The Trouble With Us: A Second Chance Love Triangle (The Forbidden Love 2)

The words are like dynamite to the one man who believed he held the cards—the king of his castle, the ruler of his domain. I expect him to raise his voice, tell me he’ll ruin me, but his ongoing calm demeanor is of more concern. What game is Edwards playing?

“My daughter will do what is right.”

I want to laugh in his face and inform him how I fucked his daughter's sweet little pussy outside against his prized possession. But, of course, I keep this to myself. Let Lex thinks he holds power when in fact, he holds nothing at all anymore. His rules no longer bind me, and his precious little daughter has defied him once again.

There is nothing left to say to him, so I walk past and back to the patio where music is playing and people are dancing. Dad is out of control again, trying to start a conga line in which no one wants to join besides Eric. It prompts an argument between them.

“Don’t rub your dick on my ass like last time,” Dad complains to Eric.

“You’re so sensitive,” Eric drags while rolling his eyes. “I’ll lead then.”

It doesn’t stop the congo line, nor Kate and Adriana joining them after what appears to be several wines. Everyone is busy conversing and having a good time until I see Amelia sitting beside Austin. She appears withdrawn, tracing the rim of her glass with a blank stare. Austin touches her gently, then lays a kiss on her shoulder in which she recoils.

The moment, though only a split second—is enough for it all to change.

Austin retracts from her, his face tightening instantly. He doesn’t say a word, but slowly, his head twists toward my direction until his vicious stare is fixated on me.

Although it’s dark out with only the party lights illuminating the space around us, his mottled skin and flaring nostrils warn me of the raging storm about to hit. He knows very well of his fiancée being touched by another man.

And I can’t blame him.

I’m counting down the seconds in my head, rolling my sleeves up because his desire to kill me mirrors exactly how I feel about him marrying the woman I love.

I remind myself he is younger than me, and that it would be improper of me to punch his fucking face.

But then it happens in a fleeting moment. He slams his fist against the table, pushing his chair out forcefully, to run toward where I stand. I sidestep his punch but miss the second, when his fist connects with my jaw. The pain ricochets throughout my face, igniting the fury within me.

A growl escapes me until Lex gets between us, pushing me aside. I look over his shoulder; Julian is holding Austin back who is shouting a string of profanities.

Rage pulses through my veins, accelerating my heartbeat to the sound of a loud drum. Lex pushes my chest with his hands, creating a bigger distance between me and Austin.

“The bastard fucking punched me!”

I taste the blood on my lips, willing the sharp pain to disappear. My nostrils flare, still on guard if the fucker comes at me again.

And then, my eyes fall upon Amelia, standing in the middle of us. The disappointment is written all over her face, and I beg of her silently to understand this wasn’t my fault. It was not my intent to humiliate her in front of our families, but Austin refuses to back down, unveiling the truth for everyone to hear.

He is making damn sure I’m painted as the villain who destroyed everything.

“Let him go, Will,” Lex warns me, pressing his hands on my shoulders willing I calm down. “You’ve won. Game over.”

I divert my eyes away from Austin and onto Lex. His normally emerald eyes, the exact same as Amelia’s—are a dark shade. But instead of an unforgiving stare, I could have sworn to have seen empathy.

Like he understood just what it feels like to fight a man for the woman you love.

To bleed from an open wound, in which a broken past is left behind.

And more poignant, to know her love for another man is all because you walked away. Acted like a coward when it became too hard.

I may have won, according to Lex.

But one look at Amelia, and I know her wounds are far from healed.

So no, I haven’t won. Not when the woman I love is still bleeding from my own mistakes.

18

AMELIA