Acts of Mercy: A Stepbrother Romance (Men of WRATH Book 5)

I felt his gaze during the entire ceremony, but I didn’t dare look. The threat of bursting into flames from the heat alone kept me staring at the back of Bella’s head, praying their vows to be over with as soon as possible.

Maybe that makes me a shit friend, but I think it would have been so much worse if I’d melted into a giant pile of need right in front of their wedding guests.

With every look, every touch, my resolve to not question him about our parking lot encounter dissolves. My pride has kept me quiet, not wanting to stir the pot. Especially now that our parents are here. But damn, I want answers.

Hudson can’t rock my world one minute and then completely ignore me the next. It isn’t right. I’m not some rag doll he can use as he pleases and then discard me when he has better things to do.

My stomach churns. The thought of Hudson with another woman makes me want to hurl.

Stepping out of the bathroom stall after dry heaving my heart out, I head toward the mirror. My face is pale and clammy, not exactly the look I’m going for.

“Everything okay?” Ashley comes up behind me, her brows pushed together.

“Yes. Must’ve been something I ate this morning.” Bullshit. I didn’t eat breakfast, but I can’t very well confess to her what’s really bothering me.

Ashley looks at me dubiously, all while handing me a wet paper towel. “Here, put this behind your neck. It might help settle you.”

Just then a tall blond walks into the restroom, eyeing us both as if we were diseased. “Ashley.” She spits out my friend’s name as if it were vile. “And….” Her eyes rake over me, seemingly unimpressed.

Ashley rolls her eyes. “Hello, Julie. I’m surprised you made it onto the invite list.” Ashley reaches out, grabbing my hand and squeezing. “This is Alyssa, she’s staying with Hudson.”

Why didn’t Ashley mention Hudson is my stepbrother? My eyes narrow, flicking back and forth between the two women. “I’m sorry, I feel at a disadvantage here. How do y’all know each other?”

The blond laughs as if I’d said the funniest thing. “I’m Julie. Hudson’s ex-fiancé. Of course, he must’ve mentioned me at some point.”

“No. He hasn’t.” The little contents in my stomach threaten to come up and splatter all over her skintight red dress.

Julie reaches out and pats my shoulder like I’m a dog. “Awe. Well, that’s probably because he didn’t want to scare off his new pet. Try as he might, he’d never be able to replace me.” She steps up to the mirror, opening up her clutch and reapplying some of her deep red lipstick.

I’m standing there dumbfounded when Ashley speaks up again. “Wrong. Hudson didn’t mention you because you’re nothing but a lying sack of shit, unworthy of remembering.”

With Ashley’s words, Julie snaps her clutch shut and whirls around, slowly prowling toward us. “Careful, Ashley. Such nasty words out of such a pretty mouth might make Titus think twice about taking up Cindy on her offer.” She giggles, smoothing down her dress before heading to the door. “Or maybe he already has. All those late night messages he’s been getting couldn’t all be innocent, could they?”

Ashley glares at the door long after the bitch has walked through it, leaving us in the wake of her verbal assault.

I grab Ashley’s shoulders and squeeze. Her face is beet red and she’s visibly shaking. “Breathe. It looks like you’re about to pass out.”

“That fucking bitch!” She screeches.

“What’s the story there? How come I’d never heard of her before, and who’s Cindy?”

Her eyes shift nervously between mine. “Cindy is one of Titus’ old flings and Ren’s recent client. She’s the job he had up in Oklahoma.”

“Oh.” My stomach—which was already having issues—lurches, my hand flying up to my mouth.

“Stop. Stop those thoughts right now. Hudson wouldn’t do that to you, I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” She reaches her hand out, smoothing away the strands of hair that have fallen on my face. “The men of WRATH are many things, but unfaithful isn’t one of them.”

I bite my lip, worrying about how obvious we must be in our attraction to one another. It seems like everyone knows. Unable to kick the habit of self-preservation, I lie. “Oh, there’s nothing going on between us.”

Ashley arches a brow. “Hun, stop. There’s no need to feed me that crap. Maybe to your parents, but never to your friends. Remember. No secrets and no judgment.”

I let out a long breath, her words bringing me some much needed comfort. “Okay, so there might be some attraction, but we’re not officially together. So technically, if he did do something with Cindy, then it wouldn’t be cheating.”

A sadness washes over me, but it’s quickly doused with Ashley’s next words. “Sweetie, once a man of WRATH looks at a woman the way Hudson does you, he’s as good as spoken for. Trust me, we’ve seen them all fall, and Hudson is the last to go.” She smirks, basically admitting to me what we’ve all known for a while. She and Titus are a thing.

“Okay. Good to know.” I nod, giving her a small smile. “But then, who is Julie? Why did Hudson and her break things off?”

Oh god. Did he break things off, or did she? I thought Hudson was a manwhore, but the fact that he’s had a fiancé proves that he’s capable of more.

Ashley looks at me with pity in her eyes. “That’s not my story to tell. Maybe Hudson can explain it all to you sometime. All that matters right now is celebrating Bella’s special day and making sure that bitch out there doesn’t mess it up with her drama.” She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door. “I mean, what kind of bridesmaids would we be if we didn’t find the trash and take it out? Seems like we need to get security in on it and let them show her the door.”

A wicked smile spreads across her perfectly painted lips, and I nod. “Yes. I’d love nothing more than to take out the trash.”

Hudson

My eyes rove over the crowd, but I don’t see her anywhere. I knew I shouldn’t have let Titus talk me into that extra round of drinks. Doing so cost me dropping my guard and it’s not exactly like I can ask the team where she is without looking like some obsessed lovesick puppy.

Something I’m not even ready to admit myself.

I’m heading back to our table when a blond cuts me off, making me stop in my tracks.

“Hudson, you look as handsome as ever.” Her slender hand reaches for me, running up my lapel.

Grabbing her wrist, I shake the offending hand off and glare. “What are you doing here, Julie? I know neither William nor Bella would’ve placed you on the guest list.”

“Hudson, there you are,” Ashley breathes out quickly as if she’d just finished sprinting, a confused Alyssa trailing behind her. “I was just coming to warn you about some trash that needed taking out.” Her eyes flick over to my ex and there’s no question what trash she’s referring to.

“Thank you, Ashley.” My eyes narrow, dropping back to the offender. “So, how did you get in, Julie?”

She shifts in her heels, “I—I’m Cindy’s plus one.” Licking her pouty lips. She tries for an innocent doe eyed effect, but that shit stopped working on me the day I caught her in a lie two years ago. “Cindy got the invite along with her dad, since you know… he’s one of your biggest clients.”

I run a hand over my face, kicking myself in the ass for not telling William about Cindy sooner. I should’ve known that the crazy party girl was friends with my psycho ex. “Okay, that still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here. You aren’t part of our circle anymore, so what the fuck possessed you to show up to my best friend’s wedding?”

Out of the corner of my eye I see Alyssa gripping onto Ashley’s arm, like she’s hanging on to it for dear life. Something in my heart cracks and before thinking I’m reaching out and pulling her to me, cocooning her under my arm.

Julie looks between Alyssa and me, her eyes going glassy, and it takes everything in me not to call her on her fake-ass crocodile tears. “Answer me, Julie. Why. Are. You. Here?”

“Cindy told me how you ignored her advances, and I thought… since nobody could resist Cindy,” Ashley snorts, clearly disagreeing with Julie’s sentiment, “that maybe, you were still hung up on me. And that we had a chance.”

She takes a step back, stumbling in her heels before righting herself. “But I see it wasn’t me that was on your mind. I wasn’t the reason you refused Cindy. She was.” Julie points at Alyssa as if she’s outing a witch during the Salem trials. “Tell me, Hudson. How old is she? She doesn’t even look legal.”

I flinch, her low blow hitting its intended target.

The last person I’d ever expect to break into this bubble of drama appears, as if riding in with the cavalry, Titus and Ren right behind him.
My father’s booming voice has Julie swirling around to face him and practically face planting into the ground. “I suggest you leave now, or we’ll have you removed. Those are my children you’re harassing and I’m not above calling your father to let him know of your actions.”

This makes Julie’s face go pale. She’s a trust fund baby, through and through. Her father manages my dad’s portfolio and if he knew she was making one of his favorite clients unhappy… let’s just say that his cutting her off financially wouldn’t come as a surprise.

Julie’s tone changes from villainous to sugary sweet in a matter of seconds. “Oh, no sir. That won’t be necessary. I was trying to surprise your son. Thought maybe we could rekindle our flame… like old times.”

“Clearly, that’s not happening. I suggest you leave. Immediately.” Titus crosses his arms over his chest, looking down at Julie with disgust. “We haven’t forgotten what you’ve done. And we definitely haven’t forgiven you.”

With a small nod, Julie turns to leave. But not before glancing back at me and Alyssa. Her eyes lingering on where my hand is positioned, inappropriately close to Alyssa’s ass.

As soon as she’s out of sight, my shoulders drop and my back loses its tension. But it’s a moment too soon, because the next thing I hear is something that has my hand dropping and my jaw clenching.

“I’d drop my hand if I were you. You wouldn’t want the guest to think you’re a sister fucker.” My dad checks my shoulder with his, whispering his warning. “We’re talking later.”

But I’ll be damned if I let later come. I’m in no way shape or form ready to talk to my dad about Alyssa. Hell, I don’t even know what’s going on with Alyssa, so how can I convey anything to a crotchety old man who thinks he has things all figured out.

Ignoring him and his warning, I leave everyone behind and walk toward the bar.

I need another whiskey STAT.