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“We would never hurt her,” Hawk growls.
“You kidnapped her,” Evander says quietly, the soft tone having more impact than if he’d yelled.
“You broke into her room, drugged her, and took her while she was half-naked and vulnerable.”
They drugged me. I think I always knew, but I hoped—
“It wasn’t like that—” Creed starts, but I’m sick of listening to their excuses.
“Yes, it was,” I whisper, but they all hear me. I clear my throat and continue. “I woke up in a strange place in a T-shirt I know I didn’t put on with no idea where I was or who took me. Finding out it was you didn’t ease my terror because you made it painfully clear how much you hate me.”
“We don’t hate you. Jesus.” Hawk runs his hands through his hair.
“Now, maybe. But you didn’t bring me here to love me. You brought me here for information because you think you deserve answers. The lack of clothing and shit was just one of your games to make me give in faster. Then you bring in the physical therapist you fucked so she can rub it in my face.”
“I told you, that was an accident.”
“How the fuck does an accident like that happen?” Greg hisses.
When they don’t answer, I continue. “Maybe somewhere along the way your feelings changed, but who’s to say they won’t change again? Fuck, you change your minds like I change my underwear. You say you want me. You want to what? Live happily ever after. You don’t even fucking know me. I’ve told you this, over and over, but you only hear what you want to. I don’t want this.”
Because none of it is real. It never was.
“Funny. You weren’t saying that when our dicks were inside you,” Hawk spits out.
E sucks in a sharp breath, my face flaming with humiliation.
“And there he is. The man who wields his words like weapons.”
I glance over at Creed, who looks sick.
“I woke up with you inside me. I was lost in the moment. I thought I was dreaming. It wouldn’t have been the first time. I didn’t fight either of you off, and yeah, I gave in to it all. Sue me. I haven’t had sex with anyone other than you two since I left, so it’s been a fucking while. Not that we can all say the same, huh? Our vows were always one-sided.”
“What does she mean?” Greg asks, cocking his head before shaking himself. “Right, the physical therapist. And she was just the one, right?” Greg mocks.
I talk over him, redirecting Creed and Hawk’s attention back to me. “I didn’t give you my consent,” I tell Creed honestly. His face pales even further. “But I didn’t blame you. I blamed myself. So, fuck you for saying that shit to me,” I snap at Hawk.
“Avery—” he starts, but I hold my hand up to stop him.
It’s time. I can’t do this anymore. “You want the truth? All the dark and dirty details I hid from you? Well, here it is. I hope you’re ready, because it’s a doozy of a story.”
“Hey, sweetheart, you don’t have to do this,” James tells me softly.
The compassion from a stranger threatens to bring me to my knees, but I hold it together. “It’s okay. It’s time. Maybe then we can all move on with our lives.” I look at Creed and squeeze Ev’s hand, needing him to help me through this.
“I fell in love with you the first time I met you. I never believed in love at first sight until then. I thought it was all a bunch of bullshit that belonged in the pages of a romance. Until I saw you. It was this perfect moment of clarity. I was meant to be yours. I just didn’t realize that you were never meant to be mine.”
“Avery.” Creed’s voice sounds tortured.
I ignore him and look at Hawk. “It was different with you. No fireworks, no instant connection. You made me nervous, but every time I was with you, you set off a kaleidoscope of butterflies in my stomach. You wore me down and wormed your way into my heart. You earned my love. In some way, that made what we had even more special than what I had with Creed. Not that you ever saw it. You were fine being in the background.”
I wipe a stray tear that slips free. “Everything was a whirlwind. I got so caught up in the fairy tale that I didn’t see the warning signs. Maybe I just didn’t want to see them. I got too comfortable, though, and let myself slip.”
“What do you mean, slip?” James asks gently.
I offer him a small smile before looking up at E, who looks down at me without judgment on his face. I hope he still looks at me that way when I’m finished explaining.
I turn back to Hawk and Creed, now standing side by side, creating a united front. Once upon a time, it was me that stood between them.
