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Fucking murderous.
Their screams.
My cries.
Their all-out war.
It was grenades and bullets aimed at each other and none of us made it out of there alive.
Adrian and I were over before we even began.
I sat there on the balls of my feet, holding myself up when all my body longed to do was fall apart. The two most important men in my life were finally standing there with me and it was worse than I could have ever imagined.
The expression on Cade’s face mirrored my own.
He was holding on to so much hurt.
Resentment.
Hate.
I wanted to run to him. I wanted to beg for his forgiveness. I’d do anything to have our friendship back. A huge part of me died the day he found out the truth. I didn’t just lose the love of my life. I lost a guy who felt more like my family than my own did.
There was so much I wanted to say.
But all I could do was feel.
I cried for the innocence we all lost and the scars we had to carry for all these years. Adrian was right. This did make me hate him more than I already did, but it also made me…
Love him.
I was the first to break the deafening silence. “Don’t you think I deserved to know Cade was coming, Adrian?”
“It’s easier this way.”
“For whom?”
“For you, Paige. I only did this for you.”
Our eyes locked.
“Regardless of what happens between us, I can’t compete with him for you anymore. It’s why we’re in this situation in the first place.”
“So you just continue to blindside me? That’s not fair.”
“If I would have told you, it would have been an argument and we don’t have time for that.”
“Right. Because this is better?”
“He’s here. That’s all that matters.”
I glanced back and forth between them, unsure of who I wanted to look at more.
“Well,” Adrian spoke with conviction, making my stare land on his.
“For the first time in my life. I fucking surrender and you both know how hard that is for me. I don’t bow down to anyone.” He stood up tall. “I’m swallowing my pride. Actually, I’m fucking choking on it.” He cleared his throat, his jaw tightened. “I can’t save you, Cherry. At least not without him.”
I shivered, fully aware of how difficult that was for him to express. Although, appreciating it, nonetheless.
