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She’d just shown up at her ex’s place in the middle of the night and shrieked at him. Right after going off on the man who had been nothing but sweet to her since she’d moved in. “I am crazy.” The idea that people she barely knew had heard about her childhood made her cringe.
The brunette shrugged as the doors opened. “Whatever. Thanks anyway, even if you are.” She strode away, a confidence in her step that Celia had never felt.
As she forced her own steps forward, exhaustion pulled at her. She needed to make it back to Trenton’s condo. He deserved an apology. And, somehow, she needed to set him free. He shouldn’t feel like he needed to run away from his own home. She’d start looking for a new place tomorrow.
Chapter 30
TrentonwatchedMalcolmrunout of the tavern after Celia, calling her name. He started to follow, only to be halted by a hand on his arm.
“Let Malcolm handle this,” Blake said, his worried eyes also on the door. “She won’t listen to you right now.”
Trenton tried to pull away, but Blake clamped down harder. “I have to try,” he told his friend.
Blake hesitated. “This is a mess. You saw her, right? I think she could use a friend.”
“And I can be that.” Trenton jerked against his grip again.
“You just admitted you were falling in love with her,” Blake said, shaking him. “That means you’re not a friend.”
Trenton flushed. “That’s not what I said.”
“Hey, give me some credit. I can read between the lines. You said you talked about Emily with her, and it didn’t hurt like you were expecting, but that you were terrified about breaking your promise to her as well and wanted to run away. What else could make you, the saint, do that if not love?”
Panic filled him, especially that it was Blake saying it. “It doesn’t have to be love.”
“You’re a bigger mess than me,” Blake said, letting him go. “And I’m sorry. I was so surprised I didn’t see her.”
“It’s not your fault.” Trenton knew it was all his. He’d put that hurt expression on her face. The one he’d wanted to avoid. The one that had made him pull away originally. “I need to fix this.”
Blake reluctantly nodded. “Okay, man. Good luck.”
Trenton turned and pushed through the tavern door at a run, his eyes seeking her. Instead, he saw Malcolm trudging back alone and ran over to him, his stomach sinking. “You didn’t find her?”
He didn’t see the punch coming, but it knocked him flat on his ass. Malcolm leaned down, grabbing his shirt and jerking him up. “You fucked Celia, didn’t you?”
Trenton flushed.
Blake shouted, grabbing Malcolm and pulling him back before his fist connected again. “Hey, Mal, stop that.”
Malcolm tried to shake him off. “God damn it!”
Trenton winced, climbing to his feet. “Look, I’m not important. We have to find Celia.”
“Don’t act like you know what’s best for her,” Malcolm said before lunging at him again.
Blake struggled to hold on to him. “Seriously, man, chill! This isn’t going to help anything.”
Trenton glanced toward the street. “She wasn’t at the bus stop?”
Malcolm shrugged Blake off, running his hands through his hair, which had come loose. “Don’t you think I looked there?” he snapped. “I can’t believe it was you. What about Emily?”
Trenton’s gaze fell. “I still love my wife.”
Blake’s eyes widened. “Yeah, but Mal—”
Malcolm’s fist had already connected with Trenton’s stomach, and Trenton collapsed to the parking lot again. At least this time Malcolm didn’t try to follow it up. He deserved worse, Trenton admitted to himself.
“I trusted you,” Malcolm said, turning away as he pulled out his phone.
