Unexpected Eva (Triple Trouble #3)(102)

Throwing his napkin down, Charlie stands up from his seat and storms in my direction.

I mutter my last will and testament to myself and step slowly down the side steps of the stage to meet my maker.

“Is this true?”

“We were going to tell you.”

Smack. His punch crashes into my face. My head catapults back and I stumble.

Shattering pain shoots through my nose. I think he broke my fucking nose.

I tilt forward and cup my face. Fuck, that hurts.

Gold specks of powdered dust burst behind my eyes.

I hear screams of horror from her sisters and mom, and Eva shouting in anguish, “Don’t touch him.”

Warm liquid bubbles in my nose. I feel it cover my hand and flow down my face.

Opening my eyes, I take in the whole sorry situation.

Charlie launches for me and shoves me.

I stumble again, trying to find my feet.

I will not fight him.

Hunter and Fraser grab him, pulling him back from me.

“You touched my daughter, you filthy son of a bitch. She is too young for you. I will never forgive you for this,” he roars, scrambling about, trying to tear himself out of his son-in-law's firm grasp.

Charlie is a big guy, but Hunter and especially Fraser are both built like tanks.

“You are supposed to be my friend. Are there not enough women your own age to satisfy you? So you saw an opportunity in my daughter? Is vulnerability what you prey on?” His words are laced with hate.

I stand tall. Fuck this.

“Don’t speak about Eva that way. She’s a grown woman with a strong mind.” I wipe the blood from under my nose that’s now dripping down my mouth and chin, seeping into my white dress shirt.

“I will speak about her however I want.” Ashamed with me, he shakes his head back and forth. “You touched my daughter,” he bellows. “With your hands. Are you sleeping with Tabitha too?”

“No. Never. I would never cheat on Eva.”

“You did with Olivia. Isn’t that why she left you?” He flares his nostrils, clenching his fists in the air.

I feel like he punched me in the gut. “What?”

“Charlie, that’s enough!” Edith bellows.

Lincoln shuts Charlie down. “That is not why my mother left.”

“No!” We hit him with both barrels, and I shout at Charlie too. “Never. That never happened. I have never cheated on anyone in my entire life.”

Why would Charlie think those things about me?

“Olivia gave me full custody of Lincoln. She left us. Lincoln has seen the divorce papers and read her reasons. You are wrong, Charlie.” I stare at him, angry at him for even suggesting such a thing. “How dare you say such lies in front of my son. You are completely out of order.”

“And so are you with my daughter. I don’t like the things I heard from Tabitha about you earlier this evening, Knox, and the way you treat women. Tabitha confirmed it again on the stage too, right here in front of everyone.” He points in the direction of the stage. “We’ve been friends for over a decade. All that time, all those conversations together, shared secrets. I told you things about the girls and what, were you just waiting for one of them to look your way?”

“Charlie, what are you saying?” Edith cries.

“It was never like that.” Denial flies from my lips because it’s the truth. I waited for her to be free.

“The famous Knox bachelor of the year Black. Tabitha told me Olivia left because you were sleeping with her friend behind her back.”

“That’s a lie! Tabitha doesn't know anything about Olivia. She’s doing this on purpose. She is jealous because I am with Eva. Can’t you see that? I broke up with her. After three years, I might add. I never once went with anyone else. She’s doing this to get back at me.” I spit particles of blood everywhere. “She’s a nasty piece of work and she has been horrible to Eva. You should hear the things she says about your daughter. To her face, too. She’s bold. Far too bold.”

This is unbelievable.

I’m going to bury Tabitha alive if I get my hands on her.

“You clearly know nothing about me after all, Charlie. Olivia left because she was too young and scared to be a mother, didn’t want to be stuck in Castleview Cove. She was a free spirit; she wanted to travel, and it had nothing to do with anyone cheating. I don’t talk about Olivia. Not only is it not fair to Lincoln, but to Olivia either. I don’t trash-talk the mother of my son. I am better than that. But if you had asked, I would have told you the truth.”

My face continues to throb. “Did you ever think to ask me about Olivia? Is this really what you think of me, after all of these years of being friends? Or is this a new thing since Tabitha told such sordid lies about me tonight? You made unjustified assumptions about me based on Tabitha’s revenge scheme. You played right into her hands. Look at us fighting! You know me.” I gesture to the space between us.

“When you drove home after our rounds of golf, did you laugh all the way home ’cause you were going with my daughter behind my back? I hate you,” he growls as Hunter and Fraser continue to hold him back as he scrambles about like a ravenous dog.

He’s not listening to me.

“Enough!” Holding her own, Eva stands between us.