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Devastating to me.
It’s like everything around me is fraying at the edges, very close to being nothing more than a hanging thread about to be snipped. Owen’s drenched in guilt, which I actually think he should be, Enzo’s a ball of rage, something I’ve never seen. And me? I’m in crisis management mode but not managing to accomplish much at all. My bond with the guys, my North Star for years, feels like it’s fallen through a black hole.
What disturbs me the most? Even more than EastSide’s threatened future? Losing these guys, my closest friends. My chosen family. The trust and camaraderie that used to be our superpower is now on a wobbly foundation that may not hold.
And then there’s Livvy, who’s becoming a stranger before I really even got to know her. She’d become more important to me that I cared to admit, and now it’s too late to tell her.
Or is it?
I make a decision. I’m going over there to talk to her. If she kicks me out, fine, but it won’t be because I didn’t let her know how I feel.
47
WESTON
“Well, this fucking sucks,”Owen groans.
“What are you doing with that Japanese beer? Run out of Bud?” Enzo asks.
Owen belches and shrugs. “Too lazy to go back and get them.”
Damn. And I thought I had a bad day.
I duck behind the bar, the bartender long gone for the evening, and pour myself the same beer Owen’s having. Unlike him, I actually like this stuff.
“Heard about your blow up with Livvy, dude,” Enzo says.
Wow. He’s usually pretty diplomatic. Guess he’s reached the end of his nice-guy rope. I brace myself for what’s next.
“Oh yeah. What’d you hear?”
Enzo rolls his head on his neck. “Basically, that you stuck your foot in it. Pissed her off so bad she won’t talk to any of us now.”
Owen frowns. “Dude, you have no idea what you’re talking about, so just shut it.”
We’re all silent for a moment. I don’t know who’s more stunned about Owen’s smack-down, but I can safely say it’s pretty fucking surprising to all of us.
“You know, if you’d just been honest from the beginning, shared what you knew, we might not be in this mess right now,” Enzo adds.
Owen slams his hand on the bar. “Right, Enzo. You know fucking everything. You’re just mad you can’t get in her pants anymore.”
Enzo’s face reddens as he clenches his fists.
Jesus, this is bad.
I step closer to the two of them, not wanting to position myself right in the middle but thinking I might distract them and make them realize what meatheads they’re being.
I place a hand on either guy’s shoulder. “Hey, this isn’t going to help. We’re facing some big-ass challenges. We need to stick together. Not turn on each other.”
Owen pushes my hand off. “Okay, fine, Mister Perfect. Like you have no part in this shitshow. You’re the one who was pushing to expand to begin with. Turned Livvy against us right from the start.”
Is he being serious?
“If you remember, first of all, Owe, you and Enzo were on board with the idea. And we made her a fair offer. We weren’t looking to push her out or cheat her in any way. It was her prerogative to tell us no, which she did. We never pressured her. So I don’t see how that contributed to a bad relationship, nor to the imminent downfall of EastSide.”
Owen jumps to his feet and gets right in my face. “Downfall? There isn’t going to be any downfall here, I can promise you that. If you don’t believe in what we’re doing, there door’s right there,” he growls.
Enzo gets to his feet, looking between the two of us, like he might have to break something up, but it’s not necessary. I back up. I need to get the hell out of here.
