Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors 2)

“You fucking didn’t.”

“I did.”

“I don’t need your advice on how to lead my personal life. I deliver results, that’s all that concerns you. Refrain from any other comments.” I spoke through gritted teeth, barely keeping my temper in check. “This is your fuckup, Owen.”

Owen narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything else. Good for him, because I was pissed anyway. I walked out of my office, heading straight to the elevators, intending to call Heather on the way, then noticed I had a voicemail from her. Had something happened to her and Avery? Why didn’t she make it to the pub?

I slid in the empty elevator, listening to the voicemail on the way down. Panic crawled up my body from her first word, and then it just kept magnifying. Holy shit, she sounded on the verge of tears. My woman was almost crying! When she mentioned Avery, I nearly lost it.

I listened to the voicemail again as I left the building, as if that would help me digest it better. It didn’t. Once outside, I leaned against a wall, closing my eyes, just trying to calm down, but it was impossible. It was as if I had a stone lodged in my throat, pressing on my chest.

I wanted to go back up and take my anger out on Owen, but that wouldn’t help jack shit. What would help? I had no idea.

I unhitched myself from the wall though, because just hanging around here sure wasn’t going to solve anything.

I’d almost forgotten about my siblings again when Skye messaged me.

Skye: Are you coming?

Ryker: On my way.

My family was just what I needed. I walked at a brisk pace, bypassing a group of tourists that had come to a night tour of the city, blocking out the guide’s voice rattling information about Wall Street’s history.

In fact, I was trying to block out everything: the sound of cars, the occasional billboards... I wanted to focus on my own thoughts, but it seemed impossible at the moment.

The Irish pub where I was meeting everyone was just a few blocks way. The crowds thinned the closer I got. Cole had a knack for picking spots that were central but not overrun.

When I reached the pub, I noticed my siblings through the window, at a table. I made my way past a group of smokers holding beers in front of the building. As soon as I stepped inside, Cole waved at me. He looked so relieved to see me that I was willing to bet anything our sister had just cornered him about something.

“Sorry I’m late, everyone,” I said, sitting next to Skye, opposite Tess and Cole.

Tess winked. “You’re here, though. Thought you forgot all about the ruse.”

“What ruse?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.

“You know... pretending you need our help just so you have an excuse to make sure you feed us and get us out of the store.”

Damn, they’d caught on so fast? That explained why Cole had looked so cornered when I arrived.

“It’s nothing you haven’t done before,” I volleyed back. “Remember my first few years at the bank? When you took turns dropping by my apartment? Sometimes with food, sometimes just to check if I was alive?”

Since they were a little older, they’d already had the tough years behind them by the time I embarked on the hamster wheel.

Skye nodded. “It’s true. We did that. To be honest, I quite like having all of you coddle us. By the way, Ryker, did you find out what’s up with Heather?”

I swallowed hard. “She flew to Phoenix with Avery and her mom.”

Tess frowned. “Did something happen? She’s not exactly the type to decide in less than a day to jump on a plane.”

I didn’t know how to explain everything, so I asked them to listen to the voicemail.

Tess flinched, looking at me with pity.

“Oh, poor Avery,” said Skye.

Their reactions just intensified my own anguish. How was I supposed to reassure Avery and Heather? How was I supposed to be the person they needed me to be?

“So, I know that you’ve come here this evening to coddle us, but I think the roles just reversed,” Tess said. “And coddling requires me to sit next to you, so scoot over a bit.”