Chapter 4

One look from Wayne Fox, and everyone at the table swallowed their gasps.

The cold wine ran down my cheek and into my collar, soaking the front of my shirt.

He leaned close to my ear, his voice low enough that only I could hear.

"Feel like making a bet with me?"

I didn't look away.

"Bet on what?"

He picked up a fresh glass and swirled the deep red liquid inside.

"On who Katherine goes to first when she gets here."

"My money's on me."

The moment the words left his mouth, he splashed the wine in his own face.

Then his leg buckled and he dropped to the floor.

"Adrian Swanson, what are you doing?"

Every pair of eyes swung to us.

Katherine Gilbert followed the sound and came striding over.

She pushed through the crowd without sparing me a glance.

She stripped off her coat and draped it over Wayne, bracing his arm to help him up.

"What happened?"

Two clean tracks of tears slid down Wayne's face, and in his hand he clutched a jade pendant snapped into two pieces.

"I only came over to make a little bet with Adrian. He didn't say a word, just threw wine in my face and shoved me to the ground."

"Katherine, what do I do, this was the last thing my brother left me before he died…"

The disgust in Katherine's eyes was almost solid. Her hand came around hard and caught me full across the face.

"Apologize."

Blood welled at the corner of my mouth, and my head rang.

Wayne laid his hand on her arm again.

"He lost the bet. The one who loses has to finish all the drinks on the table."

"If Adrian can do it, I'll forgive him."

I looked where he pointed.

Ten glasses, lined up in a row.

Every one of them filled to the brim.

He'd planned this from the start.

Katherine pushed me forward.

"Drink."

She didn't ask what the bet was. She didn't ask why my clothes were soaked through with wine.

Wayne's words from before came back to me.

"You've already lost."

In this game, I never had a chance of winning.

I gave and gave until the end, and he lost his sister while I lost my wife.

My stomach cramped, spasm after spasm.

Someone started egging it on.

"Come on, drink up, don't ruin a happy day like this for everybody."

Wayne softened his voice.

"Maybe Adrian just can't stand that I took his spot."

Katherine's voice was cold as ice.

"You went too far today. One of these days I'm taking you to kneel at Evangeline Fox's grave and beg her forgiveness."

My shoulders sagged.

My fingers closed around the first glass.

The liquor hit my throat and burned all the way down, searing a path into my empty stomach.

Like needles driving in.

Second glass.

Third glass.

……

"He's not going to drink himself dead, is he?"

Katherine shot the man a glance, her fingers trembling faintly, but her voice didn't give an inch.

"Anything happens, it's on me."

When the last drop was gone, I set the glass down.

I picked up my bag and forced my way through the crowd.

My two suitcases stood in the corner by the door of the private room.

I hadn't planned on going back tonight.

As I pushed the door, I turned and looked back once.

They were all gathered around Katherine and Wayne, the whole scene as lively as if it were their own wedding banquet.

"Goodbye for good, Katherine."

The door swung slowly shut, cutting off, once and for all, the last look between us.