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“Am I a responsible adult?” I ask.
“You’re one of the most responsible people I know.”
“We’ve established that I’m not dumb and I’m responsible, so what makes you think I’m not smart enough to choose a boyfriend on my own?”
“It’s only because it’s Ryder. You're getting charmed by his stupidly handsome face.”
“Darius, he’s not like you think. At least not with me.”
“Here we go.” He rolls his healthy eye. “He’s different with me. I’ve changed him,” he says in a high-pitched voice.
“I didn’t change Ryder. He showed me who he is and I fell for him. And he fell for me. He asked me to be his girlfriend and I accepted.”
“He just wants to get in your pants, Calista.”
“If that was the case he’d be gone by now.”
He stops to change direction and I follow. “I’m going to kill that fucker.”
I grab his arm. “Darius, stop. Stop!” I yell. “God, you’re so fucking hardheaded. When are you going to listen to me?”
“When you start making sound decisions again,” he says.
“Fuck you, Darius. How would you have felt if I had said you shouldn’t date Evie because she’s a single mom?”
“I would’ve been mad at you and I wouldn’t have listened.”
“Exactly. And I didn’t tell you that, did I?”
“No.”
“I may have had some reservations about her having a child with another man, but I never said a peep about it because I trusted that you know what’s best for yourself. So why won’t you extend that same courtesy to me? You can have reservations about Ryder and our relationship, but you should trust that I know what’s best for me.”
“I’m just worried about you, sis.”
“I get that and I love you for it, but if you keep pushing this issue with Ryder and me, what do you think is going to be the result? Do you think I’m going to spend time with someone who doesn’t support my relationship with him? Why would I want to subject myself to that kind of negativity?”
“Are you saying you’d choose him over me?” He looks stunned.
“I’m saying don’t make me pick between you, Darius. Ryder’s going to win my affection every single time. And if you had taken the time to talk with him, you’d know how much he cares about me. Why don’t you swallow your pride and see what he has to say? It would go a long way toward gaining my forgiveness for giving my boyfriend a black eye.”
He points at his face. “I got one too.”
“But you started it.”
We walk in silence until we reach the door we exited out of. He pauses with his hand on the handle. “I’m sorry I overreacted.”
“Show me you're sorry,” I say.
He nods, pulling the door open. “I will.”
It doesn’t take us long to find Ryder. He and Murphy are leaning against the wall, talking. He straightens up when he sees Darius approaching. He’s probably expecting him to take another swing at him.
Darius clears his throat. “Calista has made me realize I reacted a little hastily.”
“A little? More like a lot, dude,” Murphy says.
“Ryder, you told me you care about my sister, and I’m going to take you at your word. But if you break her heart, I’m going to break your legs,” Darius says.
