I loved him.
He was so different from Ren, but I liked that they lacked similarities. They’d both brought something unique to our relationship, and I’d thrived on their attention and care.
Until Ren ruined everything.
My smile dropped as I cursed him under my breath. The anger returned, a fire in the pit of my stomach. Was it all an act? Sounded like it.
My phone buzzed on the bed, and I picked it up again, staring at Ren’s name. No. I wasn’t going to do this with him. There would be no forgiveness. Not yet. Did I miss him? Hell yeah. He completed us, but he’d also fucking hurt us. Oli trusted him,Itrusted him, and he’d betrayed us.
He didn’t deserve anything.
“Is that Ren?” Oli asked in a small voice, turning to look at me once he had his boxers on. “He’s been calling me nonstop.”
“Me too,” I admitted. I scrubbed my face with a palm.
“Should we hear what he has to say?” Oli came over to the bed, and I opened my arms, letting him slip into them. He layagainst my chest, cheek pressed to my pec. He was warm from his shower and his weight was comforting.
“Why?” I stared up at the ceiling, ignoring my phone as it vibrated again. “For him to tell us more lies? That’s what he’s been doing the entire time.”
“I know.” His breath fluttered across my bare skin, tickling my nipples and making them pebble. Goose bumps rose over my chest. “I miss him already.”
“Me too.” It was hard to admit, but I wouldn’t let any deception linger between us. Ren had lied enough for all of us. “But we can’t forgive him. He was going to try to destroy Barber’s life by using us. He doesn’t deserve anything from us.”
The stupid thing was that Iwantedhim back. How ridiculous was I? He’d hurt us, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about him. About all three of us together.
“I know.” Sadness was heavy in Oli’s tone as he curled in on himself against my chest. He stroked a finger between my pecs, and the sensation sent a wave of calm through me. The tension in my shoulders eased and I leaned my cheek against his curls, breathing in the scent of my soap on him.
“It was better to learn about him now than later.”
Oli made a sound in the back of his throat. Was it amusement or pain? “It’s still too late. I’m in love with him, like I’m in love with you.”
I sucked in a breath because I loved him, too, which sucked donkey balls. How the fuck did this happen so fast? I fell off a cliff and straight in love with Ren and Oli. I didn’t believe in theat first sightshit, but the falling had happened faster than was healthy. We fit so perfectly that our relationship had been a dream. Now I was waking up in a nightmare when it came to Ren. Oli? Not so much. But he was hurting, and I had to be strong for him.
As if Ren read our minds, Oli’s phone started buzzing where he’d left it on the nightstand. He grabbed the phone and scowled at it, dark eyebrows furrowed in thought. I took it from him gently, and he watched me as I denied the call, then went into Ren’s contact info, blocking him.
“What are you doing?” he whispered, bottom lip shaking.
“Removing the problem.” I blocked Ren on my phone, too, before I passed Oli’s back. “If we’re both in love with him and he keeps calling, one of us will give in. He doesn’t deserve that. If he wants our forgiveness, he needs to work for it. He needs to come here and tell us why he deserves it.” I shook my head and gently dragged Oli against my chest again. “He hurt us both and he has to earn our trust.”
He cuddled closer, burying his face against my armpit. He breathed me in, then sighed. “Is it wrong that a part of me hopes he comes to beg on his knees?”
“No,” I whispered, holding him tighter. “Because I want the same thing.”
Did that make us fools? Probably.
24
REN
Regret was the double-edged serrated blade slicing through my chest into my heart. There was no escape from my punishment. I’d hurt KC and Oli, and now the agony of their loss was my penance. If I was a religious man, I would’ve prayed for forgiveness, but the only two people who could offer solace were probably on Vert Island at KC’s house. Which meant that was where I needed to be.
KC lived in a white contemporary home with sharp edges and a bright green lawn. The sight of it wasn’t anything new because I’d lived around money my entire life, but it was nice. How could KC’s dad afford a place like this? Quain Beaumont was a hairstylist, and while he owned a couple of salons, I didn’t expect him to do well enough to own property on Vert Island.
I parked at the end of the driveway, part of me convinced I would need to make a quick escape, even though I hoped that wasn’t true. I hopped out and approached the house.
Maybe Quain came from money? I didn’t like the gap in my info.
I took a deep breath before my knuckles met the wood of the front door, fear and guilt clawing at my stomach and chest until I thought I’d hurl.
