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“What are you doing here?” Jace plays casual.
Axel spins abruptly, stopping us in our tracks. “Lennon told me Becca canceled on brunch. Apparently, she’s not feeling so hot, although she sounded more depressed than sick. Like she’d been crying. Lennon thought you two would like to know.
“Why us? What does Lennon know.” Jace’s voice is eerily level, his stiff arms evidence that he’s holding onto control by a thread.
Axel crosses his arms in front of his chest, though he’s too nice a guy to look truly intimidating. Just like a disappointed older brother. That’s almost worse. “Pretty much everything.”
“What the fuck, man?” Jace explodes. “I told you about the three of us in confidence.”
“Yeah, well, I was worried you’d get hurt with all your secrets, but you wouldn’t listen to me. So, I talked to Lennon.” He twists to face me. “She’s the only one, though. You’re friends with her, you know she’d never say anything.”
Jace glances to me and I nod to reassure him. “Lennon’s solid.” Turning to Axel I add, “I wish you hadn’t told her before I did, though. Like you said, I’m friends with her.”
Axel has the decency to duck his head as he replies. “Fair enough. But she might be able to save your asses, so it’s a good thing she’s in the know.”
“Save our asses?” Jace interrupts. “What are you talking about?”
“My guess is Becca found out about the two of you before you had a chance to come clean on your own. Right?” Axel prompts.
Jace and I share a guilty look, which Axel doesn’t miss.
“Fuck.” Axel wheels on Jace. “You didn’t even ask if she’s into this lifestyle, did you? So, in her mind, the two of you are the couple and she’s the extra spice on the side.”
My hands ball into fists at my side. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
“You two are who I’m criticizing, not her.” Axel points at each of us in turn. “I told him weeks ago,” he jerks his head at Jace, “that this would blow up in your faces, and here we are. I’m not part of this trio but even I know more about it than she does. How do you think that makes her feel? Embarrassed? Ashamed? Like she doesn’t mean enough to know the truth?”
“How is this helping?” Jace barks as I sink onto the couch, my stomach feeling like it’s about to lose contents it doesn’t have.This is so bad.“We get it, we fucked up,” Jace continues. “Telling us that won’t fix shit.”
“I’m trying to help you figure out how to get her back.” Axel throws his arms in the air like he’s done with us. “Maybe if you understand where she’s coming from, you guys can fix it. Put yourself in her shoes, what would you want to hear? And don’t say sorry, that’s not good enough.”
Jace glares at his best friend, panting with barely contained rage. “Jesus, dude. Get yourself a girlfriend and suddenly you’re a fucking expert? What makes you think you’re right?”
“This isn’t my advice, it’s Lennon’s. She said Becca needs to knowwhyyou screwed up. Even if your logic is fucked up, knowing where you’re coming from is the only thing thatmightmake her forgive you.”
Jace’s nostrils flare, but he doesn’t object to Axel’s words. I can’t either.
“He’s right,” I admit. “What we saw as easing her into things she probably sees as toying with her. And telling her how we feel won’t solve anything. She won’t forgive us for keeping secrets until she understandswhywe did it. That our intentions were good even if our actions were shit.”
“And how do we do that?” Jace asks. “She’s not coming back over, how do we get her to listen to us?”
“Knock on her door and ask to talk to her.” Axel shrugs, as if it’s that simple.I guess Lennon didn’t advise him on this part.
“What if she doesn’t want to talk?” Jace’s eyes fall shut as he rubs his forehead.
“I can ask Carter to give us a key to her room?” I suggest, feeling a twinge of hope for the first time since she walked out.
“Let me stop you there.” Axel shakes his head at me. “A, that’s technically breaking in, so no. B, shouldn’t you be a little more discreet than involving your boss in this little triangle? After all, if you were so concerned about whether she’d be on board with this lifestyle it’s not fair to put her in it without her permission.”
“Shit, I know.” I scrub a hand over my face.I’m fucking losing it. “I’m just freaking out about not being able to fix this.”
“I hear you. I felt the same way when I thought I’d fucked up with Lennon. But you can’t just march in there and give her some bullshit line about trying to protect her or breaking the news gently. I know you think that’s what you were doing.” He pins Jace with a look that says,don’t even try to object. “Although the truth is, you were both so busy thinking about what you wanted you forgot to think about what she might want.”
“Fuck,” I groan, letting my head fall back against the couch cushions. “She’s never gonna forgive us.”
“She might. Just give her some time and…”
“Screw that,” Jace interrupts Axel. “The longer we go without trying to fix it the longer she has to convince herself this is a mistake. I won’t take that chance.”
