Chapter 4

Betsy

“And why are you so shocked?” I asked, slightly offended. “Can’t a girl smoke?”

He shook his head, a half-broken laugh escaping him. “Yes, a girl can. It’s just… well, not you,” he blurted, like he was still trying to process it.

I leaned closer, noticing the way he flinched just a little.

“Why not me?” I asked softly, directly.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, clearly at a loss for words. Finally, he forced out, “Well… that’s the last stick.” He blinked and looked away.

“Liar,” I cut in immediately. “Give me one. Right now.”

When he looked back at me, he muttered under his breath, “Kids really do grow fast.”

Then louder, “Fine. Let’s smoke outside. Wouldn’t want everyone here finding out you smoke.”

He swallowed slightly.

I nodded and stood up at once.

His eyes widened as they followed me. “Why are you still sitting?” I asked.

He sighed and rose to his feet. I grabbed the whiskey bottle from the table along with a glass.

He gave me that look again, the one I couldn’t quite read, before picking up a glass himself. Together, we walked out of the reception, leaving the noise and celebration behind.

Outside, we found a quiet spot near a bench. Not many people were around, though a few were doing exactly what I was about to do.

We sat down. He pulled out a cigar and handed it to me, then flicked his lighter. The flame hovered in front of me as I leaned in, lighting it smoothly in one draw. I inhaled and exhaled through my nose, watching the smoke fade into the night.

“Wow. You didn’t even cough,” he said, clearly amused.

I chuckled and turned toward him. He was staring at me in awe, like he’d never seen a woman smoke before.

I handed him the whiskey bottle. He shook his head but poured some into our glasses anyway. I grabbed mine and downed it in one go.

“Whoa, take it easy, kiddo,” he said, startled.

“Relax. I don’t get drunk easily,” I replied, taking another pull from the cigar.

“But you do,” he countered.

I smiled faintly.

“Did you forget I grew up with two boys? I’m not your regular kind of girl,” I said and that was the truth.

I used to be the biggest tomboy. I hated dresses, preferred my brother’s clothes, and never cared about looking feminine.

That only changed when I fell for Oliver.

I started learning how to dress like a girl, even when it didn’t feel right. Even when dresses made me uncomfortable. I’m built more like a boy, and sometimes I hate my body for that.

It’s not as soft or as sexy as other girls’.

Maybe that’s why Oliver never looked at me that way.

“So what, you’re saying you’re all testosterone?” Roman asked, raising a brow.

I burst out laughing, and he smiled.

“Who knows?” I played along. “Maybe I’m a boy pretending to be a girl.”

“Oh my goodness, Bet. You should’ve told me earlier you transformed,” he said with mock seriousness.

That made me laugh harder.

For the first time all day, the tightness in my chest eased a little.

“Well, now you know,” I teased back.

He poured me another glass, and this time I didn’t rush it. I sipped slowly, drawing in the cigar with deliberate calm, letting the smoke curl out of me as if in slow motion.

But I could feel his gaze on me, still sharp, still curious. I guessed he was still processing the fact that I smoked.

We sat in silence, him saying nothing, letting me reveal myself quietly in my own way, as if offering unspoken support for a truth he couldn’t yet grasp.

How would he react if he knew I was like this because of his brother, the one who had just gotten married?

I glanced at him with the corner of my eyes, noticing him take a long pull from his cigar, his eyes forward, his expression hardened. Not the teasing Roman from before, this was different.

The funny thing was, this was the Roman everyone got to see. The smiling, playful version was just for those he held close. This, right now, was the real him.

I glanced down and noticed my cigar had burned to nothing. With a quick flick I sent the stub spinning away. “That’s littering,” he remarked dryly. I couldn’t help the small smile.

I tilted my head toward him. “Says the man who’s already dropped two.” I nodded at the ground where they lay. He gave a short huff of amusement. “Right. Guess I’m setting a terrible example.” I let out a quiet laugh and he actually smiled—small, real.

“Looks like you’re finished, kiddo. Shall we go back in?” He stood and offered his hand like it was the most natural thing. I placed mine in his. For someone so imposing, his palm was surprisingly soft—almost unfairly so. I had the sudden, absurd urge to trace my thumb over it, to see if it stayed that smooth.

Clearly a man who’s never done real manual work.

I rose, grabbing the bottle as we started toward the building. Out of the corner of my eye I caught two people tucked in a shadowed corner, mouths locked together. My eyes widened; I quickly looked away.

I stole a sideways glance at Roman to see if he’d noticed. His gaze stayed fixed forward—he hadn’t seen.

We stepped back into the reception and immediately came face-to-face with the last person I wanted to see: Oliver, his arm wrapped possessively around Aqua.

I flicked my eyes to her instead. For the briefest moment her expression twisted—her gaze darted from Roman to me and back, as though she were rapidly assembling puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit.

Oliver spoke first, voice light but edged. “Been waiting for my big brother to come congratulate me.”

I shifted my attention to him. It wasn’t just Aqua wearing that assessing look—Oliver had it too. The way his eyes moved between us… it was unmistakable. He thought something was going on between Roman and me?

Then his gaze dropped, and I tracked it, straight to my hand, the one Roman still held in his, fingers laced in a way that suddenly felt far too deliberate, far too claiming.

Barnes and Benjamin appeared next, both of my brothers swiveling their heads toward us at almost the same moment. “Looks like someone stepped out for a smoke,” Barnes said, his tone light but his eyes sharp with curiosity.

I managed only a tight, awkward smile in response, heat creeping up my neck.

Then another voice cut through, cool and edged: “I wonder why.”

The smile vanished from my face entirely.

We all turned as one to look at Aqua.