“Oh my,” Kate said faintly, her head whipping between the two of us. “You weren’t kidding when you said you’re identical.”
My twin gave her a lazy grin as he picked up her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. “I don’t know about that. I’ve always been the hotter one.”
I rolled my eyes internally. If Max was trying to piss me off, he’d have to choose a different avenue. My days of letting jealousy control me were long past.
“And this is Dominic,” Mum said proudly. “Max’s best friend.”
I pretended those words didn’t hurt. They shouldn’t have. As far as Mum was concerned, Max’s friend was all Dom had ever been.
There was no connection between the two of us in her mind. Which was fine. Grand, even. The fewer people who knew about us, the better.
Suddenly a different future flashed through my mind.One where Dominic was at my side. Where Mum was introducing us to others.“This is Dominic, Ryan’s fiancé.”
I shook the ridiculous thought from my head. Even if we’d stayed together, it wasn’t like we’d have ended up married. Dominic had never promised me forever.
“There’s no rush, Ryan. We’ve got forever.”
Okay. Let me rephrase that. He’d never promised me forever and meant it.
“Lovely to meet you,” Dom said, finally looking at Kate. His throat bobbed before he forced a smile. “You’re even more beautiful than the picture Ryan shared.”
Kate giggled. “My, aren’t you the charmer.”
The dead expression in Dom’s eyes was anything but charming. Thankfully, before he could say anything more, someone called Kate’s name.
“Excuse me,” she said, shooting me an apologetic look. “I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time,” Dom muttered under his breath. I glared at him, surprised to see Max doing the same from the corner of my eye.
“Oh, there’s Margie.” Mum waved at someone on the other side of the room. As always, she was oblivious to what was happening. “I’ll be right back too.”
Then it was just the three of us. Max and Dom shoulder to shoulder, and me facing them.
Alone.
“Thanks for not kicking us out,” Max said quietly. “I didn’t think we should come, but I was overruled.”
Dominic’s smirk told me exactly who’d overruled him.
My response was to wave coolly at the buffet. Getting the two of them far away from me sounded like a solid plan. “Help yourself to food. I’m going to?—”
Before I could come up with an excuse to leave, another man joined us. He was a few inches shorter thanme, and heavily muscled. Good-looking too, with an easy smile and shining green eyes. “Fuck, it was easier to get through Sangin than that crowd.”
Military, I guessed. Apparently it wasn’t enough for the two of them to gatecrash; they’d brought a friend too.
“Got you both a beer,” the stranger said, handing one each to Max and Dom before turning to me apologetically. “Sorry, mate, didn’t realise you needed a drink too.” He did a double take, eyes wide and jaw swinging. “Wait, am I tripping?”
Max chuckled. “Nah, Mimic. This is my twin, Ryan.”
Understanding dawned in Mimic’s eyes. “Ryan?”
There was something about the way he turned to Dom as he said it that had my skin prickling.
“Yes, Ryan,” Dominic said, throwing an arm around Mimic’s shoulders. “Max’s twin. I know we might’ve put you close to one too many explosions, but surely your hearing can’t be that bad.”
“My hearing’s fine, it’s just that…”
I didn’t hear the rest of his words. I couldn’t. They were drowned out by this odd rushing noise in my ears. One that had started as soon as Dom put his arm around this hot guy’s shoulders. That grew louder as he pulled him closer into his side.