She doesn’t remember
that I told her I love her? It wasn’t even a half hour ago. I can’t
stay here with her any longer. She doesn’t care.

“I need to leave.
I’ll see you all later.”

I get up to go, but
Quinn’s voice stops me. “Don’t Miles. Don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“We both know where
you’re going. Don’t.”

“It’s pretty clear
that there’s nothing else for me. I’ll call you tomorrow. Unless
I’m still busy.”

My grandmother’s
voice stops me before I get too far. “Wait for me outside if you
don’t want to be in here, but please don’t leave. I’d like to
speak to you.”

“Can’t it wait,
Gram?”

“No.”

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll
be in the backyard.”

Where there’s
alcohol. Which sounds great, although then I can’t drive. Honestly,
that’s probably a good thing. I shouldn’t be going out when I
feel like I do. Especially not to The Green Door. I need to be on top
of my game for that place. So, alcohol it is.

* * *

Alex

Miles has barely walked
out the door when Quinn’s in front of me, looking like she wants to
kill me. “Go out there and talk to him.”

“She needs to talk to
us, Quinn. Then, if she wants to, she can talk to Miles.”

“No, Maggie. We could
be here all night because she’s embarrassed. Miles won’t be able
to wait. He’s already close to the edge. I can tell you what
happened while she talks to him.”

“
If
she wants to.”

“No, Yasmin. There’s
no ‘if.’ He’s the way he is because of her, and she needs to go
talk him down from the ledge. She’s the only one who can.”

“What? You think
Miles sleeps with anything that walks because of me?”

“I know he does.”

“You’re serious.”

“As a fucking heart
attack. Please go talk to him. I don’t want to see him
self-destruct.”

The anger has been
replaced by anguish on her face. I know she’s really close to
Miles, and if she thinks I can help him, then I need to try. He
did
beat up Nick. And he told me he loves me. Even if I don’t believe
it. I get up and go outside, ignoring the shocked looks on everyone’s
faces.

When I walk out, I see
him by the bar. The bartender is packing things up, but he’s given
Miles a glass and a bottle of whiskey. He doesn’t see me walk up
until I’m right in front of him. I get a crooked smile before he
takes another shot.

“That was fast. I’m
surprised they let you out after you told them. Or are you out here
for some liquid courage, little girl? I’d share, but I was already
almost arrested once tonight.”

“I came out here
because Quinn said she was afraid for you and that I was the only one
who could help you.”

“Ah, Quinn. Of
course. She’s always got my back. Even when I don’t want her
help.”

He fills the glass
again, but I place my hand over his and pull him away from the bar to
sit with me at one of the tables. “Why am I the only one who can
help you?”

“I already told you,
and just like I thought, it didn’t mean anything to you.”

“What are you talking
about, Miles? I’m not a mind-reader.”

He swallows hard, and
I’m shocked to see tears in his eyes. “I told you I love you,
Xandy.”

“You just said that
in the heat of the moment. You didn’t mean it. You can’t.”

“Go back inside and
get on with your life. Find another prick who doesn’t appreciate
you. Just leave me the fuck alone.”

Oh my God. I think he
meant it. He loves me. And I just fucked it up and hurt him. I have
to fix this. I do the only thing I can think of. I lean over and kiss
him.

He’s still for a
minute, as I brush my lips over his again and again. I’m starting
to think I was wrong and pull back a little, waiting. My eyes are
still closed when he gives me a small kiss on the edge of my mouth.
He kisses the other side and then starts to run his tongue around my
lips. I open my mouth, but he lifts his finger to my chin and pushes
up, closing it.

“Not yet. I’ve
dreamt about these lips for six years. I want to taste them first.”

I want to ask him what
he means by that, but I want his lips on me even more. So I keep my
mouth shut, both literally and figuratively, as he continues his
exploration. Once he’s done licking every inch of my lips, he
starts placing little kisses all over them. I moan. I can’t help
it. I’ve never been kissed like this. Like he’s worshipping my
mouth. I feel him smile against my mouth, right before he bites me
lightly on the plumpest part of my lip.

I can’t help it. I
grab the back of his head and pull him to me hard. I attack his
mouth, and he lets me. Correction. He attacks me back. His fingers
are in my fancy up-do, and mine are pulling on his hair where it’s
long on top. I’ve never kissed someone this way, because I’ve
never felt this way before. I can’t get close enough to him, even
as I climb onto his lap.

He breaks the kiss
suddenly. I don’t know why. I could feel him harden against me.
“What’s wrong, Miles? Did I do something wrong?”

“No. You’re
perfect. But we’re not alone.”

“Oh.”

I know my cheeks are
red as I start to stand up without flashing anyone. Miles grabs me
and turns me sideways on his lap, smoothing my dress over my legs.
The he wraps his arms around me and nuzzles my neck.

“Don’t go. Not when
I finally have you in my arms.”

“You could have any
woman in your arms, Miles.” And he has.

“I don’t want
anyone else.”

I push off him, and he
lets me go. Just like I knew he would. “C’mon, Miles. I’m not
blind
or
stupid.
You’ve been with women. Probably at least one every night.
Including some of my friends.”

I’m so dumb. Why did
I kiss him? I know it meant nothing to him. I mean nothing to him.
Why did I think it was more? I feel tears in my eyes and try to blink
them back as I walk away. I don’t get far, before he’s grabbing
me and turning me back towards him.

“Yes. I’m not going
to lie to you. I’ve been with at least one woman a night for the
last six years. And yes, some of them were foundation girls. But I
haven’t been with anyone since I saw you that first day in the
office.”

“You haven’t?
Really?”

“Really.” He
reaches out to cup my cheek. “I was only ever with other women
because I thought I could never have you. I knew I’d never love
anyone like I love you, so I didn’t want to have a relationship.
Meaningless fucks were enough to keep me happy. Or that’s what I
thought until I saw you at Luke and Olivia’s renewal ceremony. I
knew then that I would never be happy without you.”

“You acted like you
still hated me. And you didn’t stop with women then.”

“I
never
hated you. Never. God, I can’t believe I made you think that. Yes,
I kept sleeping around. But only because I still didn’t think I
could have you.”

I have to ask the
question. It’s the one that’s haunted me for six years. “Why
did you leave and never speak to me, if you didn’t hate me?”

Miles

I knew I’d have to
tell her. I
want
to
tell her. I was just hoping we could do it in private. There are too
many people here in the backyard, cleaning up. If I try to take her
in the house, we’ll be stopped. I look around and then see my
answer.

“Can we go in the
guest house?”

“Yeah. If you want.”

“I just want to be
alone when we talk.”

“Okay.”

She starts to walk
away, but I stop her. “Let’s grab some desserts. I ruined your
party, and no one sang to you.”