Hate Sober (Love Me Duet 2)

1

Everly

Moments.

Everything happens in moments.

It was a moment of drinking tea that led me to this.

It was a moment of defying my husband that led me here.

It was the moment before I was born that a contract was made, without my consent, that led me to him.

I may have been unaware of some of these moments, and probably a touch naïve, but in doing so it led me to him, a man who scares me as much as he excites me.

My world isn’t black and white. I was raised differently to my friends, and our family values are a big thing.

You don’t disrespect your father or your mother—what they say is law.

But each and every moment has led me to this one. The one where I wake up, my hands free in a bed.

My head hurts—hurts really bad.

The moment that led me to this moment is fuzzy. At first, it takes a few moments for me to remember everything—Gunner, Alec, and the tea.

Turning my head to the side in the bed I see him. His head is in his hands as he sits on a seat not far from me. He’s whispering something under his breath while shaking his head. Turning slowly, my feet touch the floor, but he notices and turns to face me, lifting his head from his hands. Then he stares at me with eyes I know so well, eyes that have kept secrets in plain sight.

“Alec.” The word is whispered from my lips as I look at him.

His body tenses as he stands to push the seat back with his legs. “You’re awake.” I nod, it’s all I can think of doing in reply. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake. It probably won’t take him longer than a day or two to track us down.” He steps to the window and I realize we’re in a hotel room.

There’s a knock on the door and I freeze. When Alec opens it, a man is standing there who’s tall, dark, and very good-looking. His eyes find mine and I notice his lip is cut.

“Alec, why are you here?” The man steps into the room, Alec doesn’t bother to stop him. He walks over to where I am on the bed and nods his head once. “Is she the reason? Because I know who she is, Alec.”

“He doesn’t deserve her,” Alec says to this stranger.

The man looks back at me, smiles, his lip is scarred.

“You are Mrs. Reid now, are you not?” I nod. No words want to leave my mouth for some reason, so he turns back to Alec. “You know what kind of man he is. What he has accomplished. Why would you threaten him?” he questions Alec.

“You have a higher reach than him. You are the fucking mafia for fuck’s sake.” My body freezes on the bed. “Come on, Jasper. You can’t be scared of him, can you?” The scarred man who I now know as Jasper clicks his tongue at Alec.

“I know who he is, as I know who I am. I’m not a dumb businessman either, Alec. Gunner Reid is not someone I want to be on the bad side of. Not only is he powerful in the business world, he’s also damn influential in my world. Do you understand?”

“No.” Alec shakes his head. “He isn’t.”

Jasper steps away from me and closer to Alec. “Send her back. And stop causing trouble for yourself. You love her, that’s clear. But she’s married to Gunner. And the way she is looking at you…” his eyes look back to me, “… she doesn’t love you.” He walks to the door while Alec looks at me with a storm brewing in his eyes. “Mrs. Reid, if you would be so kind as to tell your husband when he wakes that I said hi, I would be grateful.” He smirks as he steps out of the room.

“What does he mean, when he wakes?” I ask Alec with confusion written all over my face.

“Pack your shit, we have to move.”

“Alec, what are you wanting to accomplish here?” I ask while walking over to him. He’s already packing his bag. Mine, well, I have only been awake for a few minutes and I don’t even know if I have a bag.

“You need to see there’s more than him. I’m more than him.”

I touch his arm as he keeps moving, to stop him in his place, and to pay attention to my words. “You are. I believe you are. But I don’t see you like that. To me, you’re family.”

He pulls away shaking his head. “I’m not, though, I have never been. You are more than family to me, Everly. I was in love with you long before him.”

“I’m sorry, Alec.”

“I’ll make you see. I’ll change your mind.”

I blow out a long breath and nod my head once, knowing right now is not the time to discuss this. He opens the door and I follow him to his car. We both slide in and he starts driving, pulling out onto the street. Turning to look out the window, I notice that man, Jasper. He’s leaning against his car, a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he watches me. There’s a smirk on his lips and I shudder, so I spin quickly in my seat and face the front.