Page 191 of Unleashed

“Greg...”

I shrug and glance up at him behind my sunglasses. “All that alcohol made me hot, and I stripped more than I should have. Okay? So you saw my ass. Who cares?”

His shaky smile veers hard into a frown. “I found you passed out on your back.”

With another sigh, I rub my forehead and close my eyes. “Christ Almighty. Of course you did.”

“Rhonda hasn’t said, but I gather what happened between you.”

“You know what they say about assuming.”

“You’re aware of what I saw that confirms my suspicions.”

Clenching my jaw, I drop my hand and glare at him, though my sunglasses mute it. “And drunk, I still was a responsible adult.”

He shakes his head, pursing his lips. “I don’t like this.”

I lick my lips as I glance inside the apartment. “Please don’t make this a bigger deal than it is.”

Amos’s face reddens. “But it is, Greg. So many people have hurt Rhonda. I know how she feels about you. I also know that you know this. I hazard to speculate that you took advantage of that.” Fuck.

“I screwed up! No shocker there! But I didn’t force her to do anything.”

“But you knew she’d do anything.”

I scratch my chin, unable to argue that without sounding like a colossal douchebag. “It’s not like we’re running off to get married. We’re friends. Sometimes friends do stupid shit when drunk.”

“Greg, do not trivialize what you did with Rhonda. I will disclose that this isn’t easy for her.”

“She’s upset?” Amos doesn’t answer, but his beady-eyed stare says enough. “Can I talk to her before you leave?”

He nods. “I’d prefer it.”

I mumble, “Damn it,” before walking through the door with a sigh and lifting my sunglasses. A worn couch and armchair in the living room probably came with the place. The walls are bare, but I don’t know if they’ve always been that way. The rooms are dark from the lack of windows at the front and sides of the building. It’s creepy.

I peek into the kitchen, but it’s empty, so I go around it and down the hall to the first door on the left. Through the cracked door, I hear panting and sniffing. Shit. I tap on the door with my fingertips and push it open. Rhonda whips her face from the window, but after seeing me, she turns back to it, wiping her cheeks. Her shoulders shake, but she tries to hide her sobs behind her hand.

“Ronnie, I...uh...” I close the door so Amos doesn’t eavesdrop and walk over to her, hesitant about what to do or say.

All that remains in the room is an empty twin bed and a dresser. Does she own any furniture? I inhale and say, “Last night shouldn’t have happened. It’s my fault.” Rhonda cries harder, and I feel like an utter failure. “I wish I could say the right thing, but you should know by now that I’m a jackass extraordinaire and fuck up beyond the pale of reason.”

She shakes her head. “Last night was... I won’t forget what we did, and I don’t regret it. But you do. I’m very sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. I don’t regret it, but I wish it wouldn’t have happened with us being trashed.”

Rhonda’s blue eyes rise to mine. “We wouldn’t have done that if you were sober. I know I’m not who you want, but the entire experience changed me somehow. I wish I could be more like Hadley or...” She cringes and wipes her face with her fingers. “Thank you for making me feel like a woman. I guess like that song. I’ve never felt that way with a man before, and you did that for me.” Rhonda puts her hands over the middle of her chest. “We may have been drunk, but you still treated me with respect and encouraged me to let go. It means so much to me, Greg.” That’s the most Rhonda has ever spoken to me in the same breath.

I blow out a heavy sigh, unsure how to respond to that. It would be insensitive to thank her for the sex. I feel like I should say more, but I’m tapped out, to be honest, sailing closer to that fucking drain.

Tears cling to Rhonda’s cheeks and eyelashes. Her pretty eyes drop from my face. “I probably should leave now. Uncle Amos and I have a lot to do. He’s staying a couple of days there to help me. He also wants to visit the bar.”

I nod as the lump in my throat grows to the size of a boulder. My headache throws a fucking parade while my heart stampedes behind it. I’ll never make it through today with what’s left of my questionable sanity.

Rhonda sighs before looking back up at me. A teary smile emerges as she reaches up and traces her fingers between my eyebrows. “There’s your upside-down V. Not a dunce cap. Never. You’ll make an awesome lawyer, Greg Rodwell. You’ve been an awesome friend to me, and I’ll never forget that.”

Rhonda leans in and hugs me, and sudden tears drown my eyes. How can she be so nice to me? I ignored her for years and badmouthed her to Hadley when she suggested I date Rhonda. How could I use her body for a pity fuck to stop me from ripping out my throbbing heart and hurling it into traffic?

I rest my chin on the top of her head and try to will my tears away and open my throat so I can toss Ronnie a decent fucking goodbye.

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