Endless Love by Bianca Borell

Chapter Nineteen

BRIA

A black van picks us up, and Damien cradles me in his arms. Alex rests his hand around Sophia’s shoulder as she plays with his fingers. Meanwhile, the other two lovebirds face each other, stabbing each to death, just mentally, thankfully.

“Anyone have a knife to cut the tension coming from the two of you.”

“Bria, not now. I have a headache already,” my brother mumbles, massaging his temples, giving Chloe the possibility to attack, and she goes for it.

“Aren’t you charming as always? You’re the best when it comes to making a woman feel bad for caring about you.”

He bends forward, his voice lowering, “You would know, wouldn’t you?”

She fumes, seething in her anger. I have never witnessed my brother lose it like this. His insolence is only a mask, but he uses it like a pro. If looks could kill, my brother would be six feet under the ground for sure with the way Chloe pins him down with a stare.

We’re all silent, only a ragged breath coming from my brother and Chloe.

“I’m good at forgetting insignificant experiences,” she says and flicks a strand of her hair. They slept together, and Chloe slightly trembles, so she lied big time. Meanwhile, my brother’s nostrils flare, his palpable anger flooding the car. It will be a long, long night full of unresolved issues and repressed feelings coming to light. She puts her hand on her chest, her gesture giving the slight hurt away as she’s protecting herself against what will come. My brother smirks, and it looks wrong on him. This isn’t my sweet brother. He’s a man on a mission.

“Was it an invitation, Chloe?”

“Fuck you.”

“Why should I when there are so many willing?”

At this point, I’m sure they are so wrapped up, they forgot they have company and not even the slight throat-clearing of Damien works.

“Then, let me arrange it for you.”

She picks her phone up and dials a number as my brother keeps staring at her daring.

“Hi, Annabelle.”

At her name, my brother’s expression turns to pure rage. He snatches the phone from her and ends the conversation.

“Give it back.”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“A favor.”

“I don’t need any new fuck buddies.”

“But there’s nothing like screwing the best friend of one, is there, Filip? Why not? I mean, wasn’t she good enough in the long term?”

“Are you buying your own bullshit when we both know who screwed who over?” Her hands shoot to her ears.

“Shut up. You have no idea what you’re talking about, what you did . . .”

“Guess what, the feeling is fucking mutual.”

My heart breaks for them. Her voice, although icy, rings with vulnerability in it, it cracks. Whatever my brother did hurt her like she must have hurt him with the same intensity.

He glances at her almost pleading, it’s distressing. The van falls into complete silence. The driver pulls over, and Sarah hops in wearing an elegant suit. She scrunches her face at the quiet and tension but says nothing as she slides next to Alex.

When we reach our destination, we all exhale in relief.

To describe the club, I need only one word—glamorous. We reach the VIP section, and the drinks follow. I take a sip of the most delectable beverage of them all—a rich, ruby red liquid.

I sway my hips, and I don’t stop for the next hour as Damien’s hands are everywhere, touching me in the music’s rhythm. I’m lost to him and the beats, both mesmerizing me. His eyes, lips, and hands are only on me.

We drop down on the sleek couch, and I get to normalize my heartbeats with a much-needed break. I look around at my friends and family. Sophia gives Alex the show of his life. He focuses on her moves, and he loses any notion of his surroundings. Damien is in a deep conversation with my brother, frowning, and Sarah types on her phone. I grip Chloe’s hand because I need to use the bathroom, and hopefully, we can connect a little more. She takes it without hesitation, almost glad for a reprieve.

“That was awkward,” I say, and she sighs.

“I’m sorry. It’s just your brother who does this to me. It’s like I’m possessed. I didn’t want to come, but then I thought he did enough already.”

“What happened? I don’t want to pry, but I am just honestly concerned for both of you.”

She struggles with either telling me or not, but after a defeated sound escapes her glossed lips, she says, “He was the one I let in, the biggest mistake of my life. When I came back from a photo shoot, he was fucking my roommate and best friend on the couch.” My eyes widen, and my mouth hangs open.

“What?”

It’s worse than I thought. “Your best friend, hmm, that must hurt even worse.” She leans on the wall and closes her eyes for a moment.

“Yes, it’s kind of complicated. She’s still my best friend, but there are moments when all I can reduce her to is her in bed with the one I . . .”

“I’m so furious at him right now myself.”

We half smile at each other. I take it as a good start, her opening up to me.

“Thank you. It must have been hard to relive.”

“Well, well, let me guess. Damien isn’t far away in this case. One day you have to tell me the secret of why he always comes back to you?”

I turn around, seeking the source of our interruption. My stomach turns at hearing Damien’s name out of her mouth. The day arrived. I mean, what were the chances of coming to his playground and not find even one of his former playmates? She is brunette, wearing more skin than a dress, trying for sophistication, but failing. The slit goes so high, exposing her intimate parts. She stares at Chloe, raw envy clouding her eyes. She doesn’t even try to hide it.

“Hello to you too, Kate.” Her eyes travel up and down me and she sticks her nose up.

“I’m sorry, and you are?”

I curve my lips in the most bright, fake smile I can, and in a sweet voice, I answer, “Bria, Damien’s fiancée.”

Her face drains of color, and she steps back. Another heavy stone drops from my shoulders. These women might know how he looks naked but have never had the slightest glimpse inside his heart. I don't know why I was jealous of them because right now, I feel stupid that I ever was.

“Excuse me?”

She’s either obtuse or scandalized. I believe the former.

“Kate, I’m sure you heard her right the first time.”

“It can’t be. It’s impossible.”

“Even though the proof is right in front of you? Naivety doesn’t suit you.”

“I never liked you, you conceited bitch.”

“No need to get personal. It’s not my fault you choke on the truth. Keep moving.”

Chloe ushers her out of the way. She turns around and leaves but still glances at us from over her shoulder, and her expression etched in disbelief. We burst into laughter, oh yes, we are going to be fast friends.

“Chloe, do you want to come with us tomorrow to my bridal session?”

Her expression transforms with surprise, and her eyes fill with happiness at the prospect, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

“Yes, but stop surprising me, okay?”

“I can’t promise that.”

“Yes, I guess you wouldn’t keep Damien on his toes if you were anything else. You were brilliant in how you handled the situation. He didn’t care much who came to his bed if they fit the profile.” I noticed, but I don’t say it out loud, instead chew on my lower lip.

“I dreaded the idea, but I knew that eventually I would have to face it. It wasn’t as bad as expected.”

“He loves you like I never thought possible of a man loving a woman,” she says, and it’s the vulnerability I glimpse in her eyes that causes my voice to break.

“Chloe . . .” She waves me off and plasters a smile on her face.

“It’s okay. I’m not as broken as you might believe.”

“Yes, because you’re that strong also.”

“Thank you.” Moments pass, and when we stand at the sink, our eyes meet in the mirror. “The first time we met, we were both suspicious, and we didn’t take the chance to get to know each other. But the more time I spend with you, the more I like you.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

As we dry our hands, she confesses, avoiding my gaze, “Damien is the only male figure who is a constant in my life, and even if I might never say it to him, I need him.” I nod and hope my expression confirms I’m okay with it.

“And he needs his friend. You’re important to him, and I would never take that away from him. Plus, I have Alex.” She throws the napkin in the trash, and we leave the private bathroom.

“God, he hated him. Every time he’d return from seeing you two, he drank, shattering every glass he could find and ask me, ‘Why him? What does he have that I don’t? She was mine, and no one should ever dare to touch her.’” She pauses, a shiver rocking her frame, and my heart squeezes at her confession. “It was painful to see this brilliant, beautiful, and successful man cry over a woman. I hated you for hurting him. I was unaware you had your own painful road to walk down. What I want to say is, I’m happy for you.”

It still hurts when I’m reminded of how he and I suffered, but grateful we found our way back to each other. We return to the table, and Damien pulls me in for a tight embrace.

“I hate it when you’re not around,” he says as I get lost in two pools of love. My heart can’t possibly stop because he will always get it to leap in my chest.

“Damien,” I whisper, just his name, a hundred love declarations rolling out of my soul, and his fingers dig into my waist. He flips my hair to the side and presses a kiss on the vein pulsating in my neck. I close my eyes, sensations spilling over, but mostly with life, him, and love.

When the moment ends, I step out of the trance and add, my voice a bit raspy, the only remnant of how he affects me, “I invited her tomorrow for my bridal shopping.”

“Have I told you lately how amazing you are?”

“I’d rather you show me how amazing you think I am.”

“Life with you will never be boring, of this, I’m sure.”

“It better not be. I want to see if you keep loving me when my wrinkles will be deeper than a crater.” He burst into laughter, but I’m dead serious.

“I will still love you even then, Bria, especially then. There’s no greater gift you could give me.”

There is one that pops in my head, but I remain silent and enjoy his warm gaze trailing over my body, letting his words caress my love-hungry soul.

“Plus, there’s plastic surgery.” I smack him on the chest, and he chuckles.

“I saw you talking to Filip. Is he all right?”

“No man would drink that amount of alcohol in that short of time if it weren’t to forget something.”

He speaks from experience. I believe him. I peck his lips, and they taste like rich whiskey. I get drunk on the combination of his natural taste mixed with the alcohol. I lick my lips and the vision goes straight to his pants as he pokes me with his hard-on as I suppress a smile.

“I’m worse than a fucking teenager because of you.”

“But what did I do now?” I ask, feigning innocence.

“Your simple presence, baby. It’s all I need. Fuck, you truly are my undoing.”

His eyes follow me as I take a seat next to my brother. He wraps an arm over my shoulder, and I wonder if it is to shelter me or protect himself.

“I hate to play the big sister card, but you have had enough.”

“You never played it before,” he slurs, his eyes glassy. I push down the guilt as it’s something I will always carry with me. I missed the years of him growing from a boy to a man, but I can’t change the past anymore. I can only assure him I’m here and intend to stay.

“But we both know it’s not the reason you drink.” He shuts his eyes.

“Two fucking emerald green eyes.”

“She told me you cheated with her best friend, Filip. I’m angry at you, but you do a good job of punishing yourself.”

“Every time I see her, I battle with myself, and then like a sucker for pain, I want to kiss her. I drink because I’m tired of wanting her,” he confesses, and I place my hand over his thigh.

“Why, then?” He laughs, a low and deprecating one, and takes a generous sip.

“She cheated on me first. Did she tell you that too?” I shake my head, eye her, and then him. Chloe’s hurt is too genuine to be fake.

“No, she said she came home and found you with Annabelle.”

He leans back further on the couch, legs spread, his eyes on her as he snarls, “She was with this other guy, an older guy. They looked intimate. They were on a boat, Bria. I hate boats now.”

“How do you know it’s true? Have you confronted her?” He stares at me as if I am insane and greets his teeth.

“I have the pictures my friend sent. They are evidence enough.”

He shows me, and I analyze it. It’s true, they seem close. She clings to his arm while he turns her around, an appreciative look etched in his eyes, but there is no compromising position. It could have been a misunderstanding. I lost seven years over one, and I wince.

Chloe peers at us like she senses there is something odd. I snatch the phone from his hands and hold it to her face. My brother shoots upright, grabbing for the phone, but his reaction is sluggish under the influence of alcohol. With trembling hands, she takes the phone and scrolls through the pictures. Tears well up in her eyes, Damien rushes to her, and guilt hits me.

“I’m sorry,” I mouth, and I am for them both. I guess no misunderstanding this time.

“Chloe, you tried, and he never deserved you,” Damien says while she eyes him through wet lashes.

“I look like a pathetic little girl fighting for the attention of her daddy. He eyes me like I’m a bloody needy dog, but one good enough to showcase to his mates.”

My mouth pops open, and Filip’s hand freezes on the glass. He doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe. He stares into nothing. I take Chloe’s hand.

“I’m sorry. I believed it was some kind of misunderstanding.”

“And it is, isn’t it? Well, fuck my sperm donor and fuck you, Filip.”

As if nothing happened, she jumps to her feet, drains one glass of whiskey, and slams the empty glass on the table. Damien and I stare at each other, not believing the dramatic scene unfolding. Filip doesn’t drink anymore; he stares at her, swaying her body to the beat, guilt pinching his features. It’s painful to witness. I let Damien talk with my brother as I post myself next to Alex.

“What was that about?”

“One big and dramatic misunderstanding. Sound familiar?”

“What the fuck, are you cursed or something?”

“That’s a valid question.”

He leans over and whispers, “Are you all right?”

“It’s hard to see someone else going through the process of a broken heart.”

“I witnessed the worst case of all, and you survived it. They will find a way, together or separate. Not everyone is meant to be together.”

“I miss you,” I say.

“I miss you, too, sweetheart.” I place my hand on his arm and tilt my head to him.

“Let’s hang out from time to time, just the two of us. I need some Alex and me time,” I say, and he smiles, relief passing through his eyes.

I love him, and it will never subside. Nothing and no one could ever come between us. He answers by kissing me on my temple. Sophia waves her hand in our faces, concern transforming her features and points to my brother and then to Chloe in full seductress mode dancing and grinding on another guy.

One moment, Filip sits, and the next, his fist collides with the guy’s face. The scene unfolds from slow motion to light speed. I shriek as the stranger drops to the floor. Chloe yells insult after insult at him, slamming Filip’s chest.

“Time to go.”

I hope no one caught that on camera. We can break, but never in public.

We shoot up and leave through the back of the club. We hop in the van while Damien takes care of the bill and excuses us for the incident, for sure. Both wobble on their feet, drunk, and in full-on arguing mode, the perfect recipe for disaster. Sophia tries to wiggle between them, but Alex puts her on his lap instead, shielding her, and Sarah takes the seat next to me. Damien hops in, and the car speeds off, and the screams go on in round number two.

“You prick, why did you do that? You had no right. None.”

She slurs more of her words, but it seems the drunken ones decode each other with no problem whatsoever.

“You should fucking thank me for saving your self-respect,” he counters and yanks the first button of his shirt.

“I behaved like I wanted to behave,” she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes blazing at him.

“Then I’m fucking sorry for interrupting your striptease in front of everyone,” he scoffs, and her mouth drops.

“There was no striptease involved, you bloody moron.”

“It sure looked like it.”

“Then, get your bloody eyes checked.”

Filip cups his neck, his upper body slumped over, and mutters, “I’m sorry.”

Her mouth parts and closes before spitting out, “For what exactly? For believing I cheated on you with my father and not even confronting me, or for sleeping with my best friend?”

The last part turns guttural, and the power of her words rattles my brother.

“For both.”

“Too bad, I don’t accept your apology because it won’t change a bloody thing.”

“I know.”

The car pulls to a stop when we arrive at Chloe’s place. I peer outside to a nice, old four-story building with red bricks and trees separating the apartment buildings from the street.

She climbs out, turns one more time, piercing my brother with a look and the pained words leave no one untouched, “I only let one man inside, Filip. It was you, and you smashed me.”

She slams the door shut. With shaky legs, he scrambles to his feet and yanks the door open.

Before he closes the door, he says, “I apologize for this mess. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

We have no words. We just nod.

Sarah asks, “Is this a good idea?”

“You can’t stop my brother.”

“He’s as stubborn as Bria if he wants to be,” Sophia points out.

“They are both drunk, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Sarah adds.

“Let them cry and scream. It’s been coming for a while now.”

“Next time, can we try to have fun?”

The tension breaks a bit with our forced laughter. The van continues and at the next stop, Sophia and Alex depart, followed by Sarah, and then Damien and I are alone.

“Is it just me, or is drama the bat-shit-crazy evil godmother in our life?”

“This is our life, baby.”

“Why can’t we just live and have a normal life?”

“Nothing about our life is normal. It never was, and will never be, either.”

“Yes, hard to forget.”

The drive lasts not more than ten minutes as London's streets illuminate with artificial lights contouring the tall buildings and mostly empty streets while silence descends over the city.

I bend to massage my aching feet when the car stops. Damien takes off my shoes, and I hop on his back.

I have the best man possible.