“It isn’t something I ever see myself capable of doing.”
“Capable? Of course you’re capable.”
I pushed the shot glass across the bar, and the man behind it poured me another. “Drop it, Edge. I’m not interested.”
He stared at me with an open mouth. “You’re twenty-six years old, and it’s the only thing you’ve been trained to do. What do you plan to do instead?”
“I said to drop it.”
He lowered his voice and leaned into me. “I’m not going to bloody drop it, Grind. Tell me what the fuck you plan to do.”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Then come in. At least talk to Z.”
There were reasons I couldn’t do that. My sister knew it, and I got the impression Pia might too. No matter what the level of my injuries was, or my pain, I couldn’t function in an environment where having my wits about me at every conceivable moment was required.
“I’m not going to let this go, Grind.”
I saw Pia walk back into the ballroom. She looked over at me and then scanned the crowd. When she saw Lily and Wills, she approached them.
“At least for tonight. Please.”
He walked away without answering, and I knew he would do as I asked and let it be. Tomorrow, though, would be an entirely different story.
I made my rounds, saying hello to my parent’s friends, meeting those of Lily and Wills, accepting the concern of those privy to my struggles with as much grace as I could muster.
Apart from Pia, there wasn’t anyone here I had any interest in talking to.
When I approached, her back was to me. I scowled at Lily in warning, and she pretended not to see me. If my sister got Pia involved in something that wasn’t her business in the first place, she’d face my wrath.
“What do you say we get out of here for a bit?” I whispered into Pia’s ear.
When she looked over her shoulder, her lips were close enough that I could kiss them. Instead, I backed away.
“We need to talk, Pia,” I said when my sister left us alone.
She turned toward me. “I’m sorry for the way I left. It just…I can’t…”
I reached up and cupped her cheek with my palm when her eyes filled with tears. “I understand.”
“It isn’t pity, Mylos.”
“Somewhere inside me, I think I know that. It’s the reason I want us to talk.”
“Will we be coming back to the party?”
“That’s up to you.”
“Let me say goodbye to your parents, Lily, and her husband.”
“Let’s do it together.” I took her hand in mine.
While they expressed disappointment, my family members also appeared somewhat relieved. Perhaps they sensed—like deep inside, I did—that spending time alone with Pia would be good for me.
When we exited the ballroom, the first thing I did was loosen my tie, take it off, and slip it into my jacket pocket.
“Where are we going?” Pia asked when I stopped short in the middle of the lobby.