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Choking back tears, I cleared my throat. “Yeah, mate, I promise.”
Sad’s eyes swept over me one last time before he gave me a curt nod. He moved to the rack and started on chin-ups, while I settled my bulk on the extra large bank and destroyed my biceps.
Half an hour later, Sad and I were drenched in sweat, groaning with every little move, but grinning at each other like idiots.
“Ah, just like old times, Raja,” he huffed, failing to raise his jello arms and only managing to pat my forearm.
“With an emphasis on old. Fuck.” I couldn’t help but laugh, but stopped when my abs protested.
“If you’re old, what exactly am I? Ancient?” Sad asked in mock outrage.
“A myth! Sadeeq al-Baksh, the great founding father of APEX Gyms.”
“You bastard,” he snorted, only to groan in pain and press a hand over his own stomach to keep his abs from moving. “You have plans for this evening? Mio and I wanted to grab a beer. Ben can’t of course—there’s no way he’s leaving Lo alone when she’s got that little bun of his in the oven.”
“Don’t let her hear you say it, chief,” Mio’s voice sounded from right behind us. “She’ll skin you alive and use your pelt as a carpet.”
“Can you blame her? I’d make a beautiful carpet,” Sad replied without missing a beat, and we all chortled like a couple of elderly ladies at the bridge club.
Ben was one of our regulars and Kat’s colleague at Beta. So was Lo, who I vaguely remembered from that one time we ran into each other at the gym.
“I had no idea they’re having a baby.”
“See? You should come hang out with us more, Raja. So, how about tonight? Are you coming?” Sad cocked an eyebrow at me.
“Great idea, jefe! We need to get wasted together. It’s been ages.” Emilio, who still looked fresh as day, flashed me a bright white smile. He wasn’t wrong. The time I’d returned drunk, Abbie had been so pissed off, she threw a mug after me.
A defiant little voice in my head urged me to stop caring if I got on Abbie’s bad side. Not that I ever got a taste of her good side anymore.
So what? Go out with your boys, Roy. You deserve it. And if she explodes, you’ll go.
Go where? the rational part of my brain intercepted, but Mio’s fist punching my biceps pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Okay, just tell me where and when.”
Chapter Seven
Roy
After another day filled with meetings and decision making and bills that needed to be paid, I was glad to leave the warehouse. We expected the delivery of our new tall shelves any day. The company had already deconstructed the old ones, meaning boxes of stock were piled in every corner to clear the space for the new. Samples and sketches covered every available surface on the three desks Hugh used, meaning he had abandoned his workplace to sit with his laptop at our meeting table.
The chaos started to get to me, it mirrored what was going on inside me, and I was desperate for the day I had my life and company back in order.
I dashed home, changed, and took a cab to Pear Mill, one of the prettiest parts of Kirkmuir and a green borough whose streets were lined with small cafés, shops, restaurants, and pubs. Chuckling to myself as I walked pastbusinesses with the punniest names I had ever read—it was The Codfather, a fish ‘n’ chips shop styled like a cliché Italian restaurant that eventually made me laugh out loud—I made my way to The River Demon, a dark cosy pub. It was packed, as usual. An unlikely duo of women, one an Irish fairy with fair skin and long red hair, the other a grumpy lady with iron grey curls, sat on a stage in the corner next to the long bar and sang old traditionals. Servers pushed through the throng of people crowding the spaces between the tables, and it took me a moment to orient myself.
Pete, the grumpy tattooed owner caught my eye, greeted me, and pointed at a nook on my left.
Raising my hand in thanks, I started to walk in the direction he had indicated, but had to stop every few steps to let one of the servers or other guests through.
Only Sadeeq was there when I finally reached the table. He got up, grabbed my hand and clapped me on the back.
“Raja, mate. Mio should be here any minute. He texted me that he’d be a little late.”
Pulling my phone out of my coat pocket, I saw that I had a message from him as well. And one more.
El Animal: Jefe, got held up at the gym. I’ll be late.
I quickly texted back, letting him know that a pint of beer would be waiting for him by the time he got here. The other message was from Kat.
