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I can’t remember a time when I’ve ever been so lost for words. Bree just laid her heart out—fuck, she laid her soul out in front of me, and I can’t come up with one damn thing worthwhile to say.
So instead, I kiss her. I kiss her with everything that I have. I kiss her to show her I love her. I kiss her so she knows this changes nothing. I kiss her because I’m a selfish bastard, and I just need to feel connected to her; as if she’s the only thing that keeps me tethered to the earth.
I’m hurt, confused, and angry. I want to hunt down the fuckers who did this to her and slit every one of their throats. But that won’t change what happened to her. I can’t fix it. I can’t make it go away. And that leaves me feeling powerless, a feeling I don’t deal well with.
I hear the door open just as I pull back from Bree, only getting one last look into those tear-filled eyes before everything goes to hell.
I know the second she looks toward the door who our audience is. I can tell in the way her body stiffens and how all the color drains from her face.
“Court.” It’s almost a plea on her lips.
And now I’m turning, releasing Bree who all but shoves out of my embrace. Courtney is standing in the doorway looking every bit like she’s seen a ghost.
“Court, I can explain.” Bree takes a step toward her best friend, who seems to be teetering between anger and a state of absolute shock.
“Explain?” Court’s eyes meet mine, and the hurt there is so evident it damn near knocks the wind out of me. “Bree, Ant?” She keeps her gaze focused on me. “Out of every girl in the fucking world—Bree?” Her voice bounces off the walls around us.
“I’m sorry. We didn’t mean for you to find out this way.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Her voice is shrill, eyes wild.
“Court. Please. I can explain. Just give me a chance to explain.” Bree steps in front of me protectively.
It’s strange. I want to tell her that I should be protecting her, but I also can’t deny how good it feels that her first instinct is to shield me from the line of fire.
“So you’re the friend huh?” Courtney turns her sights on Bree.
“Just give me a minute. I need you to let me tell you everything. Maybe then you’ll understand.”
“Oh, I understand perfectly. I understand how my best friend has been screwing my ex behind my back for who knows how long. I understand that she lied straight to my face. I understand that she let me humiliate myself going on and on about Ant, all the while knowing that she was fucking him. I understand everything.” She grinds out the last part, her gaze honing in on me as she continues.
“You fucking asshole. You fucking asshole.” She repeats louder the second time. “You two must think you’re really smart. Jesus Christ, I’m such an idiot.” She steps back, throwing her hands up in the air. “The signs were all there. All of them. But I chose to look past them. I chose to trust my best friend.” Her tear-filled gaze finds Bree again, and it takes all I have not to step in between them and shield Bree the same way she was willing to shield me.
“I know how awful this is. I know,” Bree starts but Courtney instantly cuts her off.
“You don’t know anything. You have no idea how this feels. And after everything, after everything we’ve been through together for you to lie to me. My God, Bree, this isn’t even about Ant. It’s about the fact that you were able to look me in the eye and lie to me. God, I thought we were closer than that. I thought we meant more to each other than that.”
“We do,” Bree chokes.
“No, clearly I don’t mean that much to you. I never would’ve lied to you. I never would’ve kept something of this magnitude from you, ever. Fuck, Bree, this is something I never in a million years thought we’d have to deal with. You were my sister.”
“I am your sister.”
“Not anymore you’re not.”
And with that one statement, I feel Bree emotionally crumble next to me.
“You two fucking deserve each other,” Court bites, eyes bouncing between the two of us before she abruptly turns and disappears down the hallway without another word.
“Bree.” I catch her by the forearm just as she starts to go after her.
“Let go of me.” She rips her arm out of my grasp and spins on me, her eyes so full of emotion it’s damn near crippling. “Did you see her? Did you see what we did to her?” She runs both hands through her hair and lets out a primal growl. “I have to go after her. I have to make sure she’s okay.”
“Maybe you should give her some time?” I suggest.
“No!” she practically screams in my face. “She’s my best friend. I have to make this right.” With that, she spins on her heel and takes off in the same direction as Courtney.
I stand here for a long moment, not sure what the hell I should do. Do I go after her? Do I let them sort it out on their own? How can I just throw Bree to the wolves and let her face this alone? I did this. I put her in this situation. I’m the one who just couldn’t fucking stay away.
