A Drop of Pretty Poison: A Brother’s Best Friend Romance (Pretty Poison Trilogy Book 2)

Why is it that every time Laiken and I are truly happy, this fucker has to come in and ruin it? He has enough money to be dating a goddamn supermodel, and he chooses my wife’s best friend? I don’t fucking buy it. He’s up to something, and he’s using Mali. There’s no other explanation.noveldrama

Laiken pushes past me as she and Mali leave. I don’t try to stop her. Right now, she’s angry. And for what it’s worth, so am I. She knows everything he did, and yeah, he may have helped Cam out, but if what Owen said was right and he’s friends with Isaac, who’s to say he didn’t have a hand in what happened in the first place?

I go upstairs to find Cam leaning against the wall. He’s frustrated—at himself probably, or at Mali for not turning Monty down. Who really knows? But I’m too pissed to handle him with kid gloves right now.

“You just had to be all sensitive and worry about if you’re the right guy for her or not, didn’t you?” Yeah, I know. I’m a fucking hypocrite. “Couldn’t have just made a move on her when I told you to?”

“Fuck off, Wilder,” he growls.

“Why? Because you know I’m right?” I sneer. “If you had grown a pair and asked her out, she wouldn’t be dating Mr. Moneybags.”

“You think I don’t know that?” he snaps, throwing the hammer to the floor. “You think I’m not kicking myself in the ass for it? But what the fuck am I supposed to do? I can’t even be angry about it, because the guy might be a douchebag, but I owe him my freedom.”

I scoff, throwing my hands in the air. “What the fuck is with you Blanchards and thinking that prick is some knight in shining armor? Shit like this is the reason he has a goddamn complex to begin with.”

Cam’s brows furrow. “Why are you even so pissed off about this? I know why I don’t like him, but I can’t wrap my head around why you don’t.”

“Because he wants Laiken. That’s why he threatened me and told me to break up with her or he was going to tell you.”

“Okay. That’s a dick move on his part, sure. But that led to you telling me and now you two are fucking married. You’re still friends with Lucas, and he openly wants her. So why do you hate Monty so damn much?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, exhaling heavily. The truth about the sex tape is on the tip of my tongue, but I hold it back. Nothing good would come from him knowing about that. Especially right after learning that Mali is dating him now.

He would kill him, and we’re trying to keep him out of prison, not look for reasons to put him in it.

“You’re right.” He’s not, but I pretend to cave to end this shitshow. “I should just let it go.”

Cam hums. “You should. At least you won…unlike me.”

“Could always go after her anyway,” I suggest. “Be honest with her.”

He shakes his head. “Nah. He’s the better guy for her, even if he is a tool. He’ll make her happy.”

That’s bullshit and we both know it. It was all over both their faces today. She didn’t look the slightest bit happy about her new relationship status, and if she didn’t have feelings for Cam, she wouldn’t have looked to him for his approval.

A part of her wanted him to fight for her.

To tell her to be with him instead.

To tell her anything except what he did.

But there’s no getting through to him right now. Not when the wound is still fresh. Besides, Mali is a smart girl. Whatever Monty is up to, she’ll figure it out and dump his ass when she does.

I just hope it happens sooner rather than later.

HAVING TO APOLOGIZE FOR hating a guy that would end my marriage if given the chance feels a lot like cruel torture. It’s still grinding on my nerves that Laiken defended him to me after what he did. But then again, she doesn’t know the full story.

And I can’t tell her.

Monty is dangerous. That much is clear. There’s no way to be sure how far that psycho is willing to take this, or what I’ll need to do to keep her safe. Keeping her in the dark on this is what’s best for her because if something goes wrong, I can’t have her caught in the crossfire.

As I pull into the driveway, I see her car in the driveway and the downstairs lights are on. A small rush of relief floods through me when I realize she’s home. Not that I thought she wouldn’t be, but today threw me for a loop.

I unlock the door and step inside. Laiken is sitting on the couch, reading a book, and she glances up at me when I come in. The fact that she doesn’t look happy to see me stings, I’m not going to lie. I’ve never been able to stand when she’s mad at me, and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. So, instead of dragging this out, I walk over to her and sit on the floor beside the couch—resting my head on her stomach and sighing.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I know I’m a lot sometimes, but the thought of losing you scares the shit out of me.”

She puts down the book and runs her fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry, too, but you need to learn that I’m not going anywhere. Your initial on my ring finger and the marriage certificate you have framed on the wall like a damn certificate of ownership is proof of that.”

I chuckle. “It’s not a certificate of ownership. I just like looking at it and knowing it wasn’t a dream. That you really married me.”

“Of course I did,” she replies. “I love you, even when you’re a pain in the ass.”

Nuzzling my nose into her stomach, I breathe in the scent of her. It has a way of bringing me from on edge to calm in seconds. Just another magical thing she does. Lord knows there’s a lot of them.

“I love you, too. God, fighting with you is the worst.”

She hums. “Well, I thought of a way we could stop Monty from being a problem between us, but you have to stay open minded.”

Oh God. This should be good. “I’m listening.”

“I want us to go on a double date with him and Mali.”

Great, she wants to tempt me with the ability to kick his ass. “Do we have to?”

“Well, no,” she says sadly. “We don’t have to do anything, but I’d like to. I think you and Monty got off on the wrong foot.”

“You mean the foot where he threatened to out us if I didn’t break up with you. That foot?”

Her eyes narrow. “All I’m saying is I think you should give him another chance. He’s dating Mali. It’s not me he wants.”

Somehow, I doubt that. She’s blinded by the version of him that helped her brother, and I hate that. From the moment he got Cam’s case thrown out, I knew this shit was going to be held over my head. She might say we don’t have to go, but I know that if I refuse, she’s going to get mad at me again. And we are too early into this marriage for one of us to be sleeping on the couch tonight.

“Okay,” I agree reluctantly. “For you, I’ll go.”

A smile spreads across her face, the one I’d do literally anything to put there. Case and point. Her hand moves to the back of my neck, and she pulls me in, breathing life back into me with a kiss. I can’t help but sigh into it.

“Thank you,” she tells me. “I know you don’t like him, but I appreciate you giving him another chance.”

Like I had any other choice. “The chances of me changing my mind about him are slim.”

“I get that, but I still appreciate it.”

“Yeah?” I bounce my brows. “How much?”

You know what they say, makeup sex is the best sex.

She takes her bottom lip between her teeth and it’s on. I’m going to make sure Moneybags isn’t even a thought in her mind for the rest of the night.

COFFEE IS A NECESSARY evil. I hate the taste of it, but when you were up late the night before checking positions off the Kama Sutra like it’s your own personal bucket list, it’s the only thing that might save me from dragging ass all day. Between the extra renovations needed at the bar and the research I’m currently doing on Monty, I can’t afford to be tired.

I’m sitting at the island, scrolling through my laptop. There has to be other crooked shit he’s getting away with. He made the video of Cam fighting Isaac disappear like it was nothing. A video that was not just on the defense attorney’s computer, but also the prosecutor’s and the police department servers. And then it was gone, without a trace of it ever existing. Even Craig couldn’t find it on his phone anymore. It’s like it never even happened.

Motherfucker covers his tracks well, because I can’t find a damn thing on him. Not even his name in a school yearbook. All the articles just reference him as being Senator Rollins’s son. It wouldn’t surprise me if Montgomery Rollins wasn’t even his real name. If Laiken didn’t personally meet his dad, I’d wonder if he was lying about that, too.

“God, I love that showerhead,” Laiken says as she comes into the kitchen.

With a press of a single button, all the windows disappear, leaving only the beer selections that Cam and I are still deciding on. She comes over and kisses me before getting her own cup of coffee.

“It’s because when I moved in, I drilled a hole in it to stop it from regulating the water pressure,” I explain.

She smiles. “Well, you’re a genius. If only it was a handheld.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Were three orgasms not enough for you last night, princess?”

“I can never get enough of you or the things you do to me.”

I smirk. “Our wedding night proves otherwise.”

She throws her head back, laughing. “Okay, fine. But in my defense, if you kept going, you weren’t going to pull out in time.”

“Get on birth control and I won’t have to pull out at all,” I counter.

“That’s exactly why I made an appointment to get the shot,” she tells me. “But it’s not for another month. Apparently, they’re really booked out. Good vagina health must be all the rage these days.”

Just the thought of being able to have her like that all the time has me half-hard in my jeans. To see my cum leaking out of her pussy—fucking hell. I shake myself out of it and watch as Laiken smirks, knowing exactly what she just caused.

“Oh, by the way. Monty made reservations for tonight.”

And there goes any boner I had. “Was that your plan? Make me think about sex so it wouldn’t irritate me when you mention him?”

“That depends. Did it work?”

I grab her waist and pull her into me, putting her mug down on the counter. “You don’t play fair.”

She smiles. “I never said I would.” Kissing me for a moment, she steps away. “But seriously. We’re going to some five-star gourmet place a half hour from here. He said that reservations are normally booked out for six months, but he knows the owner.”

Of fucking course he does. “Sounds good, babe. I’ve got to go, though. Marc is stopping by the bar this morning to see how everything is coming along.”

She nods, coming over to kiss me once more. “Have a good day. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

And as I walk out the door, I wonder if she has any idea how much. That if this fucker tries to come between us again, I won’t hesitate to make sure he never shows his face around here again. Because I will not lose her.

I can’t.

I don’t think I’d survive it.

IN ALL THE TIME that I’ve known Marc, I don’t think I’ve ever been nervous around him. Until now. But then again, I’ve never been business partners with him. I was just his previously troubled employee. A charity case of sorts. Now, I’m watching him look around the bar and holding my breath as I wait for his critiques.

“Okay,” I groan. “Put me out of my misery please.”

He chuckles and purses his lips. “It looks amazing.”

Thank fuck. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. I’m really impressed. You guys really brought your vision to life in here. I can see all of the little details you were explaining, and they finally make sense to me.”

Turning to Cam, we bump fists.

“The failed inspection was a little inconvenient,” he tells Marc. “But we should be done with that by tomorrow afternoon and the inspector is going to come back the day after.”

Marc nods in understanding. “It’s frustrating, I’m sure, but it’s a good thing they caught that. Otherwise, it would’ve spread and put you out of business while you gutted the place again just to get rid of it.”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” I say. “That’s a decent silver lining.”

Marc checks out the handiwork on the new wall we put up. “I’m really liking this backroom.”

Cam grins proudly. “Yeah. Cases of beer are heavy. We didn’t want to have to carry them up and down the stairs, so we made a storage room.”

“Smart thinking,” he responds. “So, what do you think you’ll end up doing with the upstairs?”

“We haven’t really figured that out yet,” I admit. “It’s big enough to be a damn apartment, though, so the opportunities are endless.”

Cam snickers. “Maybe I’ll move up there. Get the fuck out of my parents’ house.”

It’s not a bad idea, honestly. The location is perfect, and his commute to work would consist of walking down the stairs. There’s just one problem.

“We don’t have a kitchen, my guy. And you eat more than anyone I know.”

He looks disappointed, but only for a second. “Eh, so I’ll live on takeout. You do it.”

“Not anymore,” I correct him. “I’m a married man now. Went all domesticated and got myself a wife.”

“Get the fuck out of here,” Marc shouts. “You got married?”

I run my thumb over the L that’s permanently inked into my skin. “Yep. Asked Laiken to marry me and we had a tiny ceremony in our living room a few days later.”

He chuckles. “You knock her up or something?”

Cam cringes. “Don’t ask her that. She’ll rip your head right off.”

He’s not lying. “Nah. Just knew what I wanted and went for it. Life’s short and all that shit.”

“Yeah, right.” Cam rolls his eyes. “It was a cross between his tendency to become a possessive caveman when it comes to her and wanting to be my brother-in-law so badly he was willing to sell his soul to the devil for it to happen.”

I snort. “Did you just insinuate that your sister is the devil?”

“Absolutely. I love her, but she’s ruthless.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “Best of luck to you. Please know there are no returns. All sales are final.”

Marc leans against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest. “It’s going to be fun to see you two running this place together. You should serve popcorn.”

But all I can think is that if he thinks we’re entertaining, wait until he sees Laiken and Mali together. Now that deserves popcorn.

THE ONLY THING WORSE than having to do on this double date is having to wear a suit to it. I don’t do formalwear. Hell, I didn’t even wear a full suit at our wedding, and that’s not because it was in our house. It may be September, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fucking hot out. No one wants to wear a jacket in this shit. But the place Monty chose has a dress code we have to abide by.

Monty’s suit looks like it costs more than my house, and the diamond necklace Mali is wearing tells me he thinks her affection is up for sale and he’s going to be the highest bidder. As Laiken and I got closer, Mali started to become one of my closest friends. It’s not just Laiken I’m looking out for.

It’s her, too.

The hostess leads us to our table in the VIP section. I mean, really, he couldn’t be showing off any more if he tried. We all sit down and I barely get to look at the menu before a man comes over to say hello.

“Montgomery Rollins,” he greets him. “It’s great to see you again. How’s your dad?”

Monty smiles at him. “He’s great. Making some great changes in the political world.”

“I’ve noticed. That’s fantastic.” He looks around the table. “So, who are the fine people you have with you tonight?”

He puts an arm around Mali. “This is my girlfriend, Mali, my friend Laiken, and her boyfriend, Hayes.”

His words surprise me. Either he did it on purpose to undermine our relationship, or he doesn’t know. And judging by how Laiken makes no move to correct him, I’m guessing it’s the latter.

“Husband, actually,” I say, putting out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mister…”

“Augustus,” he fills in and shakes my head. “The pleasure is mine.”

He and Monty share pleasantries before he tells us that he’s assigned his best waiter and the head chef to our table, and to let him know if anything isn’t mouthwatering perfection. We all thank him and as soon as he walks away, Monty’s brows raise.

“So, you two got married?” he asks, taking a sip of his water.

I nod, taking Laiken’s hand in my own and resting them on the table. “About a week ago. I’m surprised neither of them mentioned it.”

The grin on his face is far from genuine. “I’m a little offended I wasn’t invited.”

“No one was, really,” Laiken answers. “Just family.”

“I assume Mali was there.”

“Like she said, family,” I repeat. “Mali is family.”

This guy has a lot of nerve, thinking that because he played a part in saving Cam—which I’ve concluded was more because of his father’s connections than it was his—that he deserved to be included in such an intimate moment. If the guys from the team weren’t invited, there’s no way in hell he would be.

“Well, that’s great news,” he chokes out. Raising his glass, he nods at us. “Cheers to the happy couple.”

I smirk as I clink my glass against his. Laiken looks confused as I subtly drop her hand, but she shouldn’t be. She’s told everyone who will listen that we got married. Even the cashier in the grocery store heard all about it. But it just so happens that the one friend of hers who played a part in our breakup didn’t?

Try again.

But for now, I drink my water out of the champagne glass like I belong in this glorified diner.

Shit dipped in gold and overpriced is still just shit.

I STAND AT THE railing that overlooks the dancefloor, watching Laiken and Mali have the time of their lives. They move to the beat and spin around with wide smiles stretched across their faces. There’s nothing I love more than seeing Lai just like this—when she’s so happy it’s infectious.

“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” Monty says as he steps up beside me.

“I don’t know, man. I’ve never looked at Mali that way.”

He takes a sip of his beer. “I wasn’t talking about Mali.”

Son of a bitch. “Keep your eyes off my goddamn wife.”

“Or what?” he sneers. “You’ll sick big brother on me? Don’t want to do that. There’s still a cell in Neuse Correctional with his name on it.”

“You think I won’t do my own dirty work? That I won’t enjoy slamming your face repeatedly against the curb? You’re not the only one with connections, Rollins. I’ll strangle you and make it look like you fucked off to an island somewhere with a man named Ramon.”

He doesn’t look the least bit scared as he smirks. “Careful, H. Look at her. She’s happy. You don’t want to be the one to ruin that, do you?”

I scoff. “Fuck off. You act like you’re all big and powerful, but you’re nothing but a little boy with entitlement issues because your parents never paid enough attention to you as a child.” I turn to face him, looking down because of our height difference. “I know you’re friends with Isaac, or at least you were. Owen told me. It’s funny, because you never once mentioned even knowing him while we were dealing with Cam’s case.”

“I met him at Laiken and Mali’s birthday party,” he says simply.

Nice try, Moneybags. “Isaac wasn’t at Laiken’s birthday party. Might want to work on rehearsing those lies a little more. Wouldn’t want you getting tripped up when it matters most.”

His confident demeanor slips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’m coming for you,” I tell him. “I’m going to figure out everything there is to know about you. Your secrets. Your lies. Your wrongdoings. And if I find out you’re fucking with the lives of people I care about, I will make destroying you my top priority. Even daddy dearest won’t be able to save you from me.”

He still tries to maintain his cocky attitude, but I notice how he swallows harshly. “Are you sure you want to do that? I am not a good enemy to have.”

“You started this the moment you decided to try to steal her away from me. Put your name right on the top of my shitlist and underlined it in red. You may be the senator’s son, but no one fucks with my family. What did you think? That Isaac just chose to leave?”

I smirk, winking at him as I step back.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to go dance with my wife. It gets her all hot and bothered when she grinds her ass against me.”

With that, I walk away and leave him standing there to watch me have what he never will.