THE WRONG BEST FRIEND

FROST POV

When Bryn asked me to help pick up his best friend from the airport, I almost told him to go to hell.

I wanted nothing to do with his messy love life. I didn't understand how a guy could love a woman like Eve.

But then, that's what made him Bryn Walker.

He loved flashy, loud women and anything that slowly drove a person insane.

And Bryn being Bryn, he kept pushing. So here I was

But the girl who stepped out at LAX didn’t match the version he’d spent years describing.

He’d always made her sound soft. Nerdy. Hoodies and boots, glasses, quiet. The kind of girl who read thrillers and stayed in her lane.

I could still hear his stupid voice.

Frost, do you know any Gen-Z woman who loves hoodies and boots more than heels? Nah! None except Gwen.

The woman I found looked nothing like that

Dressed in a black crop top and tight jeans that made her perfectly rounded ass hard to ignore.

Those green eyes were hidden behind her glasses, and those plump lips made me wonder what they would feel like against mine. Makes me want to do things to her.

Things she doesn't know yet.

But she had this stern, stay in your lane body language.

And God, she argued like hell.

It wasn't hard spotting her using the picture Bryn had sent to my phone.

And when I saw those pickpockets trying their luck on her, I knew it was my chance to play the good Samaritan.

She was stubborn as hell afterward.

Stubborn or adamant. Probably both.

Just like her feelings for my brother.

Loving someone for eight years.

But girls like her could be wild beneath that innocent facade.

They just needed someone to loosen them up.

And I intended to do that over the next three weeks.

After a back-and-forth argument about everything. The ride. The seatbelt. My driving. My existence.

I started the engine.

The drive became awkward until the call I'd been waiting for came in.

My mood shifted instantly. She noticed.

I cut off the main road and pulled into an alley.

She panicked.

“Hey, hey! Look, I might not know the way to Bryn's house, but this doesn't look like it. So where the fuck are you taking me?”

She asked, her eyes darting around as the truck sped through the quiet alley lined with houses.

“To handle a problem.”

I watched her swallow hard.“Whose?”

I replied,“Mine.”

“All right, I've had enough of this shit. Just stop the damn truck, send me the address, and I'll find my way there.”

“Too late, little lady.”

“Wait. Are you kidnapping me?”

I glanced briefly at her. “This is the second time you've accused me of that.”

“Because you're literally taking me somewhere I don't know! Isn't that kidnapping?”

She yelled.

By the time we reached an abandoned warehouse surrounded by overgrown bushes, she was ready to jump out.

“Don’t leave the truck,” I told her.

“Why?”

“It's for your own safety.”

“Wait—”

I didn’t wait for another argument.

I just hoped she wouldn't try to sneak after me. Otherwise…

I walked toward the side door of the warehouse and knocked twice. It opened from the inside.

Inside, Miko was already waiting. “Boss.”

“Where's the bastard?”

He pointed. And I strode forward, with Miko following closely behind.

The door opened.

My eyes narrowed at the guy tied to a chair, tape over his mouth. 

“Saxon? It was you poking around my turf?”

Saxon made muffled noises. I signaled Miko to remove the tape. The second the tape came off he started talking.

“Listen, man. I'm so sorry. I only did it because I needed the money for my grandma's surgery.”

“Don't give me that shit, Saxon.”I scoffed.

“You could've easily asked me for the money, and I would've given it to you. But you went sniffing around my territory.”

I paused, then crouched until we were eye level. “Who sent you?” My voice was cold and lethal.

He panicked. “I never met him. I swear.”

My eyes narrowed. “You don't?”

His breathing quickened. “Yes, man.”

I stood and turned to leave.

“Listen, man. There's—”

Miko tried to tape his mouth again, but I turned back and he paused.

“Someone is trying to hurt you by using your brother.”

I stopped. “Bryn? Who?”

“I don't know, Frost—” I turned

And his words were muffled again. 

“Find out who’s moving on the East Coast. And clean this up.”

“Yes, boss.”

Then a single gunshot rang through the warehouse.

I walked outside and headed back toward the truck.

When I climbed in, I found Gwen staring at the dragon tattoos peeking from beneath my rolled-up sleeves.

I'd pulled off my jacket and rolled up my sleeves while leaving the warehouse.

“What?”

I started the engine.

“You’re some kind of Mafia guy, aren’t you?”

My heart skipped.

Did she really sneak up on me?

“Why do you care?”

She folded her arms.

“Those tattoos aren’t exactly subtle.”

I exhaled slowly. “Really?”

Her eyes widened.

“So you really are a Mafia lord!”

“I never said that.”

She frowned.“So you're faking it?”

I chuckled, then cleared my throat as I drove the truck out of the alley and back onto the main road.

“So, you and Bryn haven't, umm... done it yet?”

She turned toward me sharply. “Fuck no.”

“Relax. I was just wondering why you've been stuck to him for eight years if he wasn't getting any.”

“Mind your fucking business!”

She yelled. 

And the car fell silent again.

Thirty minutes later, I pulled up outside a flower boutique.

She turned toward me. “Why are we stopping again?”

I parked at the curb. “To get the groom a wedding gift.”

Her eyes widened.

“Wait. You know the groom?”

“Yes.”

I got out, and she followed.

Inside, I searched for a bouquet of roses while she stood staring at the neatly arranged chrysanthemums.

My eyebrows rose. “I presume you want those for the bride.” Then I headed toward the cashier.

She scoffed. “As if she deserves them.”

She followed me outside.

“But how could you allow your friend to marry such a bitch?” She clicked her seat belt into place but left the door open. “Can't you see what she did to Bryn?”

I glanced at her. “Gwen, you can't separate people in love.”

She cut me off. “Well, you can. You're just being selfish.”

I almost smiled. “Did that approach work with Bryn?”

Her face went cold. “Stay out of my lane.” Then she slammed the door shut.

“Easy, tigress. Or we might stop at the mechanic shop next.”

“Fuck off.” She snapped at me.

We didn’t talk again until I pulled into the underground parking of the penthouse twenty minutes later.

She grabbed her luggage and followed looking around the lobby like she’d stepped onto another planet. 

“I know Bryn makes good money from hockey, but this is… a lot.” Then she turned toward me. “Are you guys from old money?”

“You think so?”

She gasped softly then looked around again.

“Is that why you love him? Because he's loaded?”

I asked. And she froze. Then turned sharply toward me.

“I believe I told you to fuck off.”She dragged her luggage forward.“Don't ever speak to me again.”

She spun around and started walking, then stopped, unsure of where to go.

“Let me show you to your best friend's lounge.”

I gestured toward a closed double door.

She quietly followed behind me.

Seconds later, I pushed the door open.

“Bryn, your best friend is here.”

The sound hit first.

Low, unmistakable moans..

Bryn was sprawled across a couch, head tipped back, hands on a woman’s waist as she moved over him.

Gwen froze. I did too.

Because the woman on top of him wasn’t some random girl.

It was Eve.

Gwen’s face went completely white.

“What the hell?”