Chapter 85


    We find his group fast, enveloped into handshakes and hugs and I even recognize a couple of familiar


    faces of people I have apanied Arrick with over the years. I’m passed from person to person, as


    we reacquaint and Arrick is caught in the throes of wees and back ps. He’s always been a


    sociable and friendly guy. He eases into the whole guy among guys thing so fluidly, at home with his


    circle of friends and at ease to just be Arry. Not a rich Carrero tycoon, or even Arrick Carrero, fighter


    extraordinaire.


    The club is pretty cool, one I’m sure I have never been to, and it’s obvious the door fee is higher than


    most ces, by the type of people milling around. It screams trendy, upmarket and stinks of money. I’m


    surprised that hees here. I know they usually opt for ssier ces, but normally he likes more


    middle ground clubs. Affordable for his friends who are not born into money, and this is not one of


    those. Knowing him, he probably paid the door and bar tab in advance for whoever’s birthday this is.


    That’s what he’s like.


    “You look amazing.” Nathan, Arrick’s best friend and fight promoter, winks at me, grabs my hand and


    makes me do a little twirl under his arm. Evaluating the new and improved Sophie, as it’s been weeks


    since Ist saw him. I’m free of my jacket as Arry takes them to dump on a nearby chair.


    “Thanks, not so bad yourself old man.” I jest with him. I’ve known Nathan as long as I have known


    Arrick; he used to frequent all the group trips he ever took me on. He now works tirelessly to put my


    boys’ face all over the New York fight scene and is the reason Arrick is fast bing a known star. I


    love Nathan to bits; he’s tall with dark, almost ck hair and deep brown eyes, pretty cute as men go


    and totally built like a boxer. I know he sometimes trains with Arry, but never went down the route of


    bing a pro. He’s cocky, womanizer with a cheeky smile, roaming eye, and a serious aversion to


    commitment, generally a nice guy though. Like most of Arrick’s friends, I guess.


    “Boy needs to man up andy im before I do.” He grins and leans in to give me a chaste kiss on the


    cheek. Innocent enough, as he’s one of the few men I trust, a little, almost as much as my brothers.


    Laughing when Arrick pushes him aside jokingly, returning to my side.


    “Hands off, this one’s ady and will always be out of bounds. For eternity.” Arrick jokes, cing me


    beside him and away from Nathan with a smirk, a little hands-off joke and I eye roll. I would never go


    there with Nathan, not for anything. It would be weird as hell and besides, he’s always been Arrick’s


    best male friend and would be wrong on so many levels. Plus, he doesn’t look anywhere near as good


    as Arry does, in any, way, shape, or form.


    Arrick epts the beer Nathan hands to him, sliding a ss of wine my way, and I ept with a smile,


    raising a brow at the saucy wink Nathan gives me andugh when Arry sucker punches him in the


    abdomen with the back of his beer bottle for it. Nathanughs.


    “Sure this is all as tonic as you two like to make out?” He jests and only grins wider when he catches


    that narrowed re that his bestie throws him; it’s clear he knows exactly what has been going on with


    us, and his dig at Arrick just makes me a little ufortable. Nathan always likes to make jokes that


    graze a little close to the bone, even with warnings from Arry. I look away and down my drink, ignoring


    what nces transpire between them.


    Arrick turns away; someone tapping him on the shoulder draws his attention, and when he dips down


    and kisses someone on the cheek, my heart sinks as Natashaes into view. All smiles and curls


    and doe eyes, as he gives her a small hug too, beforeing back to stand by me and Nate. He


    nces my way briefly, and I work so hard to remain impassive and stare at my ss instead, giving


    no hint of the war of emotion that runs through me. My gut always knew she would show up, even


    though he never mentioned her, and I’m instantly somber. I want to leave, put the ss down, and hop


    in a cab back home.


    “Hi, Sophie, you look really beautiful tonight. I love that dress.” She beams at me and for once I get an


    ache of something in my stomach in rtion to her that is not hatred. I get that maybe she thinks we


    bonded in the bathroom the other night, but it’s in weird that she is still being super nice to me;


    especially as I just spent thest half hour thinking about sex with her boyfriend. I feel awkward but


    notice that she actually looks prettier than normal.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    “You too, your dress is pretty cute.” I answer honestly, eyeing up the loose floral dress that is edgy


    enough in style to look right for a club. I do, however, mentally picture it as a jumpsuit instead, with


    higher heels, and see a much more ttering look on her short height that would make a huge


    difference to her whole body. She’s wearing low heels, like she always does, and it just to me makes


    her seem so unrefined and unfinished. An extra inch would make her legs killer.


    “My friend picked it out, she’s like you. Always following trends and fashion and has an eye for what’s


    hot.” She giggles my way and Arrick’s eyes rest on both of us, silently watching with that unreadable


    expression. I guess he’s wondering why, after so long being at each other’s throat, I choose now to act


    like a human towards her. Even I know my whole attitude towards her is missing any hostility. I sound


    genuine for once, because I am.


    I guess I feel sorry for her, and guilt has a part to y. I can’t really hate someone for beingpletely


    in love with Arrick. He’s easy to fall in love with, and I can’t imagine what it must be like for her. Wanting


    to be normal with him, but can’t, wanting to act like his girlfriend, even though she’s not, the feelings all


    still there inside her, and she hasn’t done anything wrong to have him break up with her. I have to


    admit, my heartache and gnawing pangs this second are all for her, and the situation she never asked


    for.


    Arrick drinks from his bottle, giving off subtle vibes that he doesn’t feelpletely at ease either.


    Nathan making small talk over my head at him and I just take a moment to study Natasha, hovering still


    and she smiles at me. Not a bitchy ‘back off’ smile. But a genuine ‘thank you for being nice to me and


    not embarrassing me when I came over’ smile, which makes me feel like an absolute asshole. I’m


    compelled to say something, while he’s engrossed in a conversation and seems to be avoiding talking


    to her.


    “So, you still work at the hospital?” I ask her warily, not sure why I’m doing this whole small talk thing;


    she would leave a lot quicker if I ignored her. I nce at Arrick and catch the little frowns and signals


    he throws my way.


    He’s confused. Hell, I’m confused.


    “Yeah, I am. I love working there, although it gets hard at times. I’m just d I’m not down in the ER


    anymore, which was hell on earth. I’m just nursing in the pediatric ward now. I love babies.” She seems


    relieved to have a reason to still linger, ncing his way every few seconds and it’s obvious she is


    desperate to get some eye contact or response from him. I can almost sense her desperation to touch


    him while he is so close and that lump in my stomach expands tenfold. I feel like an absolute callous


    shithead that I’m the reason she’s even in this kind of pain, and it’s a sobering p in my face, making


    me ufortable with all these new wimpy feelings I’m having over her.


    Pull yourself together; it’s Natasha, the girl you despise!