When Rivals Lose (Bayshore Rivals 2)

Banks looks up, his gaze clashing with mine, and for a moment, I’m overwhelmed with sadness. He opens his mouth to say something, but before he gets a single word out, a loud knocking noise fills the room.

“Harlow, you okay in there?” Matt’s muffled voice carries through the door.

I take in a shaky breath before yelling, “Yeah, I’ll be right…” Before I can finish the sentence, Banks turns around and heads for the door, unlocking it and pulling it open all at once. I can’t move, I’m standing there like a statue, my knees shaking.

“You have got to be fucking kidding,” Matt seethes when he sees Banks inside the small bathroom with me.

“What did you do to her? Are you forcing her into marrying you?” Banks accuses Matt, his voice dripping with hate, while his biceps tighten and his hands curl into fists.

Those always playful eyes of Matt’s turn cold, making me shiver. “Don’t be fucking ridiculous. She agreed to marry me. Get over yourself and take the hint. She doesn’t want you, asshole,” Matt spits back.

Banks’ gaze narrows, and he takes a step forward. “She sure as hell doesn’t want you either!” The room is thick with tension making it hard to breathe. Before this can escalate any more, I wedge myself between the two of them. With my back to Matt, I raise my hands up, showing Banks my palms, making an ill attempt to calm him down. I didn’t realize—until I see the anger and hurt on his face—that with this stance, I’m clearly taking a side. Matt’s side. Shit. I’m just digging myself a deeper hole. I have to stop this, end it before it’s too late.

“Banks, I already told you… I want to be with Matt. Now please just let me go and stop following me. This is the end; it has to be.” I take a step back until my back is flush against Matt’s chest. I can feel the heat of his body radiating into mine, and as if he’s trying to drive the point home, Matt lifts his hand and rests it on my hip. The pain and disappointment in Banks’ eyes are almost too much to bear. My entire body is begging me to go to him, my heart nothing more than a bleeding mess. Putting the last nail in the coffin, I turn away from him and look up at Matt, who is still staring holes into Banks.

“Please take me home.”

“Sure, Princess, let’s go,” he says, moving his hand to my lower back as he leads me out of the bathroom and through the restaurant until we’re outside. I don’t dare look back at Banks. I couldn’t, not knowing how much I just hurt him.

Matt opens the door for me and helps me into the car. As soon as he closes the door behind me, I let the tears I was holding back go. They slip from my eyes and down my cheeks with ease. I’m so ashamed, so heartbroken. I wish things could be different.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Matt tries to soothe me when he gets into the car, but that just makes me cry more. It’s not going to be okay. Nothing is okay. Everything is hopelessly broken, and there is nothing I can do to make things right again. The Bishops are no longer mine, and that realization hurts more than I ever thought it would.

“I’m guessing Banks is the one you love?”

All I can do right now is nod. I do love Banks… and Oliver and Sullivan. God, this is bad, so bad. My heart is breaking, shattering into a million pieces, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. “I love all three of them.”

“What do you mean all three? Like… you were with all three of the Bishops?” I don’t miss the condescending tone in his voice at my confession, but I still stand by my statement. I might not ever be theirs again, or them mine, but I will freely admit my feelings for them.

“Yes… I was… well, still am, in love with them.”

Matt’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, “Well, hopefully, you can move on because no wife of mine will be seen with a Bishop. I won’t allow it, Harlow.” There’s a finality to his words, and I know I can’t screw this up. If I’m going to protect them, then I’ll need to do everything I can do to make sure things with Matt work out.

14

It’s the day of the rehearsal dinner, and the house is buzzing with excitement. Excitement that I don’t share. It seems as though I’m the only person unhappy about this wedding. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to come to grips with what my parents have done. They’ve taken me out of school, threatened the only people I’ve ever loved, and then forced me into a situation where there is no escaping. It’s like I’m sinking in quicksand, and the more I struggle, the faster I sink. There is no plan B, no fix for this situation.