AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Just leave it alone, Mack,” I snap, narrowing my eyes.
I’m not in the mood for his smartass comments today.
“Hey, I’m just trying to help you, big bro,” he says. “You do know she’s playing you, right?”
“No, I’m the one playing her,” I sigh.
So much for not going into this with him.
Maybe getting it out of my head will help me to figure out a solution.
“Well, I was. Until I triggered some kind of psychotic break and now she’s...” I shake my head and sigh. “Don’t worry about it, Mack. I appreciate your help, but I’m handling it.”
“You think you’re handling it?” Mack chuckles, his eyes sparkling. “If this is handling it, then you’re stuffed. But, lucky for you, I’m here to help.” He pats me on the back. “Have I ever led you astray before?”
“Are you kidding me?” I grumble.
“Fine, but this time, I want to help you.”
“Mack, just go away,” I sigh. “I’m sorry, but I need to think, and I can’t do it with you here.”
“Scoot over,” he demands, squeezing onto the couch next to me.
I groan and give up, moving over on the couch. I know Mack well enough to know he’s not going to leave me alone until I listen to whatever the hell he has to say to me.
“You’re so lucky to have me on your side,” he chuckles as he flicks through his phone, then he hands it to me.
“What’s this?” I ask suspiciously.
I’m staring at what looks like a video of Darcy and her friend, sitting on Darcy’s bed.
“Mack,” I say slowly. “Why do you have a video of Darcy and her friend on your phone?”
“Because I thought their little chat might progress to a naked pillow fight, and I didn’t want to miss it.” He explains it with a shrug, like it’s the most natural assumption in the world to come to. “What?” he frowns, when I shake my head at him.
“Nothing,” I groan. I rub my forehead and suppress a laugh. “I feel like I should be talking to you about respecting people’s boundaries.”
I stare at his phone, deep in thought. I’m still trying to work out what to do about Darcy and I’m almost afraid what this video is going to show me. Frustrated, Mack leans over and presses play.
“And you’re going to be leading some company into the future?” he mumbles, shaking his head. “Into the ground is more likely, I think. By the way, are you ever starting that damn job?”
Normally, I’d whack him for a comment like that, but I’m too distracted by what Darcy is saying to her friend to really care about Mack.
“I’m going to make Cameron Hunter believe that I’ve fallen head over heels, fatal attraction, I want to bathe in his blood kind of love.”
I sit forward and start to laugh. I probably shouldn’t be finding it as funny as I am, but, fuck, this is hilarious. Mack frowns at me, his brow creasing in concern.
“Why are you laughing?” he asks. “Aren’t you angry at her? I’d be fuming if a chick humiliated me like that.”
I shrug. “Honestly? I’m kind of impressed—not to mention relieved as fuck that she’s not crazy.”
I hand Mack back his phone, then I get my own out of my pocket. I choose one of her thousand and fifty texts to reply to. I’m sure the annoyance will come later, but let’s be honest, I’m the one who started this in the first place.
Me: Hey, it’s me. Can you come over? I really need to talk to you about something.
“You know,” Mack says slowly, “It would be really easy to mess with her right now, because she doesn’t know that you know.”
His eyes shine as he stares at me. I smirk and lean over to mess his hair.
“Mack, my boy,” I say, winking at him. “I’m one step ahead of you.”
His eyes light up. “Really? Because I’d love to see you give it to her. All she does is talk to her friends about what a tool you are,” he confesses. “Like that chick, Sasha. She was telling her how stupid you are for believing she was in love with you. She said she could never love such a cockhead.”
“She said that?” I mutter. He nods.
I smile at my phone as her reply pings through.
Darcy: Sure. Is everything okay?
Me: Sure, everything’s fine.
She played me exceptionally well. There’s no denying that she’s good.
But too bad for her, I’m better.I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Cringing, I glance at my reflection in the mirror next to the door, just as the doorbell rings. Fuck, I’m really doing this? I shake my head, because it’s crazy. She’s never going to buy it. No way. But I’ve committed to it now, so I’m going to see this through.
She rings the doorbell again. I take a deep breath and reach for the handle, twisting it. Then I yank it open, my eyes locking on Darcy’s. My heart thumps in my chest as I watch her react. She frowns, confusion filling her eyes as they slowly move over my me. She narrows her eyes at me as she tries to make sense of this.
