Oh fuck.Fuck, fuck, fuck.
He rises to his full height, which is just an inch shorter than my own. Standing here now? With his features pulled tight and his eyes dark? Well, I certainly don’t feel like the bigger man at all. I feel weak and sick, and like I know exactly what’s coming next.
“What the fuck is Vanessa doing calling you?” he asks through clenched teeth.
There are a few guys left behind, including Lawson, Hayes, Fox, and Keller. I glance at them quickly, and all their eyes are trained on us. To my surprise, Keller doesn’t have a smirk on his face. He looks genuinely concerned as his eyes bounce between me and the captain.
“Who?”
It’s the wrong thing to say. I know it the second I say it. I don’t even know why I bothered trying. We know exactly who he’s talking about.
“Don’t fuck with me right now,Whitlocke.” He says my name like it’s a dirty word. He holds my phone up. “Why the fuck is she calling you?”
I could lie. I could come up with a simple reason, like maybe we exchanged numbers because I was helping her with something, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t bring myself to lie anymore.
“Is there something going on between you?” he asks.
I nod, and someone gasps. I assume it’s Lawson.
I ignore him, staring right at Hutch. “She lives with me.”
His eyes widen. “What the?—”
I hold my hand up to stop him. “There’s more.”
“More?” he sneers. “What fuckingmorecould there possibly be?”
His voice is cold now, lifeless, and it nearly sends a shiver down my spine.
“She lives with me,” I repeat. “She’sbeenliving with me. She moved out of your place and into mine.”
“What the actual fuck?” He gnashes his teeth. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything? You’ve even fucking asked about her!”
I sigh. “I know. I know I have. I just… Fuck, man. I didn’t exactly know how to tell you.”
“What? That you’re roommates?”
“That I’m in love with her.”
Another gasp, but I don’t dare look away from Hutch. How could I when I know he’s two seconds away from swinging on me? I’d deserve it too. Every damn hit.
But he doesn’t. In fact, he doesn’t move at all, and I think maybe…maybe it’ll all be okay.
Then he moves so fucking quick I barely have time to react before an arm is against my throat and I’m slammed against a wall several feet behind me. My head snaps back against it, and it fucking smarts like hell, but I don’t dare try to push him away. He’s absolutely entitled to this reaction right now. I’ve been lying to him for months. I would be pissed too if I were in his position.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” His nose is inches away from mine, his eyes darker than I’ve ever seen.
“I said I love her, Reed.”
His eyes widen at the use of his first name. He’s always been Hutchinson, Hutch, and occasionally Hutchy. Never Reed, not with me. But this is serious, and I need him to know that.
“How could you possibly love her? You’rejustroommates, right? Fuckingright?”
I swallow as best I can with his arm still pressed against my windpipe.
I shake my head. “No. We aren’t.”
Yet another gasp.
