Crossing Lines

Chapter 63 - Hayden

"You have met my wife, right?" I ask with a raised brow.

"Yes, also, she's not your wife yet."

"That's just a technicality. What I'm saying is, does Mila strike you as the kind of woman who'd appreciate half-naked women dancing around me?"

"Well, no, but..."

"No buts. She doesn't want it, I don't want it—end of story."

"Way to ruin my fucking night, man..." Kill mutters, and as much as he irritates me, I laugh again, shaking my head as I take a seat on a highchair of the old rustic bar I chose for my bachelor party.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't your night, Kill. Get your shit together, dude," Abe exclaims, eliciting an eye roll from my best friend.

Even though Kill seems to miss the understanding of marriage and what it means to a happy couple, we do end up having a great time. I can't deny it's been a while since we've been out like that, and I really miss my best friend.

Don't get me wrong, Mila is all I ever wanted, but Kilian's been there from the very start. We supported each other through the shittiest of times, and I'll forever be grateful for that.

"Dude, how long do you think it'll take him?" Kill points at Abe, who's shamelessly trying to hit on a redhead by the bar. I shake my head with a laugh in response, taking a sip of my beer.

"Tough question. I don't think he'll make it. Look at her, she's classy. Wouldn't be surprised if he got himself slapped in the face tonight, honestly," I retort, watching the interaction with interest.

"It's the fucking redheads, I'm telling you. They're annoying as fuck," Kill says with a sigh.

I turn to look at him, narrowing my eyes before I ask, "Since when do you care if they're annoying? I thought that didn't get to you?"

He might even be right about that, considering how many of them he brings home on a regular basis. Kill prides himself on being able to deal with any kind of woman. "Yeah, well, some of them just fuck with you," he mutters, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Okay, what the fuck am I missing here?" I ask, knowing there's something going on he isn't telling me.

He sighs in response, shaking his head before he answers. "Nothing, nothing. I just don't know, man. Sometimes it's too easy."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" I can't help but laugh. "Too easy? Dude, if it's too easy, you're definitely chasing the wrong woman."

He turns to me, narrowed eyes studying me with interest. "Isn't it supposed to be easy? A relationship? You know I don't get that shit, man. I have no idea how it works."

His admission makes me smile. Kilian hasn't had it easy, as much as one might think otherwise because of his cocky behavior. But I'm glad he's even contemplating that direction in life. All I want is for him to be happy. "The chasing isn't supposed to be easy. Believe me, if the woman is worth having, you'll fight for her. She won't just jump you like most of them do when they see you."

"Dude, that sounds like so much work. Are you fighting for Mila still?" he asks, and I have to stifle a laugh now. It's easy to forget just how little he knows about this stuff.

"Well, yes, and no. I'll forever fight for her if I need to. But I don't have to. Relationships are work, yes, but with the right person, that work doesn't feel like work at all; it feels like accomplishment and pride. You know as well as I do that Mila and I are unconventional—it was work getting us to where we are, but it didn't feel like it. Because we love each other."