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Peyton sent me another long look, and Nolo’s brows lowered as he considered the two of us. “What… What’s going on here?”
But Peyton just shook her head and took a few more steps back. “I’m sorry,” is all she said, before she turned and disappeared upstairs.
I bit the inside of my cheek as she walked away, trying like hell not to watch the swing of her hips as she climbed the stairs. This was the most un-fucking-comfortable situation I’d ever been in. I felt like a piece of shit. I was the worst father on the fucking planet.
Nolan stared at me for a long, long moment after she left, and all I could do was stare back, unsure what his expression meant. But then his shoulders sagged, and he ran a hand over his face.
“Thank you for keeping her safe,” he finally murmured, looking away from me.
“Of course,” I replied, just as quietly. Tell him, I thought firmly, tell him now and get it fucking over with.
But my lips remained stubbornly sealed.
“I should go.” He turned away, and I took an involuntary step towards him.
“Wait.” Tell him, tell him, tell him. “I… Do you want some pizza? I hear it’s chewy but delicious.” Fuck you, Rocky, you coward.
“Nah, I think I’ll head home. See you soon, Dad.”
The door clicked shut behind him, and I collapsed onto the couch.
“I am a piece of shit,” I said to myself.
I should have told him. Better yet, I should take Peyton to the clubhouse, let her stay there with around the clock protection from the MC. It would remove the intimacy and the proximity and the temptation that made it impossible to stay away from her.
I should, but I was too selfish, and I wanted her too badly.
Chapter 14
Peyton
Being stuck inside without a job or a class to focus on was pure hell. I was pretty sure that I was starting to lose my mind. There was only so much cooking and cleaning and masturbating a girl could do in a day without going a little cuckoo, and I was pretty sure I was about two steps before that point.
Case in point, I took my time to put together the world’s most beautiful deli sandwich with thinly sliced tomatoes, pickles, mayo, and even alfalfa sprouts. It was a thing of beauty and I demolished it in about sixty seconds flat.
Part of me wished that Rocky was here because at least the tension would give me something else to focus on, but I refused to intrude on his life any further. He was doing me a huge favor, basically saving my life, so I would just deal with my boredom the old-fashioned way, by watching too much television.
I dropped down on the sofa with my legs curled under my body when I heard the sound of a key turning in the door. Even though I assumed it was Rocky, I froze and unfolded my legs, sitting up straight. On alert. The door opened slowly and in stepped an unexpected sight.
“Nolan. What are you doing here?”
“I stopped by hoping we could talk.”
I bit my lip, and wished desperately for an escape. “What is there to talk about?”
“Us.” The word came out with a hint of duh, as if I should have guessed.
“There is no us, Nolan.” I said slowly. “We’re friends, and that’s all we are ever going to be. I thought we cleared this up already.” I was really trying not to be that girl who flipped out and accused a nice guy of being a jerk, but it’s like he wasn’t listening to me, and it was starting to get to me. How many times could I say the same thing without snapping and being a bitch? I didn’t want that.
He was wearing his favorite dark green hoodie, his backpack slung over one shoulder, and he hesitated as he came to a stop before me, on hand gripping at his strap. “You never gave me a chance.”
I sighed and ran both hands through my hair, probably sending my curls flying crazily in all directions. “Sit down, Nolan, because I’m about to start screaming, I swear to god.”
He frowned and slung off his backpack, dropping it to the floor, but before he could sit beside me, I pointed him to the second couch. “Over there, thank you.”
“I’m not going to bite you, Jesus.” He threw himself down on the single seater, staring at me in this way that made guilt tear all through me again. “What did I do so wrong?”
“Nothing, Nolan, I just…”
