Chapter 164 Apologies All Around
Cassian blinked. “Me?”
He actually pointed to himself, as if Ashton had mistaken him for someone else.
“I wasn’t even here when they started fighting. I have no clue what was said. What the hell am I apologizing for?”
Ashton looked at me. “You yelled at Mirabelle. I heard you.”
Cassian scoffed. He stared at Ashton like he’d lost his mind.
“You’re joking, right? I barely said three words. That’s ‘yelling‘ now?” He swung his hand toward me. “Her tone was worse than mine. Did she apologize to me? No. But I’m the one out of line?”
Ashton shrugged. “Didn’t hear her.”
Then he glanced at Emmett, who nodded. “I didn’t either.”
Cassian looked between the two of them like they’d grown matching horns.
His face went red from the neck up.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Selective fucking hearing? You hear me loud and clear but nothing from her? All right. Fine. You want an apology? Here it is-” He snapped his head towards me.” Sorry. Happy now?”
He looked like he wanted to put his fist through something.
Definitely not sorry.
He fixed me with a glare, breathing hard. “That good enough for you?”
I rolled my eyes in reply.
He turned like he was about to stalk off again.
“Hold on,” I called. “You haven’t apologized to Yvaine yet.”
He froze.
For a second, I thought he was about to keel over.
He yanked at his tie like it was choking him.
One of his shirt buttons shot off and pinged across the floor.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. What am I even apologizing for now? I didn’t say a single thing to her.”
“You took sides. You knew who started it, and you still backed Alexis. By that, you implied Yvaine and I lied.”
Cassian exhaled hard through his nose.
Chapter 164 Apologies AthAround
The muscle under his cheek bunched like he was chewing glass.
We all stood there, forming a hostile circle around him.
“Fine!” He turned to Yvaine, arms flung wide. “I’m sorry, all right? Happy now?”
He pointed at Ashton, then Emmett.
+15 BONUS
“You two want one too? Go on, take a number. Sorry, Ashton. Sorry, Emmett. All of this? Totally my fault. What a fucking disaster I am”
He was shouting now.
Ashton barely looked at him. “We’re good. Get out.
Cassian spun around and left.
Alexis trailed after him, heels tapping fast against the tiles.
The second they were gone, the air changed.
Everyone exhaled.
I turned straight to Yvaine.
“Are you alright?” I grabbed her arm and checked her over, still unconvinced Alexis hadn’t done something while I was out of earshot.
“I’m fine,” she said calmly. “She just ran her mouth a bit. Nothing serious. I didn’t let it get to me.”
“Good.”
Emmett stepped closer. “Thanks.” For sticking up for Yvaine earlier.
I shrugged. “Don’t mention it.”
He gave me a nod, then started walking.
Yvaine trailed after him.
She looked over her shoulder at me with a grin. “He’s still pissed. I’m gonna go check he doesn’t punch a tree or something.”
Once they were gone, Ashton and I headed back into the ballroom.
The wedding was long over.
Most of the chairs were empty now, a few guests still lingering by the dessert table or packing up their things.
We stepped outside together.
The cold hit right away.
My arins broke out in goosebumps and I jerked back from the wind.
Chapter 164 Apologies All Around
“Jesus. Is it snowing?” I rubbed my arms. “Why is it this cold?”
+15 BONUS
Ashton pulled a scarf out from under his coat–no idea where he’d stashed it–and looped it around my neck.
The wool was thick and still warm from his body heat.
“Don’t catch a cold,” he muttered. “I’ve got to stop by the office. I’ll drop you off on the way.”
“I’ve got my car. I’ll drive back to the studio.”
“Alright. Drive safe. Dinner tonight?”
“Yeah. Text me.”
He didn’t make it to dinner.
Just after seven, Ashton messaged to say something had come up.
Work dinner, or some last–minute stuff.
He told me not to wait.
I ate alone on the sofa, half–watching two episodes of a crime show I didn’t care about.
Just before ten, I got up to turn in.
That’s when my phone buzzed.
Riley.
We hadn’t spoken since that time Yvaine dragged me to her new bar for the launch.
Her name lighting up my phone at this hour only meant one thing.
I answered before the second ring.
“Mira, thank god. Yvaine’s here. She’s drunk. Like, properly hammered. I can’t leave the bar–I’ve got people waiting on deliveries and my manager’s off tonight. Can you come get her? I don’t want to call Emmett. He’ll lose it.”
“I’m on my way.”
I hung up, yanked off my pajamas, and threw on the first jumper I could find.
Five minutes later, I was in the car, heading downtown.
Riley had someone waiting outside the bar when I pulled up.
A young guy in a black shirt with too much hair gel waved me in and led me through a side corridor.
The private room looked empty from the hallway. No lights, no sound.
“This the right-?”
Chapter 164 Apologies All Around
Before I could finish, the server flicked on the overheads.
+15 BONUS
Yvaine was curled up in the corner of a velvet sofa, Hugging a half–empty bottle of something
amber.
Her boots were still on, legs sprawled over the cushion.
One strap of her dress had slipped off her shoulder,
The air smelled like spilled tequila, dried limes, and perfume that had lost its charm an hour ago.
I turned the lights down low and crossed the room.
Dozens of bottles were scattered around her, some standing, most rolling near the edge of the
coffee table.
I crouched down and nudged her upright.
Her head lolled forward.
I tapped her cheek.
“Come on. Let’s get you home. Can you open your eyes?”
Her skin burned under my fingers.
Her lashes twitched a few times before she cracked one eye open and blinked hard.
“Mira?” she slurred. “Why are there two of you?”
“Because you’re smashed. I’m taking you home.”
“No! I’m not leaving!” She jerked up and lunged for the table. “Still drinking!”
I caught her wrist and pulled the glass out of reach. “You’re done. That’s it.”
She tried to grab it back, twice, then gave up and went limp.
A second later, she started crying.
