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“Silent auction table.” He gestures with his chin across the room to where the items for bidding are on display. “I promised her she could outbid everyone here.”
“You’re gonna let her blow all your money just for her to give it back to charity, aren’t you?”
“My mother would have to bid on an island in order to put a dent in my finances, and even then, it would have to be a big one. Plus, irritating these pricks is practically sport in my family.” He turns to face me head-on, leaning forward so his eyes are level with mine. “I share in her joy when it comes to this particular endeavor.”
“You’re not hardwired to experience joy, Nick.” Not outside a motocross track, at least.
The muscles in his neck flex, accompanied by the tightening of his jaw, making his sharp angles more prominent. Standing to his full height, he looks down upon me with a narrowed stare.
“Fair enough. I revel in their displeasure. You prefer that answer?”
I huff out a short laugh. “At least it’s an honest one.” Nicky looks to his right, though he doesn’t appear to be focusing on anything in particular. “Speaking of honest answers… what are you doing here, Nick?”
“Pops had to work.” He doesn’t bother to look at me while answering my question. “He asked me to bring Mom in his place.”
I scoff at his bullshit response, shaking my head in frustration before storming off across the room.
“Hey!” Nicky catches up to me in all of three strides, snatching hold of my wrist to thwart yet another escape attempt.
“Why are you lying to me?” I shove at his chest, the action earning me some disapproving glares from nearby nosey spectators.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“You actually expect me to believe that your father blew off your mother? Really? In what fucking world, Nicky? Your mother could plan a trip to the seventh circle of Hell and the only question your father would ask would be which sunscreen should he pack.” I rip my arm from his grasp, not bothering to conceal my scowl. “Why are you fucking with me today?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, demon.” His face scrunches up, as though the sheer suggestion I could be the reason for his presence is ludicrous. “I’m here for Ma. That’s it.”
“That’s all it better be.” I seethe through clenched teeth while thrusting my finger in his face. “Because if you’re thinking you’re just gonna stroll back in here and pick up where we left off because you’re suddenly bored, you’re sorely mistaken.”
The chuckle reverberating within him is so devoid of any emotion, it sounds positively heinous. “Is that what you think?” He steps into me, lowering his face to mine. “Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. Not to mention, there’d have to have actually been something between us in order to pick back up.”
I should be thankful he’s being such a prick. It’s easier to ignore him when he’s cruel. However, the casual nature with which he dismisses our history surprisingly enrages me, causing me to lash out against my better judgement. “Don’t act like if I didn’t give you the green light, you wouldn’t take me up on it. You were ready to fuck me on your mother’s dining room table this afternoon.”
“And then I remembered you’re an overdramatic pain in my ass, and I came to my senses. Gotta love small miracles.”
“I hate you.” My words race out a low hiss, dripping with disdain. Shoving past him, I stride off toward the raw bar, the last place I caught a glimpse of Shannon.
“There you go again, singing my favorite song.” Nicky continues hot on my heels, testing the limits of my sanity.
“Why are you still following me?!” I call out over my shoulder.
“I’m not following you. I’m heading to the hors d’oeuvres to grab a plate. Is that allowed? Or are you calling dibs on all the food for yourself?”
His words strike a chord, echoing my mother’s still-fresh insults. My feet grind to a halt so suddenly, Nicky all but stumbles in effort to avoid slamming into my back. I spin, my body trembling with rage as my fists ball at my sides.
“Fuck you, Nicky.” With as long as we’ve known one another, they’re words I must’ve hurled at him hundreds of times. Though by the way Nicky’s features slacken, I can tell he knows this is different.
“Whoa.” He grips hold of my shoulder, preventing me from turning away. “What was that?”
“I told you. I hate you.”
Nicky’s mouth shifts into a thin line, pinning me with his unimpressed stare. “You always hate me. This is something else. What?”
“I don’t appreciate the insinuations about my weight.”
His eyes go wide before offering a quick shake of his head as though he misheard me. “What the fuck, woman?!”
“Calling dibs on all the food…”
