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We both laughed, and Ryan raised his glass for a toast. “To you and arresting the most-known criminal in the entire Saudi kingdom.”
“I didn’t arrest anyone.”
“Well, you sure took a bullet for that.”
“Nice …” I said, and we laughed again. I emptied my shot in one go and hoped the fire from the drink would replace the other sensations tunneling through me because of Nina.
Truth, was, I avoided her on purpose. No calls, or texts, or whatever. It was me running away, but that was the best thing to do. I didn’t think I could look her in the eye and tell her I didn’t want to take things further.
Also, being close to her would mean feeling the urge to touch and make love to her again.
Things I never should have done from the start.
I made a mistake making love to Nina again and letting myself indulge in all she had to offer. It was the most stupid decision I had made since returning from the Navy, and even though that part of my life was over, oh wished I could hide there and consume myself with what life was like during my deployment.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, buddy?”
“I … uh …”
“Jack,” Ryan called again to stop me from murmuring. I sighed and pointed at his bottle of rare Remy Martin. “Pour me another.”
Ryan hesitated at first, but he poured me some and handed me the glass to drink. I downed it in one go and sighed before dropping the glass and lacing both my hands on my hips.
“Ryan I …”
My phone chimed in my pants pocket, but I didn’t reach for it because I felt the need to bare my soul to my best friend. Another reason why I ghosted Nina, besides the fact that I was too scared to take things further, was because of Ryan.
He’s my best friend and my only friend.Nina should have been off-limits, but I broke that rule six years ago, and deep down, if I was being truthful to myself, I knew that I would touch her again if I took her to Jeddah.
And I did.
“Ryan I …”
“Jack, just say what happened. Did she find out about the arms dealing and freak out? Is Nina the reason the job went south?”
“No, I slept with her.”
“Nina’s always been tough, but I worry too much for her. I know I agreed to the whole fake wife thing, but I was a little scared that things wouldn’t work well as you two butt heads at every turn and you can’t stand her. I don’t know why when you’ve known her for a long time, but …” Ryan rambled on, and I didn’t think he heard a word I said.
“I slept with her, and I think that …” My phone chimed repeatedly in my pocket now, and Ryan shot me a quick glare as he ended his ramble.
“What?” he croaked.
“I slept with Nina,” I repeated in slower words this time, then walked across the kitchen to stand in front of him. “I said, I slept with …”
A punch in my nose was his next answer. His eyes were livid when I looked at him again, and I saw the red flush on his cheeks, ears, and nose.
I groaned, touched my nose, and wiped the blood off under my nostrils.
“I’m sorry, Ryan,”
He grabbed the collar of my shirt, and I pushed against him to fire one myself. “Ryan, I know you’re angry, but …”
“Angry? I’m pissed, Jack—how could you do that to her?”
“Ryan, listen to me, please, it’s not like I wanted to hurt Nina …”
My phone kept buzzing, and I groaned, took it out of my pocket, and checked to see who was calling.
