She glanced over and her jaw dropped. “Garrett? What’re you doing here?” Then her gaze zipped between me, him, and Tad.
“I think he was trying to apologize for fucking up my life, except I never actually heard a sorry.”
Garrett sent me a scowl before he returned his attention to City. “I should’ve known you two would find yourselves back together.” Then he shocked the shit out of me when he murmured, “Good.”
City shared a stunned arch of the eyebrows with me before she said, “So...how’s everyone at home?”
Her brother shrugged. “No idea. I haven’t seen them in years.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Say what?”
“Though I heard Max has taken after Dad and become another soulless, life-sucking businessman. He was always worse than the old man if you ask me. He’d put on a good front, act like your friend...then bam...stab you in the fucking back.”
“What’re you talking about?” City demanded.
“I’m talking about our family. Just...everything. They’re heartless. Watching you walk out on the parents was the most badass, courageous thing I ever saw. I swear, I hated you then because I wished I could’ve done it first. Took me a month after you left to work up the balls to escape myself.” He shared a look with Tad—a look that only lovers shared—and then he took the other man’s hand.
“And it was the best thing I ever did. I was able to stop pretending I was something I wasn’t and finally be who I really wanted to be.”
“And he’s been a lot better tempered ever since,” Tad added with a smug grin.
Felicity gaped between the two of them before shaking her head. “Um…wow. Okay. Uh, that’s great, I guess. I’m happy for you.”
Garrett glanced at her, and for the first time that evening, he actually looked contrite. “I hope you can forgive me someday for the way I always treated you.”
“Uh…” She nodded. “Okay. Yeah. Sure.”
And that seemed to be that.
Whatever happened with City’s brother and his boyfriend after their attempt at making amends was pretty unremarkable. Either that or I was still too stunned from the first half of the conversation to pay much attention to the rest of it.
Tad and Garrett drank a beer, and eventually left.
As soon as they were gone, City whirled to me. “Was it just me, or was that totally bizarre?”
“It was fucking bizarre,” I agreed, but at least I didn’t have to worry about her family, not the way I worried about mine. I glanced toward the stage. Rock was glaring at me from behind the drum set where he was currently playing.
I twisted back to City to warn her once more to steer clear of him, but she was already moving away, and Eva was dodging in front of me. “Knox, I command you to come out here and dance.”
“Uh…I’m working.” And the place was busy as hell.
“Hey.” Pick waved me away as he slid behind the counter. “Get out there on the dance floor, now, and give my woman what she wants. I got this.”
So, I let Eva lead me out to a spot where other couples were moving to the song’s fast beat. As I dragged my feet behind her, she motioned to Asher, who winked back. Then she turned to me and frowned when she saw my expression. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “It’s just…I’ve never danced with anyone but Felicity.”
The smile on Eva’s face softened. “Then you should definitely dance with her.”
I frowned. “But I thought you wanted to—”
“I just wanted you to dance,” she said, backing away. “It didn’t have to be with me.”
With one last grin, she hurried to where City was delivering a round of drinks to a table full of guys. Taking over her tray to serve them herself, Eva waved City toward me.
Crooking my finger, I motioned her to come closer. Smiling mischievously, she drew forward as Asher leaned into the microphone and announced, “This cover’s for the newest Forbidden couple. Enjoy.”
I drew my woman into my arms as the band started John Legends’ “All of me.” City shuddered and cuddled closer. “I love this song.”