Anguished (Crimson Elite 2)

“You work with him?” she asks breaking me from my thoughts. “You seem, off,” she says in a way that makes me fully turn to look at her. Her voice is uneven, her hand in mine is fidgeting.

“I’m not close to my family.”

Her hand relaxes. “Oh, I didn’t know. Sorry.”

I didn’t ask for her sympathy, yet she gives it anyway.

“Don’t be sorry, I have my boys. They’re closer to family than mine will ever be,” I tell her the truth.

“That guy back there?”

“I grew up with him. Creed.” She nods her head. Before I can say another word, the car comes to a stop out the front of the church. My mother used to tell me if I walked into one the house would burn down. What a liar she is.

“We can sit, a little while longer if you need?”

I shake my head, it’s best to get this day over with. When I turn to look at her, my nerves cease to exist, and I know exactly why I want this to hurry up—so I can take her with me to my home and tie her to my bed and keep her there for as long as I want.

Turning back, I see her—my mother. She’s standing next to my father as she speaks to him, possibly on the lookout for when I arrive.

“Is that them?” Her voice shocks me out of my staring. I open the door, step out and grab her hand. She slides across getting out with me. When I shut the door, it’s then that they both turn to look at me. My mother stands with her hands crossed over her chest as my father has his hands on his belt watching us. “They’re intense,” she whispers.

“They are.” I laugh at her nervousness.

“Do we like them, or not?” she whispers as we step closer, her hand squeezing my forearm.

“Best behavior.”

She giggles softly as we reach them.

“Something funny?” my mother asks in her best ‘my shit don’t stink’ voice.

“Mother, Father… this is Storm.”

Storm offers her hand but neither take it, so she lets it fall to her side.

“You brought a date? The cheek of you, Echo,” my mother says.

Storm stiffens next to me.

“I think I have every right to,” I argue back.

“Maybe I should…” Storm goes to pull away, but I hold onto her arm not letting her escape.

“Oh, trust me, you aren’t going anywhere.”

Storm nods her head and looks to the ground.

“What is it you do, Storm?” My father asks, his voice is judgmental, but she chooses to not acknowledge it as she answers.

“Oh, I run Sass Fashion. I’m the Chief Editor.”

Both sets of eyes go wide.

“And your dating, Echo?” my mother says.

Storm looks to me, her beautiful brown eyes glimmer with proudness. “Yes. What Echo does sure outweighs what I do. He’s very successful.” I didn’t need her to say that, but I’m thankful all the same. The only people in my life who tell me I’m okay is my non-brothers, and even then we are guys. We don’t say it enough to each other. My blood brother, on the other hand, decides he finds it in my best interests to fuck and marry my first love.

“I’m sure that’s what he says,” my mother snidely remarks.

“I’ve been there, it’s a very well thought out business. One of the most elite in all the country, so I’ve heard and I have quite a few high contacts.” They both turn to look at me, a new look on their face that I haven’t seen before. Did it really take the words of a complete stranger for them to believe that what I do, I can be good at? They’ve never even cared to ask before.

My brother walks out, dressed in a suit. Nothing unusual. He walks up to us. His eyes land on Storm and he introduces himself before I can even do so. “You must be his new flavor of the month. I’m Mike, the better brother.”

If it weren’t his wedding day, I would punch the prick in the throat then straight in his fucking perfect jaw.

Storm laughs as she smiles, squeezing my arm to stop me from saying anything stupid. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. And congrats, I can’t wait to see the beautiful bride.” All eyes fall to me, all except Storm who’s clueless, which makes me feel like an ass.

“Oh, you don’t know?”

This time I squeeze her arm to keep her in place as my brother’s words start to fall from his mouth.

“Know what?”

“I think you may have met her, actually.” Mike looks to me, a gleam forming in his eye. “Or, was that another woman at your house when my fiancée came over?”

Storm tries to pull away from my hand but I keep hold of her.

Mike turns and walks back inside when he’s called by the minister.