A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 354

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Frank swirled the amber liquid in his glass, the ice cubes clinking softly. "Does he seem like the type to do things on a whim?"

"…Not really, no." Bradley had to agree. For all his carefree appearances, Rowan always had a plan.

The alcohol was starting to take effect. Frank let out a bitter laugh. "And here we were, trusting him all this time, asking him to look out for little Elissa."

He'd looked out for her, all right. Straight into his own bed. Frank thought back to all the times he'd asked Rowan for help winning Elissa over and felt like a complete fool. He had treated Rowan like a brother, and Rowan had played him for an idiot.

Bradley didn't immediately respond. He refilled Frank's glass before offering a more balanced perspective. "If you ask me, Rowan didn't really do anything wrong. You and little Elissa were officially divorced. She was a free woman."

Who Elissa dated, or who wanted to pursue her, was no longer Frank's business.

Hearing this, Frank threw his head back and drained his glass, slamming it down on the table. "Anyone could have pursued her, anyone but Rowan! He's my friend! I trusted him so much…"

"Frank," Bradley couldn't hold back any longer, "did you care what Rowan thought when you had Marcia on your mind but insisted on marrying little Elissa anyway?"

"Rowan was a good friend to you back then."

In the beginning, their whole group had gotten along well. It was only after Frank started getting closer to Elissa, despite being in love with someone else, that Rowan had grown cold. Bradley had always thought Frank was out of line for that. You don't mess with the one person your best friend treasures above all else. Who could stand for that?

Frank froze, then downed several more glasses of liquor. "So you're saying I wronged both of them?"

"You want the truth?" Bradley considered himself closer to Frank, but he couldn't deny it. "Rowan used to be good to you, and little Elissa was always good to you, right? She was sweet, obedient, and always tried to make you look good. We don't even have to talk about all the surprises she planned for holidays and birthdays. And you? Did you ever once show her any respect?"