When the Last One Falls

Chapter 24

Brantley~

I didn't want to be here, but I'd known about Ares Cormac accepting his invitation, so I was here just to show my face. In a few days, I was about to forfeit the mines and file for divorce, and I was not going to let anyone think that I was broken over it, no matter how tight my chest felt.

It had taken only two days for me to realize that Keris was like a drug to me. There would be no being married in name only because I couldn't be sure that I'd stick to my end of the bargain. Keris was all or nothing for me, and I knew enough to know that. Like a true junkie, if I had access to her, then I was going to take a hit sooner or later.

So, after that revelation had hit me in the face, I'd met with my father, telling him my plans to give up the mines and divorce Keris. Of course, he'd lost his damn mind, ranting and raving over the lost possible revenue, but I hadn't cared, still didn't. Greed wasn't going to ruin the rest of my life, especially when it wasn't even my greed that we were talking about here.

The only downside to attending tonight's charity auction was that it was for the arts, and I'd known before accepting that Keris might be here, along with her two friends. Antiquities, art, and gems usually ran together, so that might be a problemMagnus and Onyx were also in attendance, though they had chosen to arrive alone. Still, the more the better for me.

With Shera off examining the pieces, and Magnus stalking her because he wasn't our CFO for nothing, it was just me and Onyx nursing our drinks, watching the flurry of activity that always accompanied these types of events.

"Look, I know this might not be the best time to bring this up, but are you sure, man?" he asked, and I didn't even have to ask him what he was talking about.

I wasn't sure what was going on, but for the past week, Keris had been calling, texting, and leaving voicemails until I'd had to block her number. After that, she'd had the gall to show up at the offices, having her escorted from the building a fortunately discreet affair. Not having read her texts or listened to her voicemails, I had no idea what was so important, but again, I was an addict where she was concerned, so I'd made sure not to tempt myself. I also knew that she was still at the house because my housekeeper had been kind enough to keep me informed of Keris' activities. It could be that Keris had been calling to ask me for some more time before forcing her to move out because nothing else made sense.

"I can't be married to a woman that sees me as a monster, Onyx," I answered. "Not when I care for her the way that I do." Onyx and Magnus knew all the dirt, including how I'd gone and fallen in love with my wife. "Besides, she deserves to be happy."

"And you don't?" he challenged.

"I guess that depends on who you ask," I answered before taking another drink of my whiskey.

"Well, brace yourself, my friend," he grumbled. "She just walked into the building."

Unable to help myself, I turned to look, and I wished that I hadn't. With her hair piled up on the top of her head, whisps of dark chocolate cascading all around her neck, her face looked flawless. Still, that was nothing compared to the dress that she had on.

Holy fuck.

It was a dark emerald-green shade that pushed her tits up, clinched her waist in, and hugged her hips before dropping into an elegant waterfall with two slits that ran up her legs all the way to her fucking neck. Not really, but it seemed that way with each step that she took.

"I'm going to fucking kill her," I swore under my breath.

"Yeah?" Onyx drawled out. "Before or after you take Shera home?"