Every Little Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 2)

I shuddered. God, what a stupid kid I’d been.

Vaughn

This whole reception had been a nightmare so far. First, he couldn’t get rid of Petra. She’d clung to his side from the moment Oliver had brought the women into the ballroom for the after-dinner reception.

He’d tried, unsuccessfully, to get away from the small group, and then found himself cornered by the model.

Then the evening got worse. Much worse.

When he’d seen Oliver abandon Karen on the dance floor and move through the crowds, he’d been stunned when he realized whom he was chasing.

Possessiveness, protectiveness had taken over and he’d followed, hearing Petra’s annoying, querying voice behind him as he did.

And then it had all gone to shit.

“Oliver is the one I told you about. The asshole summer boy who told me he loved me when he didn’t.”

Not only had she delivered information that made him want to kill someone; she’d said it in such a way he knew she was saying something else. You’ll never have me.

Fury, hurt, hurt for her, for him, and yes, jealousy that Oliver had tasted what he believed was his, pounded in his head as he turned to face his old friend.

Too stupid to recognize the dangerous glint in Vaughn’s eyes, Oliver chuckled. “Can you believe it? I almost forgot all about her.”

Wrong thing to say.

“You forgot Bailey?”

“Not now. Now I remember her. I spent a summer with her. A hot summer.” He grinned. “A lot of sex. I think I even loved her for most of it. But you know me, Tremaine, I get bored. And she’s a townie.”

Vaughn couldn’t stop himself.

Every ounce of control he’d been raised with was obliterated as he pulled back his elbow and let his fist fly. He felt the hard, painful, satisfying connection and crack as it hit his friend’s nose.

Oliver stumbled back.

Vaughn hit him again.

With a roar of fury Oliver lunged, wrapping his arms around his waist and taking him to the floor, but Vaughn was quicker, more agile, and much, much angrier.

His fist connected a few more times before he found himself dragged off of his now ex-friend.

He fought against it, his blood lust high. All he wanted was to knock every fucking word right out of Oliver’s mouth. He wanted to take it all back. He didn’t want it to be true.

“Tremaine, fuck, calm down.” He heard Cooper’s voice in his ear.

It sunk in that it was his friend, a good man, who was holding on to him and he stopped struggling.

Karen and Petra helped Oliver to his feet.

The band had stopped playing.

Shocked silence filled the ballroom.

He searched for her.

Bailey stood to his right, Jessica holding on to her, eyes round as she took in the scene. She didn’t look mortified at least. Merely shocked.

Vaughn cursed.