Anguished (Crimson Elite Book 2)

by T. L Smith

  Echo reaches for a drink, his mother tsks at him.

  “We all know how you get on that stuff, best you stay sober today.”

  He tsks back at her. “Lucky I’m a grown ass man that doesn’t have to listen to his mother anymore, aren’t I?” He picks it up as we follow her while she’s constantly shaking her head to the table.

  “I don’t want you making a scene,” she says quietly looking around to make sure no one is around to hear her. Echo’s father says nothing, he doesn’t even look Echo’s way as he pulls out his seat and sits straight down on it.

  “I want best behavior, just for your mother.”

  I slide my hand on his leg under the table to try to calm him. It stops bouncing when I do, and he takes a drink of his beer. We sit in silence as we wait for the couple to come in. When they do, everyone stands but Echo, who continues to drink his beer quietly.

  When we all sit I notice Echo’s beer bottle is empty, and he’s staring at it like it’s going to magically refill itself. Leaning over so only he can hear my words, “Why did we even come? You didn’t have to come to this you know?”

  He turns, and as he does our noses collide, our mouths so close to one another. I have to pull back first, so I don’t try to kiss him. So those eyes that hold a storm right now don’t torment me by trying to make his pain go away.

  He holds so much anguish inside him, it’s so evident in his eyes. Why didn’t I see it before? Was I blind to it? Blind to him? I had to be.

  “I don’t even know…” he trails off and I know he’s speaking the truth. He seems to have forgotten why he even came. “Maybe it was a mixture of things, or maybe it was just to finally put an end to what feelings I had for her.”

  His words sting.

  It isn’t something you want to hear come out of someone you like, that they’re still clearly in love with someone else. Brushing it off, I smile turning back to his parents who are watching us, for how long I don’t even know.

  “How did you meet Echo, Storm?” his father asks tapping his fingers on the table as he assesses me waiting for an answer. I smile remembering how we met. I was taking chances that night, something I would never have normally done when I let him kiss me. And look where that led us, to me sitting next to him while he pines for another woman who just married his brother. Now, I’m sitting across from his parents who clearly favor the other son than the great one in front of them. And to make matters worse, Echo’s fears that he isn’t good enough would have been validated when his ex-went left him for his own brother, and his twin no less.

  It’s like it’s my own private soap opera playing out in front of me, one I didn’t want to watch let alone be invited to guest star in. Because when I look at it now knowing the details, we aren’t going anywhere. It’s fun. It’s been fun. But I don’t need this. I don’t want to be playing second fiddle to anyone, let alone his ex. I want to be first and only first. That’s what every woman should want. Even if he’s my perfect ten, he loses half a point for simply being unavailable.

  “At a bar,” I tell his father honestly.

  He shakes his head. “I would say that surprises me, but it doesn’t.” His father’s fingers stop tapping as he sits back not wanting to know anymore.

  “You do know he’s very successful, right? Echo’s one of the most successful people I know.” My words earlier about how great his business is are not a lie. I had heard whispers, but when I saw it with my own eyes and some of the clientele there, I knew it would be one of the biggest and closely guarded secret businesses in the country.

  “So you have mentioned, but he doesn’t seem to show it to us,” his mother says.

  “Oh, I’m meant to flash my wealth around like Mike does, am I?” Echo shakes his head.

  “You drink… those,” my mother says pointing at the beer.

  I don’t understand what they mean.

  “Because it’s not a thousand dollar bottle of whiskey, I’m what? Poor?”

  She shrugs her shoulders. A waiter walks around with a tray of drinks, Echo reaches for the beer. Looks to it then back to his parents. “Seems Mike is serving the poor drinks tonight.” He scoffs. Then starts drinking again. I reach for a glass of champagne and plan to have many more if I have to sit here and listen to this shit all night. Who the fuck cares what he drinks or how much it costs? It’s fucking alcohol and it all does the same job. Gets you fucked up. Which is where I need to be right now.

  “I’m sure he’s only supplied them because he knew you were coming,” his father chimes in.

  I want to tell them how superficial they are, but instead, I sit back smiling and pretending I actually want to be here when I want to be anywhere else but here.

  “So, are you two serious, or is Selena right. Is it just a fling?”

  I choke on my drink and everyone looks at me. How they don’t see the issue in his ex taking notes on who Echo is with baffles me.

  “You’re taking advice on my relationships from my ex? Oh, that’s classic.”

  “Your brother’s wife, thank you,” his mother chimes in correcting him.

  “Oh, sorry, did I forget to mention that Mike has my seconds and that I was fucking your new favorite daughter-in-law for the last few years.”

  Fucking everyone goes silent.

  Selena walks over in her beautiful white dress, her smile is forced as she comes to stand directly next to Echo, who doesn’t look up to her at all. Her eyes fall to me then to the top of Echo’s head.

  “I’m glad you could make it. It made your brother happy you came and didn’t cause a scene.”

  Echo doesn’t say a word as he lifts his drink and starts drinking again.

  Her judging eyes fall to me, and I know she remembers me from his house. “And you are?”

  I stand because one thing I learned in life is to never be lower than someone who thinks their shit doesn’t stink. You hold the power so show it. “I’m with Echo. Storm. Lovely to meet you, I’m sure. Congrats on your wedding.”

  She smiles and bares her teeth.

  “Storm here is the Editor in Chief at Sass Magazine. That’s the one you love, right?” Echo’s mother says.

  “Oh, you like my magazine?”

  She shakes her head. “I’ve read it a few times.”

  “You bought a copy every month. The best inspiration you said,” his mother says, clearly not catching on. Echo does though, because he starts belly laughing and stops when I place my hand on his shoulder.

  “It was lovely to meet you,” I say sitting.

  “Echo, can we talk?” Echo ignores her. She’s persistent though, and taps him on the shoulder. He sighs as he looks up to her. His body’s stiff. I remove my hand from him and go back to my glass of champagne drinking it all in one go.

  “Just briefly, please? It is my day.”

  He stands pushing his chair back harshly and follows her out, not once does he look back at me, leaving me sitting here while his parents stare at me.

  16

  Echo

  Her white dress is perfect, it’s exactly how I imagined she’d look when the time came for us to get married. What a joke that was because now I can’t picture it at all. I can only see her kissing my brother as they say their vows—how much she loves him and for so long. It’s a stab in the fucking gut.

  Who the fuck does that to someone they love, or claim to love?

  She turns back once to look at me to make sure I’m still following her before she opens a door letting me in following her inside. She shuts it behind me. She bundles her dress in her hands as she watches me. “I asked you not to come.”

  I shrug my shoulders, my hands in my pockets while I wait for the real reason we’re standing here.

  “I’m glad you did, though. It made me see things for the first time.” I have no fucking idea what she’s talking about, so I choose not to answer. “You loved me in your own way. I see that now.”

  I blanch at her. How the fuck did she just see that?

&
nbsp; “I told you all the time we were together that I loved you.”

  She shakes her head. “You didn’t. It was maybe once or twice a month if I was lucky.”

  “You’ve lost it. Why the fuck am I back here?”

  “Because I was stupid, and I didn’t really think—”

  “No comment,” I cut in.

  She shakes her head holding tight to her wedding dress. “I still love you, Echo.”

  My world stops.

  What the actual fuck.

  Now, right now, she chooses to have this conversation.

  On her wedding day to my brother of all people.

  “You have some nerve, you know that, right?” My hands fall from my pockets as I brush my hair back.

  “Just listen all right—”

  “No. You just married my fucking brother and broke my fucking heart in doing so.”

  She steps forward, the dress dropping from her hand as she reaches for me. I take a step back not letting her hands touch me. I don’t want her touch when we all, only a mere few minutes ago, saw her kiss my brother at the altar.

  “I know, and I’m sorry, Echo. I’m so sorry. He was there when you weren’t. It kind of just happened. He offered me things you didn’t, and he looks so much like you. I know you don’t see it but you’re both so much alike.”

  “You’re not really helping your case here, Selena, whatever the fuck that’s meant to be.”

  “I made a mistake.” She steps closer again, her lips within reach.

  “You want to leave him, already?”

  She shakes her head. “No. I do love him. He gives me what you couldn’t, but he also can’t give me what you did. I miss our passion, I miss your lips. No one can make me forget about the world like you can, Echo. It’s your gift.” She reaches up and it happens in such slow motion that I don’t react. I can’t really believe it’s about to happen. It can’t happen, not right now. And as her lips hit mine, I don’t move. My body becomes like a stalk, frozen in place by her touch. It’s because she’s the fucking ice queen of playing with hearts.

  Her lips don’t belong on mine. She moves them, her hands touching my side as my hands dangle to my sides. What the actual fuck! Usually, her kisses make me want to tear her clothes off, but right now I want her away from me, and don’t fucking know why she thinks this a good idea. We aren’t meant to be, I see that now. She’s broken, more so than me. At first, I thought it was me, that maybe I was incapable of love. That somehow, I pushed her away to go to him. I didn’t. She’s the one with the issue. It’s Selena that wants to keep her cake and eat it too. Well, I won’t be her side piece of fucking cake, I’m not that stupid.

  “Oh my God.”

  Words. Words that don’t belong to the person whose lips are on me right now make me push her off. When I turn, Red’s standing there, her hand to her mouth as she looks at me with pain in her eyes. Her hand slowly drops and my brother steps from around her with a look of pure unadulterated murder in his eyes. My first instinct is to tell Red it means nothing, that it’s stupid. Then I realize I didn’t actually fucking do it. Selena did, and when I look back at her she doesn’t have her usual smug look on her face. My brother, on the other hand, has a look I haven’t seen before. There’s no smugness at all.

  Red pushes past my brother and disappears before I can say a word. Going after her, I’m stopped when my brother’s hand touches my shoulder. Looking at him, I can now see the anger and it’s not directed at his whore of a wife it’s solely on me.

  “You’re trash. I knew I shouldn’t have let you come.” His fist connects with my face. Selena gasps behind me as I shake it off, with blood in my mouth I look up at him.

  “That was your only shot because you’re hurt, but the next one I won’t fucking hold back.” His eyebrows are scrunched and he tries again, but this time I’m ready for it and duck before his fists hit me. Instead, it lands on the door smashing a hole through it. Grabbing his hands, I swivel and lock his hands behind his back, as I lean in close and whisper in his ear, “Next time look. I didn’t touch her. Never want to. Your wife kissed me. Think about it Mike, think about what you actually saw and you’ll know I’m not lying.” I push him free and in the room with his whore of a wife shutting the door which now has a hole in it.

  “You couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Turning to my mother’s venomous voice, I look past her hoping to see a glimpse of red hair. But I already know she’s more than likely gone.

  “Me?” I ask shaking my head.

  My father’s eyes zoom in on the door with the hole. “It was his day, Echo, his fucking day. You couldn’t behave yourself for one day?”

  “Oh, I did. None of that was my fault.”

  My mother rolls her eyes.

  That’s it! I can’t stand to be here any longer with people who think so fucking less of me.

  “That’s it, I’m done. Well and truly fucking done. You have one son now because I can’t keep doing this. I don’t want to keep doing this. Creed’s mother is more of a mother to me than you have ever been.” I look at my father. “And you, if the sun shines so far up his ass, fucking take a ride behind it. I don’t have time for this shit anymore.” Turning, I walk off to hopefully fucking find Red, and I’m hoping she won’t fucking hate me too.

  “Echo Brown you get back here, right now.”

  I flip my mother the middle finger and keep on fucking walking, out of this fucking toxic family, never to return again.

  She doesn’t answer, I didn’t think she would. And she isn’t home. Or she’s doing a very good job at hiding and ignoring me. My driver was gone when I left the wedding, and I had to call Creed to come and get me. He’s been driving me around for a while hoping I can find her. Hoping somehow I can make things right, and take things back to where they were. Our normal. Even if the possibility of that happening is slim, I have to try. I want to try.

  “Why do you care? You said she was just a fling. Someone to help you forget and give you what you need?” Falcon asks through the cell. Creed stays silent driving to the club. I’ve looked everywhere, even went to her work which is closed today hoping she’d be there.

  “Because I like what we have. What does it fucking matter?”

  “Exactly. What does it matter? Find someone else and leave the woman alone.” Before I can say anything back, Creed ends the call.

  “He doesn’t fucking understand.” We come to a stop out the front of the club. It’s just before clients start to arrive, so all our girls are here and Johnny’s behind the bar.

  The music isn’t on and all the boys are inside. Darby’s waiting for me to walk in.

  “You weren’t meant to be in, but I knew you would be.” He pulls out a few bottles of whiskey and places the glasses on the table, while Falcon steps in sitting down too. Creed stands at the door not interested but is here for support in his own way.

  “You don’t want to lecture me?” I ask surprised. Falcon gets straight to pouring the drinks as he sits back with his glass to his lips while I look at Darby.

  “I’m sure you had your reasons, but why do you think you never told Selena what you do? We think it’s because you didn’t trust her.”

  Maybe Darby’s right.

  “And, you haven’t tried to escape to the beach at all lately,” Falcon chimes in. I love the fucking beach. I like to surf it helps me forget. Everything.

  “All we’re saying is maybe the red-haired woman is good for you.” Creed scoffs at Darby’s words. We all turn to look at him. He shakes his head and walks out not saying a word.

  “I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed. Especially after what just happened.”

  Darby shrugs and Falcon for a change stays quiet.

  “You know what Selena is, now be thankful you dodged that bullet,” Creed says walking back in with another bottle in his hand.

  And that’s how I spend the rest of the night. Fucked up in my office with those around me who really fucking care.

  17
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  Storm

  Clean break, it’s better for both of us. At least that’s what I tell myself as I sit on my old green couch while my mother proceeds to tell me all about my ex Matthew, and how many times she’s seen him, and how many times he’s asked about me. Kill me now. She never saw the flaws in that man but I sure as shit did, and thankfully before it wasn’t too late. Otherwise, I would have never left this place and stayed just like everyone else in it.

  “You should go and see him while you’re in town, I hear he’s still single,” Mom says as she carries in a tray of tea. I hate tea, but I love the smell of it because it reminds me of her. She starts to pour us each a cup knowing full well I won’t drink it, but continues anyway.

  “I’m fine, Mom.”

  She shakes her head. “You’re living in the city by yourself, it has me worried.” I smile and cover her hand with mine. She only wants what’s best for me even if it’s not what I want.

  A knock comes on the door. I know who it is and so does Mom without even saying it. “You already told her you were here?” I nod my head, of course, I did. I tell Melissa everything. Sometimes that annoys my mother, actually, more often than not it annoys her. “And I suppose you plan to go out?” I smile. She looks me over, I’m still in the dress I had on for the wedding. “But you plan to stay the night, right?”

  “Yes, Mom.” She pats my head before she walks off.

  Melissa walks in without anyone getting the door for her. When she sees me, and what I’m wearing, she stops and looks me up and down. “What the actual fuck.”

  I nod my head. She already knows what’s happened, I told Melissa when I called her. Repeating what she said probably isn’t the best idea.