AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I said…” His throat worked as he swallowed. “Why would I want your used-up leftovers? Who knows what kind of shit you infected her with?”
Then he stood there, stiff as a board, watching me and waiting for my reaction. I could tell from the caution in his eyes that he expected to get into big trouble for his confession. But strangely, I didn’t want to rail at him.
I mean, yeah, it stung, especially since there was more truth in what he’d said than I was comfortable admitting. I was Topher Nicholl’s used-up leftovers now, wasn’t I? Not exactly a pleasant thought. But I merely straightened my spine, sucked in a breath, and sent Wick a short, formal nod.
“Okay,” I said. “Thank you for telling me. Not that you even needed to confess. But I…I appreciate your honesty, anyway.”
“I didn’t want you to think I actually believed that shit, in case it got back to you.”
“Of course.” I sent him a trembling smile, thinking he must believe it in some regard to even think the idea up.
He must’ve realized how I really felt, despite what I’d said, and he seemed uncertain how to respond. His lips moved as if he wanted to say more, but then he changed his mind, only to nod and leave the room.
I immediately fell into the nearest chair and hugged myself, like the used-up, infected leftover I was.
Wait. Infected?
Oh shit. I shot back to my feet, instantly panicking.
“Wick,” I shouted, nearly hysterical, with no idea why I was calling to him. None of this was his problem, but he was the only other person in the apartment, and I just… I suddenly needed a little emotional support; I was willing to take it from any place I could get it.
He appeared in the doorway again, his hair floating up as if he’d rushed to get back to me, and the breeze from his run had caused it to spike up as it was.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, worry filling his gaze.
“What if you’re right?” I blurted, pressing my hands to my stomach. “What if he…he infected me?”
His gaze dropped to where I was pressing my hands, and he went sheet white. “You think you’re pregnant?”
“What? No!” I ripped my hands from my middle. “I’m on the pill, but that was the only prevention we used, and the pill doesn’t stop someone from passing along a…a…a venereal disease. And now that I know he was unfaithful… Oh God.” I went back to wringing my hands at my waist and pacing the room. “I mean, I’m sure my roommate was clean, but…what if…what if he was with…you know, what if there were others?”
Feeling nauseous from the very idea and not sure what the guy I had thought I loved might’ve exposed me to, I turned beseechingly toward Wick, who cringed guiltily my way before he rasped, “There were.”
I blinked. “What?” Then I realized what he was saying. There were…others. Other women. More women. Oh God. Topher had been with more than just Annabeth.
I started to shake my head, wanting to deny it. Needing it not to be true.
“What makes you think that?” I asked, totally prepared to blow off the entire suggestion. But then I focused on the regretful apology in his gaze and I realized. “Wait, you don’t just think it, do you? You know. And you…you’ve always known, even before I did, didn’t you, because… Holy shit, you’re on the team with him, and of course you would know if he’d been…” Weak in the knees, I sat down. “Oh my God.” Burying my face in my hands, I tried to deal with this new revelation. “Oh my God,” I echoed before I suddenly stood up again, needing to know more.
“How many?” I said. “For how long?”
When Wick shook his head, I fisted my hands down at my sides and stepped threateningly closer. “Tell me.”
Getting just as firm with me as I had been with him, he shot back, “No.”
“Why not?” I exploded, storming close enough to push at his chest. Not that he budged. “Why fucking protect him? I thought you hated him.”
“What the hell?! I do hate him. And protecting him is the last thing I’m doing,” he insisted, stepping up to meet me, his eyes flaring with irritation.
Ignoring that, I raged on, “Because all you guys gotta stick together, is that it? Is that why you never told me? Does it go against the code of your secret penis society? You can’t rat out one of your own?”
“My own?” he repeated in horror. “The fuck if I’m anything like him. I never told you because I’d never even talked to you before last night. Honestly, would you walk up to a complete stranger and tell them they were being cheated on?”
“I…” Well, no, I probably wouldn’t. It would be none of my business. I’d feel weird stepping into such personal issues with someone and getting involved in their drama if I really didn’t know them, and it’d probably only cause pain, anyway, pain I would start, so I guess I couldn’t rightly be pissed at Wick for not doing something I wouldn’t do either.
Even though I was still very much pissed at him.
“And hell, for all I knew, you might’ve already known and were just one of those look-the-other-way types. Why should I have butted my nose where it didn’t belong? And then afterward… Last night,” he went on, “you already knew enough. I couldn’t add to your—”
