All Chapters of Bossed By My Brother's Best Friend: Chapter 41 - Chapter 49

CONNOR'S POVThe lounge is exactly the kind of place my father loves. Expensive leather seats. Dark wood paneling. Scotch that costs more per glass than most people make in a day. The kind of private establishment where powerful men come to make deals and destroy lives over cigars and aged whiskey.I'm nursing my second drink, the amber liquid burning down my throat, when my father leans back in his chair and fixes me with that look.The disappointed one.The one I've seen my entire fucking life."Where did you disappear to?" he asks, swirling his own scotch. "I was waiting in the car for twenty minutes, Connor. Twenty minutes outside Wade's building like some common chauffeur."My cheek still fucking stings from where Lila slapped me.I can feel it. The phantom burn of her palm across my face, the humiliation of it, and every time I think about it, rage floods through me so fast my vision goes red.I can't tell him I went back inside to confront Lila. Can't tell him I cornered her i

LILA'S POVI'm sitting in the backseat with Wade, his driver navigating through the evening traffic, and I keep stealing glances at him from the corner of my eye.Normally, I’d be hyperaware of him, of the way he takes up space, his scent, the heat radiating off his bodyBut tonight, something's off.Unsettling, even.Wade's staring out the window, his jaw set, his expression... sad?No, that can't be right.I've never seen Wade look sad before. Angry? Yes. Annoyed? Constantly. Smug as hell? Absolutely.But sad?That's new.And it's throwing me off completely.He doesn't have that usual impenetrable Alpha demeanor he wears like armor.His face is slightly drawn, like he's carrying something heavy, his shoulders are tense, and there's this distant look in his eyes as he stares out the window that makes my chest tighten uncomfortably.It's subtle. Most people probably wouldn't notice.But I notice.And it's bothering me more than it should.What the hell happened?My mind instantly goes

WADE'S POVThe second Lila disappears up the stairs, I let my mask drop instantly.My expression hardens, cold enough to freeze hell over, and I turn the full weight of my attention on my younger brother.Trent's still standing there with that infuriating smirk on his face, hands casually tucked into his pockets like he doesn't have a care in the world.Like he didn't just show up unannounced at my house and immediately start eye-fucking my mate.Fake mate, I correct myself.But Trent doesn't know that.And he sure as hell doesn't need to know that."What do you want this time?" I say, my voice flat and cold.Trent's smirk widens. "Hello to you too, big brother. Missed you too.""Cut the shit, Trent." I cross my arms, my teeth tightening. "You never show up unless you need something. So what is it? Money? A favor? Someone you pissed off and need me to clean up after?"It's not the first time. Won't be the last.Trent has a habit of getting himself into situations that require my inter

CONNOR'S POVI slam the front door so hard the frame rattles, and the sound thunders through the apartment like a gunshot.Fuck everything.Fuck this entire damn day.Amber's on the couch, her phone glowing in her hands, and she jumps at the noise. Her face lights up when she sees me, that eager smile spreading over her lips as she sets the phone aside."Baby! You're home!" She bounces up, practically skipping toward me. "I've been waiting for you. How did everything go with your dad and…"I don't respond.Can't respond.The rage sitting in my chest is so thick I can barely breathe around it, and if I open my mouth right now, I'm going to say something I might regret.Or maybe I won't regret it.Maybe I'll mean every fucking word.I brush past Amber without looking at her, my eyes scanning the living room, and I spot it.A glass sitting on the side table.Empty.Useless.Just like everything else in my life right now.I grab it, my fingers closing around the cool surface, and for a se