Valorous(49)

“I’m out,” Emmett says, folding.

Jasper tosses his cards on the table. “Me, too.”

Kristian follows suit. “Me, three.”

It’s down to Hayden and me. I glare at him, letting my fury drive my desire to not only beat him at poker but to have it out with him before this night is over. He studies his cards for a long time before he drops them on the table. “Fold.”

“Seriously?” Though he’s handed me an easy victory, it’s all I can do not to leap across the table and go for his throat.

He shrugs. “My heart’s not in it.” Then, in a low tone, he says, “What the f*ck are you doing, Flynn?”

“What am I doing? I thought I was playing poker.”

“You know what I’m talking about. You’re getting married? To a girl you met two weeks ago? Who knows nothing about your true lifestyle?”

“Shut the f*ck up, Hayden. It’s none of your f*cking business what I do.”

“Oh, is that how it is now? I see.”

“You don’t see anything.”

“I see you about to make a massive mistake, and you don’t want to hear it from anyone.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” It’s all I can do to remain in my seat and not act on my earlier urge to jump over the table and beat the shit out of him.

Emmett clears his throat.

“You got something to say?” I ask him.

“Just wondering… And don’t get pissed at me, too… But have you considered a prenup?”

“No, I have not considered a prenup. I love her. She loves me. This isn’t about money.”

“Flynn…” The single word from Jasper is full of something I don’t want to hear.

“You’re really prepared to give her half of what you’ve worked so hard for when this goes bad?” Hayden asks.

“When it goes bad? Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. I really appreciate it.”

“You know he’s only looking out for you,” Kristian says quietly. “All of us are.”

“I don’t need him to look out for me. I don’t need any of you to do that. I guess it was too much to hope for a little support from my closest friends.”

“That’s incredibly unfair,” Hayden says. “We’ve always got your back. You know that. But when you turn your back on everything you are and everything you believe in for a woman, you’ll have to pardon us if we call foul on that.”

“I haven’t done that,” I say, even if Hayden’s words score a direct hit to my deepest worries where Natalie and I are concerned.

“Have you told her about Club Quantum?” Hayden asks.

I glance toward the house, where I can see Natalie with Marlowe, Addie and Ellie. “No need to. I’m quitting the club.”

The announcement is met with dead silence.

“I gotta go,” Hayden says as he gets up from the table.

“You’ve been drinking, dude,” Kristian says. “You should crash here.”

“I’m not crashing here.”

“Then come to my place, but don’t drive back to town.”

“Fine, but I want to go. Now. Oh, and Flynn, any time you want to come back to work, I could sure use some help on that film we’re supposed to be finishing.”

“Next week,” I reply tersely.

“Great.”

Jasper stands. “I drove Kris, so I guess I’m going, too. Good time tonight, everyone. Flynn, congratulations. I’m happy for you both.”

“Thanks.”

Hayden heads into the house without another word to me.

The three of them take their leave, but Emmett remains. The dustup with Hayden has left me unsettled, not that I’m entirely surprised by his reaction. He’s been wary of my relationship with Natalie since the first minute I met her.

“You know he’s just looking out for you,” Emmett says after a long silence.

“I wish he was a little less concerned.”

“Unfortunately, we all remember the aftermath of your divorce a little too well.”

“This is different, Emmett. I already love Natalie more than I ever loved Val. It’s nothing like that.”

“Nothing?” Emmett asks, his brow raised in query. “The thing that caused you problems with Val is not something you can turn on and off like a switch. It’s who you are. Who we are. You’ve tried to live outside the lifestyle before with disastrous results for you and for Val. None of us want to see you there again.”