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My gaze went wide.
Bringing his lips close to mine, he rasped, “Can you do that for me?”
I think I nodded before I shut gaze, trying to find my happy place. I held onto Adrian’s voice as he fixed me right up. Unsure of how long I sat there. It could have been hours but were probably minutes as Adrian continued to express the sweetest things.
“You’re such a good girl, Paige,” he praised, close to my lips. Close enough to where I felt his breath on my mouth. “You’re forever my good girl.”
I smiled against his mouth.
“Don’t scare me like that again. Do you understand me?”
I nodded, unable to form words.
“Tell me,” he coaxed in a desperate tone. “I need to hear you say it.”
I opened my eyes to stare profoundly into his. “I understand.”
For a short moment in time, I saw his love staring back at me. Even if he had yet to say it, I knew he did. However, just as quickly as I saw it, he blinked, and it was gone.
Vanished.
Adrian Drake drew his shield of armor, and his expression went blank.
No emotions.
No words.
His love was now disguised as nothing. Which was far worse than hate.
I didn’t understand the sudden change of heart until Cade’s voice filled the room as if he was asking his question through a microphone…
“How long have you been fucking my best friend, Adrian?”
I swear that question echoed off the walls, resonating deep into my soul. It felt like it was a shot to my heart, and I whimpered upon the impact. Gripping onto the edge of the counter, I prayed I could hold myself up when all I wanted was to crumble to the floor and beg for more time with him.
My body trembled as I bowed my head, feeling the shame of Cade’s question.
Adrian backed away from me like my skin burned him or maybe it was my love that was having that effect on him. Either way it hurt like hell in this inferno we made for ourselves.
My tears fell onto the ground between us the further he stepped back away from me. He placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Almost like he was surrendering before the war had a chance to begin.
All of a sudden, they were a foot apart from one another. The two men I loved the most couldn’t have hated each other more than they did at that moment. The intensity radiating off of them was too much to bear.
I wanted to run to him.
To promise it would be okay.
I wouldn’t leave him.
I chose him.
Adrian…
I did none of those things. Instead, I sat there while the last year of my life played out in front of me.
All his smiles.
His laughs.
His touch.
His kisses on my neck.
It all blended together. Forming memories of a love I’d never feel again.
Cold, dark eyes stared back at me, sucking all the air from my lungs like it belonged to him.
With fists at his sides, Cade snarled, “Answer me, Adrian. How long?”
It was the first time I saw true rage my best friend murderous glare at his own flesh and blood.
What did you do, Paige?
Before Adrian replied, I spoke out, “Please, Cade, don’t do this…”
Not turning to look at me, Cade spewed, “Stay out of this, Paige.”
“Please… Cade… I’m begging you…” I pleaded with everything inside of me.
He didn’t listen. I didn’t expect him to, but I had to try.
How is this happening? How can I stop it?
“This is between me and my brother.” When Cade shoved Adrian, I knew there’d be no getting through to him.
I lost.
Game over.
“Cade,” Adrian clenched through a tight jaw. “Don’t fucking touch me, man.”
“That’s what you respond? That’s what you’re concerned about?” He pushed him harder. “My hands on you?”
He barely waved, pissing Cade off more.
“Stand down, Cade. I don’t want to hurt you.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Don’t you think you’re a little last for that? The one thing that was mine you had to take away from me. Why?”
The desperation in Cade’s voice was crippling.
I hated that I hurt him. This wasn’t all Adrian’s fault.
“Cade, I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“The fucking truth!” Cade slammed him up against the wall and I loudly gasped.
“How long have you been fucking her?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Oh, really? That you fucked my best friend? You mean that doesn’t matter?”
“Cade, I’m not going to warn you again. Get your hands off me.”
As soon as the last word flew out of Adrian’s mouth, Cade was already swinging. His fist landed right across Adrian’s jaw, whooshing his head to the side.
“No!” I yelled, jumping off the counter.
I ran to Adrian.
Except, he stopped me dead in my tracks with his lethal stare in my direction.
“Don’t,” he demanded.
I wanted to fall apart.
How could he deny me?
My heart was breaking.
