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Cora and Alec both look in Coen’s direction but don’t say anything.
“Chill, Co,” I tell him, still rolling my arms.
“Chill?” Coen slams his keys on the counter by the door. “I could hear you fucking moaning from in there.” He points to the garage.
“Moaning?” I laugh. “Are you serious?” I point to where my best friend is sitting. “You think I’m in the middle of the house fucking Simon out in the open?”
“So, you’re saying you do it behind closed doors?” Coen’s entire body tenses and part of me wonders whether he’s going to self-implode. The veins on his forehead bulge.
“What has gotten into you?” I move around Simon and toward my angry boyfriend.
“More likewho’sgotten intoyou.” Coen steps back when I approach.
“Don’t make accusations you know nothing about.”
His anger seeps into me with each word he fucking speaks.
"You think I'm stupid, don't you? You think I don't know what's going on here?" Coen glances over at Simon and then back at me.
“Tell me, genius, what is it you claim you know? Because I’d love to fucking hear it,” I snap at him.
Dominic stomps into the room. “What the fuck is going on in here? I can hear you from my office.”
I jut out my hip and cross my arms. “Coen here was about to enlighten us.”
“You’re allowing this type of behavior?” Coen says to Dom.
“Excuse me?” Dominic stiffens in place, assuming his defensive stance.
“You think I don’t know, but I do.” Coen stares right at Simon. “I know exactly what you’re trying to do.”
“Dude, I think you’re overreacting,” Simon finally tells him.
“Whatever you think is going on, you’re wrong.” Dominic steps closer to Coen. “I could hear the whole thing. He was cracking her fucking back. You’re going to lose your shit over that, of all things? If anything, you should thank him, it sounded like she needed it.”
“You’re standing up for him now? Is that what this is? You’ve joined Bryant in…”
Dom cuts him off. “Do not put words in my mouth. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll shut yours and take a fucking chill pill.”
Coen's chest rises and falls so dramatically that I can see it from my spot six feet away from him. His whole body is tense, and I haven't seen him this fucking mad since…ever, really.
“You’re being paranoid for no reason, Co,” I attempt to reason with him despite wanting to punch him for having such bold accusations.
I have never crossed the line with Simon. Sure, we’ve flirted and had little moments here and there, butnothinglike Coen is insinuating. He has no right to treat me like this, especially when his avoidance, all of their avoidance, is the reason Simon and I are as close as we are.
They’ve insisted Simon be with me every fucking second they aren’t. And he has been—right at my side for over six months. Something none of them have done. He’s foolish if he didn’t expect some type of relationship to have never naturally grown.
“Am I? Am I, J?” He steps toward me with his wild stare trained on me.
In all the years we’ve spent together, and all of them apart, I have never once been afraid of the man standing in front of me. Not when we were young, and not when I found out he was a murderous psychopath. Not even when he pointed a gun at me when I walked down those stairs after my first night with Magnus. But here, right now, watching something unfamiliar consume him, I’m not so sure anymore. The Coen standing in front of me isn’t a version of him I’m accustomed to, and if I'm being completely honest with myself, he kind of scares me.
Simon steps around and positions himself in front of me. “Don’t take that tone with her.”
“Yeah, what are you going to fucking do about it?” Coen comes even closer.
“Enough!” Dominic blares. He stalks over and shoves his forearm into Coen. “Get the fuck out,now.” He pushes his palm into Coen’s chest, nudging him again. “Don’t come back until you’ve calmed down.”
“Fuck this.” Coen huffs and snatches his keys off the counter. “I don’t want to fucking be here anyway.” He doesn’t look back as he reaches for the garage door, disappearing on the other side and slamming it shut.
