Maybe This Time (13 page)

Singing along
to Paula Deanda’s ‘Easy’, I park my car and hop out, surprised to
see Xander standing out the front, watching me. Ever since the
fight Xander has been keeping a closer eye on me, and I have no
idea why. I walk up to him, grinning as I see him wearing the new
T-shirt I bought him.

“You’re
wearing it!” I say in greeting.

“Told you I
love it, and I meant it.”

“Good. You’re
a bit early to start drinking, bro,” I say, stepping up on my tip
toes to kiss him on the cheek. I pull my satchel off my shoulder,
holding it in my hands.

“Everyone is
here,” he says, following me inside. I walk in and beam, because
he's right, everyone is here. My dad, Dash, Ryan, Reid and a few of
their other friends. Tag is at the bar alone, currently texting on
his phone as usual. I say hello to everyone, laughing when Ryan
runs up to hug me first.

“What’s the
occasion?” I ask Reid as I walk up to him and give him a peck on
the lips.

“Got an
important fight this weekend, beauty,” he says, watching my face
for my reaction.

“Am I invited
to this one?” I ask dryly, a little bite in my tone.

“I hope you'll
come to every fight from now on,” he says, gripping me by my hips
and pulling me down onto his lap. “But you'll have to stay with the
guys, not going anywhere alone, you hear me?”

“I’m sure I
can manage that.”

“You okay with
this?” he asks softly, and I know he means the whole fighting
thing.

“Does it
matter?” I reply, knowing that it doesn’t. This means something to
Reid, and there's no way I’m going to stand in his way. My mother
once told me there's no point trying to change a man. Either take
him as he is, or find someone who you wouldn’t want to change. This
is Reid, and I'll take him as he comes. As long as he doesn’t cheat
on me, or anything like that, and he treats me well and we make
each other happy, I'll support him. Yes, I'm worried about him
getting hurt, but it’s his decision, not mine.

“You know it
does,” he says into my throat. I look up and catch my dad watching
me, so I quickly push Reid away. Awkward.

“How was
class, Summer?” dad asks, smiling at my obvious discomfort.

“It was good,
I know I’m going to enjoy it,” I tell him.

“Proud of
you,” he says, lifting up his drink in a toast.

Trying not to
get emotional, I say thank you, and clear my throat. Reid squeezes
my thigh, obviously seeing right through me. I can’t help it
though, I never thought I would see the day when I'd hear my dad
say things like that to me. We shoot the shit for a little while,
until it’s time for me to start my shift. I change, clock in, and
then take over from Tag, who heads out for his break.

The night
passes quickly, and before I know it, it’s closing time. Ryan is
sitting at the bar, going over some paperwork, while Reid is doing
stock take. Tag already left to pick his kid up. He showed me
pictures of his daughter, and she is absolutely beautiful. Her
birthday is coming up and I make a mental note to buy her a gift. I
finish wiping down all the counters when I see Jade standing at the
entrance, knocking on the locked door.

“Ryan, why is
Jade at the door?” I ask him, raising an eyebrow. He walks around
the bar, and towards the door, unlocking it and letting her
enter.

“What are you
doing here?” he asks her, his tone neither friendly nor
hostile.

“I haven’t
seen you or Reid in a while so I thought I would drop by,” she
says, sounding a little unsure. I slap the cloth down on the table
and walk to the back. Reid is sitting there, writing furiously in a
notebook. He looks adorable, his brow furrowing in
concentration.

“Jade is
here,” I announce, trying to keep a poker face.

“What?” he
asks, standing up. I can tell by the look on his face he wasn’t
expecting her.

I walk back
out without answering, just in time to hear her say, “It’s not fair
I don’t get to be in Reid’s life because of her insecurities!” Her
pale face goes red, and it’s not a very attractive look.

“That’s
enough,” Reid growls, walking up behind me and putting his arms
around me.

“Summer, this
is Jade. Jade, Summer is my woman, my first priority. You need to
understand that,” he says, pulling me closer against his chest.

“So, what, you
and I can’t even be friends anymore?” She gasps, tears forming in
her eyes. I look at Ryan, who looks agitated. I’m so confused right
now, isn’t she Ryan’s ex?

“Jade, why are
you being so fucking difficult?” Reid sighs, letting me go and
lacing his hands behind his head.

“Because this
bitch came along and stole my only connection to my dead boyfriend!
We had a plan, Reid, and this is fucking it all up!” she screeches,
and I cringe. Dead boyfriend? Fuck. Reid’s brother that passed
away, Reece. This is his ex-girlfriend?

“If you cared
so much about your ex-boyfriend why were you trying to kiss his
brother?” I spit out, feeling guilty when her face pales. She
clutches her hands over her chest dramatically, and her bottom lip
trembles.

“Summer,” Reid
admonishes, and then I really lose my temper.

“So don’t
Summer me! I assumed she was Ryan’s ex, since you didn’t specify
which brother, and now she’s playing the guilt card? Well, she
didn’t look fucking guilty when she was trying to kiss you! This
act she’s pulling!” I gesture to her. “It's not working. I hate
manipulative bitches,” I growl the last word, stepping away from
Reid.

“You don’t
know anything, you have been in their lives for a second! I’ve been
here for years,” she says smugly, her damsel in distress routine
ending.

“This isn’t a
competition,” I say, my palms clenching into fists.

“Well if it
is, you lose. They won’t choose you over me!” she snaps, crossing
her arms over her chest.

“Jade, that’s
enough!” Reid roars, clearly having had enough drama. I ignore him
and walk over to Ryan, really needing to talk to him in that
moment.

“Ryan, can you
take me home?” I ask him. I see Ryan look over my head to Reid,
before looking down at me, grimacing.

“I want to,
babe, but I think my brother will kill me in my sleep,” he mock
whispers. I turn around and pin Reid with a stare that would cause
a lesser man to tremble.

“Ryan is
taking me to your place, you deal with this,” I tell him, daring
him to argue.

“Fine,” he
grits, “but you aren’t gonna use this against me later.” I roll my
eyes, unable to deny that the man knows me pretty damn well. He
walks over to me and kisses me deeply, his hands tangling in my
hair. I pull away.

“See you
soon,” I say, walking to the front door. Ryan catches up, and we
walk together to his car. We don’t say anything until we're both
inside the car and he starts the engine.

“Begin your
hundred questions,” he grumbles, reversing the car.

“She was your
brother’s ex,” I start.

“Yes.”

“When he
passed away…” I look at him as I say it, watching several emotions
cross his face.

“I’m sorry,” I
say quietly.

“Go on.”

“She still
stayed friends with the both of you. What I want to know, is why
she and Reid are more attached to each other, and you…”

“I’ve let go
of the anger. That’s the truth. When Reece died, we were both
devastated. We felt anger, sorrow, pain, guilt. He was our baby
brother, and we couldn’t protect him. We wanted someone to pay for
his death, someone to blame. Jade felt all of those things, too,
and she and Reid now have a common goal. I felt the same at the
start, but after a year I realized Reece sure as hell wouldn’t want
this for us, our mother wouldn’t want this, either. So I pulled out
of the fighting ring, and I’m trying to move on with my life. I'll
always love and remember Reece, but this obsessive need for revenge
isn’t what any of us need,” he explains. I’m left confused.

“What does the
fighting have to do with your brother and revenge?” I ask. Ryan
gives me a sympathetic glance, realizing Reid has told me pretty
much nothing.

“Reece was the
one who participated in the underground fighting. Reid was studying
business, and I was about to enrol in the police force. Reece had a
fight one night, and he died in that ring,” he says, his voice
wavering on the last sentence.

“So Reid wants
to, what? Fight because his brother did?”

“No, Reid
wants to fight the current champion. Which happens to be the guy
who killed Reece,” he says bitterly.

My mouth opens
wide in shock. “And Jade is egging him on?”

“Yes.”

That little
bitch.

“What if
something happens to him?” I ask.

Ryan shrugs.
“I’ve tried to talk him out of it, to let it go, but Reid does what
Reid wants to do.”

“More
secrets,” I say, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice.

“He doesn’t
want to scare you off, he’s terrified you’re going to run,” he
says.

“Is that what
he said?” I ask, turning in my seat.

“Not in so
many words, but I know my brother. Also to protect you. Reid is
like that. I know he cares about you a lot, Summer. I’ve never seen
him with any girl the way he is with you.”

I wring my
hands, not knowing what to say to that. “I don’t like being lied
to.”

“He didn’t
really lie,” Ryan says, defending him.

“Semantics,” I
mutter.

“You’re so
cute when you sulk,” he teases.

“I’m glad you
think so.”

We arrive at
Ryan’s apartment, and walk up the stairs. “Since we're having a
deep and meaningful, you gonna tell me what happened with Xander
the night he got into that fight?”

“Was I even at
the bar that day?”

“Yes,” I
growl. “I know you know what happened. You guys gossip like old
maids.”

Ryan rubs his
hand over his blond hair, making a sound in his throat. “Raptor has
friends, they aren’t fans of ours. Whenever we run into each other,
let’s just say shit doesn’t always turn out well.”

“Raptor?” I
reply, scoffing.

“Yeah, that’s
what they call him in the ring.”

“What do they
call Reid?” I ask as he unlocks the door and waits for me to
enter.

“Vengeance.”

I stop in my
tracks. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Want a juice
box?” he asks, grinning.

“You guys got
me juice boxes?” I perk up at the mere mention of them.

“Reid did,” he
says, opening the fridge.

“Apple?” I ask
in a hopeful voice.

“Of course,
and apple and blackberry.” He smiles, throwing me one.

“Bloody hell,
how can I be mad at him when he does cute and thoughtful things
like this?” I grumble, stabbing the straw through the hole.

“Someone’s
easily pleased,” he says, his eyes sparking with amusement.

“Was that a
sexual innuendo?” I ask dryly.

“No, but it
could be one,” he chuckles.

“Let’s watch
Catfish,” I say, walking over to the couch.

“You love this
show.”

“Yeah, cos
it’s awesome,” I say in a matter of fact tone. I get comfy on the
couch, just as Reid walks in, Jade in tow. She has tears pouring
down her face, and she’s sniffling dramatically.

“What’s she
doing here?” I demand, my hand twitching.

Jade walks
towards the bathroom and Reid sits down next to me. “She was crying
and crying, I couldn’t just leave her there.”

I glance at
Ryan, and then back at Reid. “So… What? She’s staying the night
here?”

“What? No!”
Reid says, taking my hand into his. He rubs my fingers while my
hand lays there non-responsive like dead weight.

“Right. I’m
going home, you deal with Miss I-Can-Cry-On-Cue,” I tell him.

“For fuck's
sake, you’re not going anywhere, Summer,” he says, sounding like he
thinks I’m the one in the wrong here.

“I don’t share
well, Reid,” I whisper so only he can hear.

“And I don’t
expect you to,” he says, his eyes searching mine through his thick
dark lashes.

“No, I think
that you do. I get it, she’s a link to your brother, and I’m not
asking you to give that up. But there have to be some kind of
boundaries.”

“She doesn’t
usually act like this. Look, my baby brother loved her, he wanted
to marry her. What am I meant to do?” he asks, distress flickering
across his face.

Hating seeing
him like this, I get up and walk to the bathroom. I tap on the door
once before I enter. Jade looks genuinely upset, her tear-stained
cheeks blotchy.

“Finally, some
real emotion,” I say wryly, leaning against the door frame.

“Yeah, well. I
don’t want to lose Reid and Ryan. They were meant to be my brothers
one day,” she says, her throat scratchy.

“Why did you
kiss him?” I ask straight out.

Her head comes
up sharply. “I was losing him, and I was desperate. I didn’t plan
it, it just happened. It was a mistake. I'd never do that to
Reece,” she says softly, and I actually catch a glimpse of the real
Jade.

“Look, I'd
never tell Reid to stay away from you, but we need to get a few
things straight first.”

She looks
suspicious. “Like what?”

“You do not
manipulate Reid into doing whatever you want, using guilt as a
tool,” I tell her, my eyes showing just how serious I am.

“What? I don’t
do that!”

“Shut up and
listen. If those frosted lips, or any other body part even come
close to Reid…” I trail off, letting my evil grin get my point
across for me.

“I won’t, I
promise. He doesn’t want me anyway,” she tells me, wiping her tears
away.

“As long as
that’s understood. Come on, let’s watch Catfish,” I say, walking
out of the bathroom and back to Reid.

He looks
worried. “Everything okay?”