Page 54 of Falling for my Best Friend

As soon as her breathing slowed, she turned her head and pressed her ear to my chest. “I’m sorry I dragged you into that. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

I put my hands on her shoulders and leaned back so I could look at her. “Dragged me into what? What’s going on?”

She shook her head. “He’s out of control. Like he doesn’t know that no means no, ya know?”

“No, I don’t know.” I walked her over to the chairs by the front window and sat her down. “What happened?”

“He’s just a fucking pervert. I told him to take his hands off me. I told him I was going to call the cops, and he- he-” she hiccupped.

“He what?” I asked. “Did he hurt you?”

“He told me I wasn’t going to call anybody and then- then-”

“Spit it out.”

She lifted her watery eyes towards me. “That’s when you showed up.”

I grabbed her and pulled her against my chest again, regretting that I hadn’t broken his nose when I had the chance... Or at least his arms so he’d have no choice but to keep them to himself. “I’m so sorry, Luce.”

“You don’t need to be sorry. It’s my fault. Fiona asked me if I wanted her to stay, and I told her to go home and order pizza.”

I shook my head. “You need to readjust your priorities.”

“I know,” she said, straightening back up.

“Has this kind of thing happened before?”

She shrugged. “It happens all the time but-”

“What do you mean it happens all the time?”

“Like he’s always copping a feel when he shouldn’t but-”

“What?! Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

She put her hands in her lap. “It’s not the kind of thing you tell people.”

“Yes it is,” I said. “It is definitely the kind of thing you tell people.”

“Usually it’s harmless though. Like he’s never been aggressive like that so I just put up with it because I know it’s only temporary. As soon as I have my own place, I won’t have to deal with his shit.”

“Is it just you he’s inappropriate with?”

She shook her head.

“For fuck’s sake Lucy-”

“Please calm down, okay? This is my problem. You have enough to worry about.”

“Nothing I have going on is more important than you being safe at work.”

“I can take it from here. You’ve done enough. Honestly, the guy is a total coward. You playing along just now probably sorted him out.”

“I want you to promise me that if he doesn’t cut it out, you’ll tell me.”

“I promise.”

“Cause I really will break every bone in his body if that’s what it takes to keep him from harassing you.”

She smiled. “I know, Aiden. Thanks.”

I sighed. So much for feeling better. I was coursing with so much adrenaline I was flying.

Then again, maybe that was a good thing. Maybe a little perspective was exactly what I needed. After all, I was way more pissed at Chuck than I was at Chelsea. And now that I’d had a chance to think about it, I realized that nothing Chelsea did or didn’t do could ever hurt me as much as someone hurting Lucy would hurt me.

Lucy was a like a limb to me, an extension of myself.

Which is why upChuck better hope he never runs into me again.

Because there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her.

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