Wedding in T minus eight days . . .
Grady’s body still ached from the previous night’s sex. Normally, that would be a wonderful thing, something that he’d use as a pleasant distraction to get him through the day. And it was for the most part. The problem had to do with his inability to keep his eyes off Max.
Given that they were supposedly engaged, that in and of itself wasn’t the problem. As Grady was forced to mingle with aunts and uncles who he rarely, if ever, saw, he found his attention being diverted from the person he was pretending to have a conversation with, and seeking out where Max was.
Currently, he was escorting Serena around as she introduced him to the Barnes clan.
Grady wanted nothing more than to go over there and be the one to claim Max, to show his family and the rest of the world that this was his man and by God you better keep your hands off him. Instead, he’d be forced to return his attention back to whoever was in front of him and try to pick up where he’d mentally left the conversation.
Then he’d shift his body, the ache from their sexcapades would kick in, and Grady would start the whole tortuous cycle again.
This was hell.
“Right, my boy?”
Shit. “Of course.” He snapped his gaze back to his uncle Connor. He hadn’t seen his mother’s brother since the funeral. Most of his mother’s side of the family ignored his father and his father’s edicts. He knew the only reason they were here tonight was because of Lincoln.
Uncle Connor smiled. “I just told you that I thought your father would look good in a pink tutu.”
Ah fuck. “Sorry. I’ve been a bit distracted tonight.”
His uncle’s gaze drifted over to where Max was laughing with Serena and several people he didn’t recognize. “I can see why. Your fiancé is quite a striking man. Even being straight, I see the appeal.”
“He’s a good person.” Grady couldn’t help but admire the easy way Max could move in and out of conversations with people he’d never met before. “Father hates him.”
“Your father hates that he can’t stop you from doing what you want. I don’t know what Jessica ever saw in him.”
“Knowing Father, he probably never gave her the chance to say no.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. I know your mother always worried that you were going to have a harder time of things than most. She would be thrilled to know that things worked out for you in the long run.”
That was something Grady had never known. “She was worried because she knew I was gay?”
“No. She worried because you always hid yourself behind this wall of anger, lashing out or making fun of anyone who dared to come too close. Your Max seems to have been able to side-step that wall with no problem.” Uncle Connor squeezed his shoulder. “I’m really happy for you.”
The funny thing was Grady didn’t feel happy. He was annoyed that Max had paid next-to-no attention to him since arriving at the party. That wasn’t exactly Max’s fault, but he hadn’t exactly protested when Serena had swooped in and taken him away. So what if she was the guest of honor and could do damn-well whatever she wanted. Grady had thought he’d made himself clear last night when they’d had sex that Max was his and not someone else’s.
The jerk.
“I’ll leave you to go talk to your fiancé.” Uncle Connor spun Grady around and gave him a tiny shove in Max’s direction. “Go before you drill a hole in him with your laser vision.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. Marching across the room, he was able to side-step three potential conversations and rescued two glasses of wine from a passing waiter before he slid beside Max, handing him a glass.
Max looked down at him and winked. “Thank you.”
“Where’s mine?” Serena pouted in a way that would have melted the coldest of hearts.
“This one right here.” He handed his glass over and gave her a grin. “I would never leave my future sister-in-law wanting.”
“Oh.” She pressed her hand to her cheek. “That’s the first time you’ve called me that.”
What? “No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is.” Shoving Max aside, she wrapped her arms around Grady’s neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m clearly an asshole.” He returned her hug tenfold. “Lincoln isn’t the only lucky one. Our family is better for having you in it.”
“Damn it.” She sniffed, and when she pulled back, he could see tears spilling from her eyes. “Now my makeup is running. Excuse me.” Serena wiped her eyes as she walked away.
Max lightly smacked him on the back of his head. “You made the bride-to-be cry.”
“I didn’t mean to!”
“That’s what made it so awesome.” Max’s smile made his eyes dance. “You’re without a drink.”
“I am. Though I’d rather have something stronger than wine before Father puts in his appearance.”
It had been a blessing that his father had disappeared almost as soon as he’d showed up. A man Grady didn’t know had spirited him away to the club’s back room, no doubt to bend his ear over a proposed deal or wanting him to back another project. As long as it didn’t involve Grady being used as a pawn, he couldn’t care less.
Max took his hand. “I have an idea. Come with me.”
Before Grady knew where they were going, Max stopped in front of the bar at the back of the room. “Hey. I know this goes against policy, but I’m a pro and wanted to make a drink for my friend here.”
Grady gave his hand a squeeze.
“Sorry, my fiancé.” He looked down at Grady, smiling. “I keep forgetting people here don’t care.”
“It’s all good.” And it surprisingly was. Some of his family hadn’t known how to react when Grady had come out as a teen, but they either genuinely didn’t care, or they were too terrified of his father to say anything negative about it.
The petite woman behind the bar put her hands on her hips. “On one condition. You have to show me what you’re making in case someone else asks for it. I’m not going to look like an idiot.”
“Deal.” Max clapped his hands and made his way behind the bar. “We call this the Frantic Fuck back at the bar. But because we’re in mixed company, we’ll simply go with the Frantic.”
The bartender shook her head. “The women don’t mind.”
“I meant the rich folks. I’ve noticed some of them lack humor.”
She grinned. “I like you.”
Max really was a pro behind the bar. Grady was fascinated watching him move, grabbing bottles, pouring out measures of alcohol into three glasses as he walked the bartender through the steps.
“Make sure you shake it over ice, but only a quick one. You don’t want to water things down. Then top with a splash of cranberry and cherry juice. And there. You’ve been fucked.”
He set a glass in front of each of them, and waited for Grady and the bartender to take a sip before swallowing down half of his. “Good, eh?”
“Goddamn.” The sweetness was quickly chased away with a slow burn of what he assumed was rum, but might have been the vodka. “How the hell did you come up with that?”
“Zack, Eli, and I made it up one night in college. We got very, very drunk and had a crazy hangover the next day. But it kind of became our thing.”
“Yup, that will mess you up.” The bartender smiled. “Who do I credit this to?”
“Frantic. A club in Toronto.” Max held out his hand. “Max Tremblay. I’m the owner.”
“Kendra. Nice to meet you.”
Just like that, Grady’s jealously came roaring back. “We better let you get back to work. Don’t want anyone getting mad at you.”
Kendra shrugged. “It’s all good. The boss owes me for coming in to cover for a last-minute sick call.”
Max looked over at Grady and shook his head. “I have to mingle and hope I don’t forget everyone’s name.” Before Max came around though, he slipped a twenty into her tip jar. “Thanks again.”
Grady waited until they were a few feet from the bar before taking another gulp of his drink. “I think this is the concoction that got me drunk the first night we met.”
“Yeah, that would explain a few things.” Max shook his head. “It’s crazy to think that was only a week ago.”
Had it been so short a time? He felt as though Max had been a part of his life for years rather than days. “Only a little while to go before the wedding.”
When he’d first thought of Max as the best option to act as his fiancé, Grady hadn’t suspected that they would in reality be such a good match. Maybe coming from such drastically different backgrounds was a blessing more than a curse.
No sooner had the thought flicked through his mind, than one of his cousins approached them. Kevin was in every way a Barnes: arrogant, privileged, and constantly reminding others that he was better than them. Grady had never gotten along with him.
“Well, look who’s here.” He looked between Max and Grady. “And you brought along a rent-a-date. How cute.”
“Kevin, this is my fiancé, Max Tremblay. Max, Kevin is one of my cousins on Father’s side.”
“Nice to meet you.” Max held out his hand, but Kevin only looked at it.
“I hope your father insists on you signing a prenuptial. I can’t imagine anyone being able to stay with you long-term.” Kevin turned his attention to Max. “Our boy Grady is a constant embarrassment. You’ll get to enjoy that firsthand.”
His head began to pound as the muscles in his neck and back tensed. “I see you’re as big an asshole as ever.”
Kevin ignored him. “What do you do, Max?”
“I own a nightclub in Toronto.” There was an edge to his voice, though it was doubtful anyone but Grady would have noticed.
“That explains a few things. I bet you had to carry our little resident alcoholic out one night, or maybe he was throwing up and being disruptive. That’s happened more than a few times, hasn’t it, Grady?”
His face heated, and for a moment his vision darkened. He wanted nothing more than to lay Kevin out, one solid punch to the jaw, and he had no doubt that would be the end of him. Max stepped forward, his body a sudden barrier between him and Kevin.
“While I would love to have a long and personal conversation with you about this, we’re guests and here to show our support for Lincoln and Serena.” Max straightened and looked every inch of his six feet six inches. “I think it would be wise for you to walk away. Right now.”
If Kevin was scared, he certainly didn’t show it. Instead of fleeing, he sneered before sipping his drink. “Typical.”
Max turned to Grady. “Let’s go find your brother.”
The next moment transpired as a near out-of-body experience for Grady. Max had his hand pressed to Grady’s back, leading him past Kevin. He was aware of the tension running through Max’s body, Serena’s scent that still clung to his shirt, and the too-loud chatter swirling around the room. Somehow through all the noise, he heard Kevin’s taunt as clear as day.
“Fucking fags.”
Before his brain fully registered the words or the venom with which they were spoken, Max had dropped his arm, turned, and punched Kevin. Grady watched everything transpire, emotionally removed, as though everything was happening in slow motion. His cousin fell, unconscious before he hit the floor, his wineglass shattering as it connected with the hardwood.
When the glass shattered, reality spun back up, and chaos ensued.
Shouts filled the room, people were screaming for help as others ran to Kevin’s side to check on him. Club security swarmed them, and before Grady knew what was happening, they were hauling Max away.
Grady stepped between them, doing his best to shield Max. “What the hell are you doing? Leave him alone.”
One of the guards shoved Grady aside. “The cops have been called.”
“What?”
Lincoln raced over, Serena not far behind him. “What happened?”
“Kevin called us fucking fags. Max punched him.”
The asshole in question was starting to come around, moaning and pushing people away. “I’m pressing charges.”
Grady spun around, could do nothing but watch as Max was led away.
“Well, this has proven to be an interesting evening.” Justin stepped beside him. “You will be happy to know that your father is livid. He’d just arrived and saw the whole thing.”
Of course he had. Because nothing else would make tonight any worse than his father going on the warpath. “Shit.”
“I’ll deal with this.” Justin patted Grady’s shoulder. “Go have a drink and relax.”
Any chance of that happening was blanked out. Everyone was staring, talking in whispers while shaking their heads. He could only imagine what they were saying. Typical Grady. Selfish Grady, ruining things for everyone else. We’d all be better off without Grady around.
Even Justin’s attitude of resigned duty spoke volumes.
He was a fuckup, and he’d dragged Max into this.
Lincoln took him by the shoulders and turned him. “Hey, everything will be okay. There’s no way I’ll let anything happen to Max. Everyone here knows how much of an asshole Kevin is. Once they hear what happened, they’ll forgive Max, probably end up thanking him.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have insisted that the two of you come to this. I knew you were stressed out and people would see that. People love to try and take advantage of you when you get like this.”
“I’m sorry.” Grady stepped away from his brother’s grasp. “I have to leave.”
“What? You can’t. What about Max?”
Panic overwhelmed him and Grady couldn’t do anything. He had to get the hell out of here. “I’m sorry.”
He ran and didn’t look back.