AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swing the door to find my friend, accompanied by the only woman to have ever caught my attention. Unfiltered jealousy roars through me, and my hand fists the door. Fuck, I want to hit him so badly. His mouth twitches, but it’s soon schooled by a serious look.
“What the hell is she doing here?” I sneer and then turn my attention to Lauren, wanting to shake sense into her. “What are you doing here, Lauren?”
“I came to check on Perry.” Concern laces her voice, and I feel a pinch of guilt for being such a colossal prick to her.
Ignoring me, Matt slips inside. Lauren tries to sneak in, but I snatch her wrist and hold her back. Desperation, jealousy, and annoyance rattle around my head.
I cup her face, looking for any sign of intimacy between them, but I can't be sure with how much she is chewing her lip. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed,” I bite before dropping her face and walking into the apartment.
Matt is already pulling things out of his bag as he speaks quietly to our friend sitting at the breakfast bar. Perry’s face snaps up, and his eyes sweep between us all before landing on me with discomfort. It’s awkward as fuck, and I can feel the tension seeping from the carpet and locking us all in place.
Matteo finally says, “Who did you piss off this time?” I smirk at that because Perry is a natural at provoking people with his incessant need to wind them up.
Perry side-eyes until he is looking past me at Lauren. “Best we don't have this conversation now.” I frown, unsure why he is being evasive.
“Oh. Sorry. Do you want me to go back to the corridor?” Lauren’s cheeks flare brightly.
“No.” Perry shakes his head. “How’ve you been, alien?”
My fist tightens when her eyes slip to Matteo’s and not mine like they used to. “Good,” she mumbles. “So now that you look like me. Happy?”
Matteo and Perry laugh, but I can’t find an ounce of humour in the current situation. I pace the kitchen and come to stand behind Lauren, vibrating with pent-up anger.
“So you two, huh?” Perry directs the question to Matteo before he looks at me, and I grit my teeth.
“Well.” Lauren garbles, embarrassed. “We’re. We… I.”
No, that’s right, pretty girl. You’re mine.
“Just go home with men, willy-nilly.” I find myself saying as I glare at Matteo dabbing at our friend’s lip.
“Did you just say willy-nilly?” Perry shudders.
“I beg your pardon!” She steps forward, glaring at me. Matteo stands slowly, and I raise a brow at my friend. Is he seriously squaring up to me? “I didn't just meet him an hour ago. In fact, I’m pretty certain this man has watched me sleep under your instruction.” I hold Matt’s stare with my own hard one. Heat works its way up my neck, but I refuse to cower. Yes, I did instruct that because I was looking out for her. I raise my hand in a calming gesture.
Matt is brimming with as much anger as I am. Lauren’s soft hand knocks mine away, but I want to grip it and pull her in for a hot kiss—to put her and my friend in their fucking place. “What are you, a Jedi?” She scorns.
Perry laughs. “Ow fuck.” Cupping his mouth, he turns to Matt, who holds up some gauze.
“Who I go home with is none of your business. What is your problem? You’ve done nothing but needle me since we met?” Lauren continues, her chin tilted, and her eyes shooting daggers at me. She is beautiful.
“No problem,” I lie. The problem is five feet of pale petiteness that I’m addicted to watching on the work cameras. I swallow that admission.
“No?” Matteo questions. “It doesn't take a genius to know what is going on here. You were too slow, Carson.” My attention slowly returns to my doctor friend, where I fight the urge to show him just how slow my fist isn’t. It’s no more than he did to me when I slept with Sabrina. I may not have known who she was, but he still felt the sting to his pride.
“Let’s give these two space to measure their dicks. We’ll be in the bar,” Perry mutters, hopping down and shooing Lauren out of the room.
I turn to Matt with a calm expression on my face, but he is smirking at me. “Like I said, too slow.” He shrugs.
“You think I haven’t already?” I scoff, enjoying the way his smirk falters. “She was mine the day you came to check on her. You’ve had your fun—now back the fuck off, Matt.”
“You obviously didn’t make a good enough impre—”
“Matteo, back off.” I level him with a stare. My chest heaves, and he stares, perplexed. “Leave her alone.”
He pulls back, bemused. “You’re being serious?” he muses slowly, his stance softening in realisation. “Cain, mate. I didn’t think you werethatserious.”
We’ve had many run-ins about women—both being attracted to petite brunettes—it was bound to happen. I’m aware that he has slept with women I have, and it’s never caused my gut to burn with jealousy as it does now.
