AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Gracen is fucking worried about you,” I snapped. “And I said nothing. I looked my goddamn brother right in the eye and lied to him with my silence.”
“You mean, my brother,” she countered.
“He’s my brother too,” I roared. “Every single man in that room tonight was my brother. And I lied to all of them. For you. Christ.” I ripped off my hat so I could tear my hand through my hair. “I can’t keep doing this. They were all worried about you, Bella, and I just let them worry.”
Another block of tense silence followed before Bella exhaled on the other end of the line and quietly said, “I’m sorry; I didn’t realize this was putting so much of a strain on you.”
“Well, it is,” I told her. “It’s tearing me a-fucking-part. And I’d weather anything for you, I really would. I would keep our relationship a secret for the rest of eternity—and yes, we are in a relationship, no matter what you say—but I just need to understand why. Why are you so resistant to letting anyone know? Because the only reason I can come up with is that you just can’t trust me enough not to be him, not to do what he did to you. Do you not trust me?”
“Of course, I trust you, Fox. I—”
“Or…” I went on, talking over her. “The other conclusion I’ve come to is that us going public would basically be admitting you feel something for me, and you can’t do that because you don’t. Maybe to you, the only thing happening here is a booty call.”
“What? No! That is not at all what I think.”
“Then what the hell do you think?” I growled. “Because I honestly don’t know. What do you feel for me? Am I the only one who’s been falling in love this whole time?”
“Fox,” she gasped in shock, making me realize what I’d just admitted.
“Oh, fuck,” I rasped.
Heart pounding, I fumbled in my haste to disconnect the line before tossing the offensive phone onto the floor next to me.
“Holy shit.” Panting, I pressed my hand to my chest and slumped backward into the door.
When the phone rang again, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I winced when I eyed it. I was too much of a coward to answer and listen to a possible rejection. So I just sat there, staring until it stopped. Then I blew out a sigh of relief, only to curse when it started in again.
Picking up the phone, I glanced around my apartment before spotting the couch. Staggering to my feet, I made it over there, grabbed a throw pillow and stuffed the phone under the cushion, successfully muffling the ring.
There.
I dusted off my hands and backed away as it stopped ringing only to chime with an incoming text.
Turning away, I made my way down the hall, propping one hand against the wall for support as I went until I made my way into my bedroom. Collapsing gratefully onto the mattress, I grabbed a pillow before curling myself around it and squeezing my eyes closed.
There were some serious pros and cons for the state I was currently in.
The biggest con was that I never would’ve made that stupid phone call in the first place and completely fucked everything up. I had a feeling I’d regret that until the end of my life.
But now that I had, the best pro of all was going to be the fact that I could probably pass out in moments, and I wouldn't be stuck awake all night, pacing and stressing and terrifying myself into a panic attack over what came next. Whatever that might be.
And that’s exactly what I did. I passed out cold, blocking out all my worries and fears.
Chapter Fifteen
Yellow
THE NEXT MORNING
“Ouch!”
Blinking away tears that immediately formed in my eyes, I prodded my tender nose and then checked my fingers fo
r blood.
“Shit, El. I’m sorry.” Parker stepped close, trying to see the damage he’d done after accidentally elbowing me before he’d made his last shot, but then he paused and winced instead of getting too close. “Is it bleeding?”
“Nope,” I announced. “All good. But, uh…” I sighed and I looked him up and down. His hair was a mess, his eyes bloodshot, and it looked as if he’d slept in those clothes all night. “Are you okay?”
