Starting for our table, I change my mind mid-step and take a detour to grab a drink first. The bar is crowded with people who have the same idea, forcing me to sidle down to the far end. I lean over the wooden counter, trying to get the bartender’s attention, but I’m invisible in a sea of forty other people waving fistfuls of cash.
“Sera.” A familiar male voice cuts in. “Thought I saw you there.”
Ambivalence grips me, and I glance over to see Rob giving me a friendly grin. When I look a little closer, he’s drunk. His eyes are glassy, his posture a little looser than normal. You wouldn’t know it at first glance; his designer dress shirt has a few buttons at the top undone and his clothes are still neatly pressed.
“Hey…” Abby and I still haven’t cleared the air since our falling out. Since I mostly see and speak to him in association to her, it’s more than a little awkward. Is she here too? I hope not.
He shoves his hands into his pants pockets, stepping closer. “Can we talk for a second?”
My phone vibrates in my purse, a reminder I need to get back to our table. But I don’t want to be rude, so I can make it quick. It’s probably about Abby, anyway. He’s played peacemaker with us before in the past when we’ve had fights. This isn’t an ordinary fight, though. No amount of mediating is going to make me less upset about how she’s been treating me. I’m fairly certain we’re on the cusp of a friendship breakup, or that it’s already happened.
“Sure,” I concede. “But only for a second. Chase is going to wonder where I am.” And Tyler.
Rob leans a hip against the bar, facing me. “I’ve missed you, Sera.”
My stomach does a flip-flop. Wait, what? This isn’t how I thought the conversation would go.
“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” I remind him again. Abby confirmed as much prior to our fight. His claims of “not being committed” didn’t pass my fact check.
Irritation flickers across his face, gone in a blink. “Like I said, we have an understanding.”
“Rob—” I start, then mentally stumble. Can’t tell him about Tyler, so I’ll offer the rest of the truth instead. “Look, there seems to be some confusion. I don’t see you that way. You’re my friend. That’s it.”
“You know there’s something between us. There always has been.” His hand lands on my wrist, and my heart jumps.
When I yank it away, he offers no resistance. “Don’t. You’re being inappropriate.”
Rob moves closer. A deluge of his cologne surrounds me, along with whiskey or some other hard liquor he’s been drinking. My hands are shaking, my pulse rocketing off the charts. At least we’re not alone. In fact, we’re surrounded by people, and I’m worried one of the wrong ones is going to see.
“Take the hint, Rob. I’m not interested.”
He tsks. “Come on, Sera. No one dresses like that unless they’re looking for attention.”
“Fuck you!” It may not be wise to snap at him given the circumstances, but my filter slips away before I can stop myself. “We’re supposed to be friends, and then you go and say something like that to me? What’s wrong with you?”
Instead of getting angry like I expect, he huffs a laugh and steps closer. “Calm down. I was kidding.”
Kidding. Right. Otherwise known as the go-to gaslighting method of misogynists everywhere. They’re joking—until they mean it.
“Come on, Sera. Don’t be mad.”
I don’t know how it happens, or how I fail to react in time, but suddenly he’s moved even closer, he’s touching my face, and his lips are on mine. He’s kissing me. Trying to, anyway, since I’m not kissing him back. Shock holds me frozen, and while I want to move—know I should move—nothing is happening.
“Stop it.” I pull my head away and try to push him back, but he doesn’t budge.
He scoffs, leaning in again. “What, now you’re playing hard to get all of the sudden?”
“What the fuck?” A familiar voice roars.
Everything happens in slow motion. A tattooed hand lands on my chest, gently pushing me back a few steps. I look up in time to see a fist connect with Rob’s face, making a sickening crunch. My eyes come into focus on Tyler’s. Slate eyes blaze with anger, a vein in his forehead prominent. He looks like he’s strongly considering homicide as a valid course of action.
I’ve never seen him so angry, and I’m scared he’s going to get himself in trouble because of me.
“Ty—” I start.
Gripping Rob by the front of his shirt, Tyler places his free hand on my shoulder and wordlessly moves me further to the side. His attention remains laser-focused on Rob. Heeding Tyler’s non-verbal warning, I move a little further out of their radius.
People surrounding us stop talking, some gathering to watch. None intervene.
“What the fuck is your damage, you psycho?” Rob jerks in Tyler’s grip, fighting unsuccessfully to liberate himself.
“What’s yours? You heard her tell you to stop.” Tyler lets go of the fabric and hits him again, connecting with his nose this time. Rob stumbles back, clutching his face. Then he takes a run at Tyler, and they get tangled in a scuffle.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Dallas jogs up and puts himself in the middle of them, holding them apart. “Donohue, dude. Take a beat. What the hell is going on?”
“This fucker was all over her, and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.” Tyler tries to step around Dallas again, and Dallas stops him. Barely.
Panicked, I glance over my shoulder, because it’s only a matter of time before Chase notices this scene. There’s no chance this is going to get resolved before he does.
“I should press charges,” Rob says, grabbing a handful of napkins off the bar. There’s blood splattered across the front of his shirt. “This is assault.”
“Go ahead.” Tyler snorts.” Then we can tell the cops that you were trying to force yourself on a girl who’s not even old enough to legally drink. Bet your law firm would love to hear it too.”
Rob laughs dryly. “They’re not going to care about some slut.”
I flinch. This time, Tyler almost gets past Dallas. He’s clearly expending all of his strength to hold Tyler back, and neither of them is small.
“Ty. He isn’t worth it.” I touch his forearm to get his attention, gently squeezing.
He glances down at me, and some of the anger across his face recedes, replaced with worry. His steel gray eyes hold mine for a beat, a million unspoken questions across his face that I’m not ready to answer. Then he looks back at Rob, and fury reignites in his eyes.
Rob pinches his nose, his voice strained. “You should listen to your girlfriend.”
“Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on,” Chase snarls.
When I turn around, I find my brother staring at us with betrayal all over his face.
CHAPTER 28
SEVERED TIES
SERAPHINA
We endure the most uncomfortable ride home I’ve ever experienced. In retrospect, taking separate Ubers would have been preferable. Finding my own apartment in the near future isn’t looking like a bad idea, either.