Viper (Fallen Angel #2)(69)

“I’ve told you before not to fucking talk to me like that,” I said, keeping my tone down to a low simmer so we wouldn’t attract any attention—in case I did decide to give him an impromptu nose job. “And you sure as fuck don’t need to speak to Halo with anything other than a ‘yes, sir,’ ‘no, sir,’ you feel me?”

I expected Brian’s eyes to turn to slits and for him to mouth off the way he usually did. Instead, he crossed his arms and said, “What? Don’t like the way I talk to your boyfriend?”

My face must’ve momentarily betrayed my surprise, because a smug smirk curled his lips.

“You think I don’t know? I’ve seen you mooning the fuck over him all night.”

“You’ve seen shit.”

“Please. You haven’t stopped watching him since you got here, and then you went and cornered him? What’d the kid do, turn you down and now your dick can’t get over it?”

I growled and lunged at him, but Brian quickly jumped back a couple of steps, out of my reach and closer to the party.

“Whatever problem you have with me, leave Halo out of this,” I said, teeth clenched.

“See, but that’s the problem. You are the one dragging Halo down to your level. He doesn’t need to be down with the likes of you—he needs to be out in the spotlight with a fucking supermodel.”

Damn. That was it. That was fucking it.

I grabbed hold of his suit jacket and jerked him forward. “I warned you what would happen if you kept this shit up.”

“What are you gonna do? Fire me?” He let out a strangled laugh. “You can’t do that. You wouldn’t be enjoying any of this”—he gestured behind him toward the party—“without me.”

“I couldn’t give two shits about what you think you’ve done or how long you’ve been with us. You’re a fucking cunt, and if I have to look at your bitch-ass face for one more motherfucking second, I’ll be tempted to rearrange it so you talk out of your asshole for the rest of your goddamn life.”

Brian’s eyes had gone so wide that I was shocked they didn’t fall out onto his Gucci shoes. But it wasn’t until I raised my arm, my fist balled tight, that fear entered his eyes.

“Wait, wait,” he cried out, and I held my arm where it was. “I’m sorry.”

“Damn right you are. You’re a sorry sack of shit that’s been a stain on our name for far too long. We’re done. You’re done. And you’ll be lucky if you ever work in this business again—in the mailroom. Now, you can choose to leave quietly in the next five seconds, or I’ll gladly have security toss your ass out. Do we understand each other?”

I punctuated my words by shoving him away so hard that he stumbled and fell back onto his ass. That slicked-back hair fell into his face, which had turned ten shades of crimson, and as I stepped past him, I said, “Oh, and Brian?”

I waited until his eyes met mine again, and then I gave him a savage smile.

“In case it’s not crystal fucking clear—you’re fired.”

Brian scampered off like the cockroach he was, and as he disappeared from sight, he took with him the anger he’d ignited and left me with the original thoughts that had prompted me into the hallway, find the angel and talk to him—but Halo, of course, had vanished in the sea of people and was now nowhere to be found.

Christ. I’d known getting Halo to talk to me tonight would be an uphill battle, just as I’d known he would slam the door in my face if I dared set foot in front of his apartment after the way things ended on his rooftop. But when I followed him into the hallway and finally got my moment alone with him, I’d frozen, lost all my words, because Halo had looked at me with those gorgeous eyes of his, and I’d seen all of the pain and sorrow I felt reflected right back at me.

I’d really messed this thing up. No, not this thing—us. I’d really messed us up, and after copious amounts of alcohol, and four never-ending nights in an empty bed, I’d realized I had fucked up the best thing I’d ever had.

Not getting anywhere standing in an empty hallway, I shoved a hand through my hair and told myself to stop being the coward Halo had called me and go and find him. Find him and tell him what you came here to tell him, or you might as well kiss him goodbye.

I re-entered the party with about as much glee as someone at a funeral, and as I scanned the crowds of people, I couldn’t see Halo anywhere. I wouldn’t have been shocked to hear he had left, fled the scene so he wouldn’t have to see me again. But I also knew how much this moment meant to the angel, and remembered his fierce stance on not quitting just because we no longer were.

“Looking for someone?” At the sound of Killian’s voice, I turned to see him staring out in the same direction I was, and took in his styled hair, navy-blue suit, and the smug smirk on his mouth.

“Pretty sure you know who I’m looking for.”

“Hmm,” Killian said as he slipped his hands into his pockets and then finally looked in my direction. “Is he blond? About our height? Has a killer voice and the ability to make you fucking stupid?”

Ignoring him, I turned back to the people drinking, dancing, and mingling all around us, hoping Killian would get a clue—he didn’t.

“Whatcha been up to this week?” he asked. “Haven’t heard a peep out of you since you took Halo home to meet your mom.”