26

**McKee POV:**

Drinking my sorrows away in a hole in a wall bar far, far away from prying eyes. I cannot come to terms that I lost the woman I love again. To John of all people. Why him? I must admit my pride took a hit. And to add insult to injury Abrams knows I am the better man for her but is respecting his daughter's wishes. A person sat next to me at the bar I look, and it is my father.

"I thought you would be here. I am guessing she told you about the engagement", he said.
"Yup, dad she mentioned it", I said taking another sip of my bourbon.
"Son, I know you are upset about it", he said ordering him a scotch neat.

"Upset is an understatement. I am hurt dad I love her and the fucked-up part about it is she loves me too. In fact, she is in love with me", I say fighting tears.
"Son, did she tell you that?", he asked sipping his scotch.
"Yes, she told me during the mission as well as today when she told me about the engagement", I say downing my bourbon.
"So, the rumors are true something did happen between you and her during the mission", dad said shaking his head.
"Yes, dad we made love every time we were alone in our room", I said as I ordered another double bourbon.
"Son, it will get better you know your mother and I had a similar story. She was married to someone else when I met her. Long story short she left him. And you were born nine months later”, he said with a smile.
"But John of all people dad. I know he was there for her when I left for college. And I didn't leave her on the best of terms. And on top of all of that, he will be my superior", I shook my head.
"No, he will not be your superior. You didn't hear this from me. But the council wants Bastet to sign a Matrimonial Regime", he said leaning onto me and whispering.
"WAIT!", I shouted forgetting I was in a bar.
"Yes, she agreed to the regime before John proposed to her. The only people that now are me, Abrams, Bastet, and now you", he said, and I looked at him as if he was lying to me.
"You are telling me Bastet agreed and John doesn't know?", I asked confused because if he didn't know that could be the reason why he asked her.
"She agreed because they told her she can marry whom she wants. And to my knowledge, John did not know before he asked Abrams for her hand. Now if he knows now, I am not sure, but I doubt it", he said.
"John will be my superior", I am so pissed off right now. Not only did I lose the woman I love to a lesser man, but that same lesser man will also be basically my boss.
"No, he won't, I asked the council to not demote you to third in command because our family has always been second in command for the association. And I used the fact that she agreed to sign the Matrimonial Regime as leverage to convince them to keep your position as is”, he said smiling with pride.

"Thanks, dad, I don't think I could stomach John being my superior. And the husband to the woman I love", I say as I order another drink.

We sit and talk about life in general. He informs me that it is tradition for me to be in the wedding. I for damn sure don't want to be anywhere near it let alone in it. But dad made it a point to point out to me that if I refused it would make me look like a sore loser. Because everyone in the association knows how I feel about Bas. I was so drunk my dad had to drive us home. He told me he took a cab here because he knew I would need someone to drive me. When we pulled up to the house I thought I was seeing shit Bas was sitting on the front step.

I have no idea why she is here but I am not happy to see her. I am drunk and I might say some shit I would regret later. I glanced over at him, and he just shrugged and smiled. I watch as he greeted her.

**Bastet POV:**

During the party, I felt uneasy because I know Jason is somewhere pissed off and hurt. I saw that he went to talk to my father. I never got the chance to ask my dad what they talked about. John looks happy I haven't told him about the Matrimonial Regime, yet I want to wait until we are married. John is fast asleep I know he heard me catch myself about to call him Jason. I feel like shit I am stuck between the two men I love. I got up and showered and made my way to Jason's house to talk to him. I just got my best friend back I don't want to leave him. On my way to Jason's house, I keep looking at my engagement ring.

A part of me wished Jason would have asked first. I once read a quote by Johnny Deep that made sense to me at the time, I read it which says," If you love two people at the same time, choose the second one, because if you really loved the first one you wouldn`t have fallen for the second." Now I am not sure about that.

Finally pulling up to the house I notice there were no cars in the driveway. I knock on the door no one answered. Feeling myself getting anxious so I sit down on the step. Minutes later headlights are coming up the driveway and I see Jason's car. When it stopped Jason's, dad get out he grinned when he was me and opened the passage door to get Jason out. I run over to help him.

"Bas, baby is that you?", Jason said slurring his words.
"Damn, Jason you are shit-faced", I said while helping him try to stand straight.
"Yeah, babe it was either I get shit-faced or kill that ass hole John", he said trying to kiss me.
"Bastet let's hurry and get him inside if he vomits. If he do, I just might drop him", his dad said while laughing.
As soon as we got him inside, Jason threw up on the floor. And his dad dropped them on the marble floor. When Jason hit the floor, he busted out laughing. I looked at his dad and he just shrugged his shoulder. Thank God he didn't fall on the vomit, his dad and I picked him up and walked him to his room. We placed him on his bed then I started to take off his shoes, then rolled him on his stomach.
"Bastet, can I talk to you for a minute?", his dad asked.
"Yes, sir", I said.
"Bastet my son is heartbroken. I am not sure if it is a good idea that you are here", he said.
"I know that's why I came here to check up on him since he was not at the celebration", I said worriedly.
"Do your fiancé know you are here?", he asked as he pinches the bridge of his nose.
"No, he does not", I said in a firm tone.
"Bastet, I love you like a daughter; I would have loved to have you as a daughter-in-law. But a love triangle is not good for the association. I plan to retire with your father. And that will leave you as commander. With Jason as your second, and your husband as your third. Do you really think your husband will take orders from the man who loves you? And knowing you love him back", he said rubbing the back of his neck.
"What Jason and I have.... had have nothing to do with the association", I said catching myself.
"Look, I know you love my son, and he loves you. Hell, everyone in the association knows you two love each other. That's why when the engagement was announced several people were shocked", damn I didn't think it was that obvious.
"I love Jason he is my best friend. It wasn't my intent to hurt him", I said looking down to the floor.
"I know and he does too. But you need to let him go if he is not what you want. Love can be a blessing or a curse the choice is for those who love. Goodnight", he said then left.

I go inside and surprisingly Jason is sitting up on the bed looking through his phone. I walk in he doesn't even acknowledge me. Sitting next to him I see he is looking through his pictures. The pictures he was looking at were those of me in his bed sleeping. He scrolls through the pictures of us as I watch we both laughed at the picture of me sitting on his shoulders. I can't believe he sobered up that quick.

"Why are you here Bas?", he asked softly.
"I came to check up on you", I say as I rub his arm.
"As you can see I am fine. Does your fiancé know you are here?", he says not even looking at me.
"He is not my concern right now. Jason, please tell me that you are okay", I say with a pleading tone.
"No Bas I am not okay. The woman I loved since I was sixteen is marrying someone who I can't stand. So, no I am not okay", he said looking at me.
"Jason, I never wanted to hurt you I am so sorry", I said holding back tears.
"I know, for tonight can we be the way we use to be before the sex. Just Jason and his best friend Bas and we will figure it all out another day", he said as he pulls me in his arms.
"Yes, I will like that", I say as he kissed my forehead.

Jason and I got undressed. I wore a pair of his boxers and a tank top to bed. He wore his normal boxers only. I got in on the side of his bed I use to sleep on. I watch as Jason comes into the room with two mugs of hot chocolate. God, I love him. Hot chocolate is our go-to when we are stressed out. After we drunk our hot chocolate, we went to sleep in each other's arms.