CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice


    at me. Fortunately, I survived gym ss without any other inconvenience.


    “You know, Chip, Nicole did a wonderful job for my house. Maybe she can do wonders for your pub,” I


    said, helping Nicole redeem herself. Cristos eyed me warily. I raised an eyebrow


    1


    at him, daring him to challenge me. He knew we needed to get on her good side so she’d


    talk.


    Cristos rolled his eyes, finally agreeing to a ceasefire. “Oh yeah? I want to see your house.


    then. If I like what I see, I’ll hire her.”


    “Really?!” Nicole squealed. “Oh my gosh! I have so many ideas for this ce!”


    “Don’t get ahead of yourself, honey” Cristos said, going behind the bar. “I need to see Virtue’s house


    first before I make my decision. And I don’t want anything fancy. I want to keep the hardwood floors,


    but I do want to update the front bar, the bar top, back bar and under bar and include light instations


    and maybe oak panels on the walls. Once that’s done, I’ll need furniture that matches the interior.”


    “I can get the construction done for you,” a familiar voice said behind me. I turned and found Noah. “I


    can show you my portfolio tomorrow and take measurements. We can change this


    bart


    ice dark granite or quartz depending on your budget or you can go for a


    finish.”


    rything in my store,” Sebastian said. “Why don’t all of youe by tomorrow


    Dom, we live in the same house. Can’t you just show me pictures so I don’t have to wake up so early?


    You know I get hometer than the rest of you.”


    “Yes I do know, but your establishment doesn’t need to open early in the morning like the rest of us,


    Chip,” Sebastian said, yawning. “And no, I don’t have a catalog at home. Since you and Virtue are


    hiring the same contractor, it’ll be more efficient for Noah, if all three of you came at the same time and


    did your shopping. Virtue wants her store to open in two weeks, but if you have construction done atProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    the same time, it’ll bump Virtue’s opening to ater date. What I suggest, Chip, is do your shopping


    tomorrow, have Noah start construction on your new bar with the necessary materials, so when he’s


    free, he can install everything without-having to eat up Virtue’s time frame. As for the walls, Stanley, Bo


    and I can help


    with that.”


    “Hold up. I’m too busy to install wall panels,” Xavier argued. “The grocery store is open everyday which


    doesn’t give me a holiday. P-plus, I just promised Virtue, I’d help her set up her store. Right, Virtue?”


    My eyes darted instantly to his as he wiggled me into their


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    CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice


    argument and I saw his puppy dog eyes begging at me.


    “Yes, he did actually,” I confirmed, winking at Xavier. “Since I’m borrowing Bo for my store, I can offer


    you my services instead.”


    “Ah, no, Virtue. We’ll be fine without you,” Sebastian remarked, knowing I was bad with construction. I


    was the one who botched up the painting job at our home in Cbasas. I could draw my own designs,


    but I couldn’t paint a wall… go figure.


    “Wow, you sound like Virtue here is bad with construction,” Lisa muttered, noticing the of Sebastian’s


    voice. She was a bit drunk, having started since happy hour.


    tone


    “Look at her hands, Lisa,” Sebastian said, cing my hand in his. I felt that familiar tingling sensation


    whenever we touched. “These are hands that have never held a tool before. Not even a trowel for


    gardening.” He caressed the back of my hand gently, then turned it to show my palm. He ran his index


    finger along the length of palm, tickling my skin. I instantly felt that familiar warm longing erupt between


    my legs.


    Sebastian’s lips curved into a knowing smile. He ced my hand back onto the bar top, his touch


    lingering on my skin. I sighed dreamily. Oh, how I missed them….


    “Don’t listen to him, Virtue,” Cristos eximed. It’s my bar. You cane and destroy anything you


    want! I’ll just have to bill you.” Everyoneughed. Now this was fun. But I could tell the others were tired


    and needed to get some sleep.


    “Well, I have to go home. I have an early day tomorrow. What about you, Bo? Youing or will you be


    staying longer?”


    “I’ming with you. I need to be at the grocery store early for the deliveries,” Xavier


    answered.


    “How about you, Nicole? Do you need me to drive you home?” Sebastian offered. He was always the


    gentleman.


    “I’m fine, Dom. Dan promised to drive me home, Nicole replied.


    “Well then, I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Sebastian said and noticed Noah had a ss of scotch in his


    hands. “Noah, aren’t you driving?”


    “Virtue and I will be walking home,” he answered.


    “Oh no, you aren’t. My bestfriend isn’t going to walk. Don’t worry, I’ll drive them home,


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    Dom, Cristos said.


    “Alright, then. Good night and drive safely. Nicole… Lisa… Sebastian patted both of them on


    the back.


    I waved good-bye at Xavier. I caught the longing in his eyes as he nced back at me before. leaving


    the pub and I felt my heart constrict in my chest. I didn’t expect pretending not to know them would be


    difficult. Anyway, when construction starts for my boutique, I’ll be able to spend more time with him.


    Noah sat at the now vacant seat beside me while Nicole returned to Liam’s group.


    “Finally, she’s gone, Lisa said and sat straight in her chair.


    “I thought you were already drunk, I murmured while I watched her order a new round from


    Cristos.


    “Me? Drunk? Not even close,” Lisa said. “But since Chip here has offered to drive the two of


    you home, you can join me. Chip, bourbon for me, beer for Noah and get your bestfriend a


    new bottle of wine. On me.”


    Nicole


    I took a seat beside Dan and watched as Lisa, Virtue and Noah toasted to their new friendship. I


    heaved a sigh. Abigail used to be by my side all the time in high school, but things suddenly changed


    after the spring formal during our junior year. She began avoiding us, focusing instead on school and


    the SAT’s.


    I wasn’t used to being alone, so during our senior year, I brought in Lisa to be part of our inner circle.


    Anyway, I owed her for helping me lure Joy Taylor into the boy’s gym room. Joy Taylor wouldn’t have


    come so willingly, if it weren’t for Lisa. I knew she and her were friends even though Lisa would bad


    mouth her to me whenever we spoke.


    We never mentioned Joy Taylor’s name all throughout our senior year, hoping the past wouldn’t catch


    up to our present. When we graduated high school, Lisa was epted to


    Northwestern University and since her family had money, she was fortunate to leave the


    state.


    Liam, Cris and I went to neighboring Bismarck to finish school while Dan went to Univeristy of North


    Dakota and Jack stayed in New Salem to attendmunity college.


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    CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice


    During the Christmas of our sophomore year in college, Lisa came home for the holidays and we were


    all shocked to see she had blossomed into a beautiful woman. Cris, who Lisa had a high school crush


    on, immediately began dating her. After we graduated, Cris proposed to Lisa, asking her to be by his


    side as he started his political career.


    Lisa went into real estate while I opened my interior design business. I had thought everything was fine


    between us, until one night during Liam and Cris’ victory party, Lisa became so drunk, she bitc hed


    about getting her involved in the Joy Taylor scandal.


    *Joy was my friend, Nicole,” she said, while we were both outside of the venue, trying to get


    some air. “She didn’t deserve that. Actually, no woman deserves to be treated that way. You should


    have told me what they had nned. I could have probably prevented them from hurting her that way.”


    I rushed towards her and pped her in the face. “I would like to remind you we are at your husband’s


    victory party. Or have you forgotten Cris was one of the boys implicated in Joy Taylor’s assault? I


    grabbed her shoulders and made her look me straight in the eyes. “Lisa, remember what I told you…


    keep your mouth shut and your head down or someone wille knocking on your parents’ doorstep.


    You won’t like what happens next. Now, get a grip.


    love Cris and your parents, you’ll make the sacrifice.”


    Liam’s voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts, “I need to talk to you. There’s thing I need you to do for


    me.”


    nodded my head meekly and nced at Virtue and Lisa at the bar.


    I should have stayed with them.


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