Page 82 of Beni

“I know.”

“But I am also allowed to make my own decisions. And sometimes, that means doing things alone. Making decisions by myself. Especially when it is something as big and important as changing careers, or moving to an entirely new state away from the only family I really have. And no, you don’t get to be mad at me because I want to take the time to decide whether or not that is the right decision for me. It’s not about you, or us being friends since forever, okay? It’s about me, and what I need.”

Camilla snapped straight, the annoyance in her features drifting away. “I … know that.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Then, act like it!”

“August.”

Jesus.

The very last thing she wanted to do was fight with her best friend. The girl who had her back all through high school. The first person she told when she kissed a boy, and the night she lost her virginity. The woman who, without question, would be there for her at the drop of a hat simply because she said she needed her.

She didn’t want to fight with Camilla ever.

And yet, she couldn’t stay here like this, either. She sighed, the panicked need in her chest growing and thumping deeper in her bloodstream with each beat of her heart—the desire to go see Beni because he had been hurt taking over everything, including her desire to continue this conversation.

“I know, Cam,” she said. “You’re mad—because we always talk about everything. I know. And this time, I didn’t tell you. I just needed to make the decision alone, that’s all.”

“I’m sorry.”

Her friend was still mad, though.

August understood why.

“I’ll tell you what Alessa offered me, and what I’m thinking about it, later. Okay? Right now, I just really want to go see Beni.”

Camilla nodded quickly. “Yeah, sure. I understand.”

But did she?

God.

August hoped so.

“Oh, my God, look at you,” August whispered when Beni pulled open the apartment door. A massive bruise colored the side of his face right up to his temple. It continued into his hairline. Other than the discoloration and the obvious bump left on the side of his face from whatever hit him, the rest of his face was left untouched. “That looks like it hurts.”

“Apparently,” he drawled, “one hit was enough. Whoever it was just wanted to knock me out. Probably because they hadn’t been expecting me to be in there, or whatever.”

The guy posted at Beni’s apartment door—the enforcer Tommaso mentioned earlier—cleared his throat. “Didn’t think you would mind me letting her in.”

“Of course, not. Thanks.”

“Are you going to make me stand in the hallway, or …?”

Beni laughed tiredly, but shrugged as he moved back, and opened the door wider. She stepped in behind him, giving the man at the door a smile before closing it to leave him in the hallway alone. Not that he looked like he minded.

His job, and all.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Work,” Beni replied, turning around to head deeper into the apartment, while giving her a great view of his muscular, defined back at the same time. “I got called in for something that had happened, and someone hit me when I came out of the office. But hey, at least they didn’t hit me when my back was turned.”

August frowned, following him until they reached the living room, and Beni fell into the corner of the couch. She didn’t sit, though. “Was that supposed to be a joke about this?”