Page 44 of Quiet Confessions: Part Two

“He reminds me a lot of my dad,” Rooke says softly.

“We’re going to deal with that asshole really soon,” I promise him. “I don’t want you ever going back there. Nixen Reynolds is worse in some ways because he has an agenda and the Mafia contacts to make it happen. I’ve always been really careful around him, but honestly the worst thing that I thought could happen already did. I have no reason to be loyal to that man.”

“I don’t think your dad thought of it that way when he kidnapped me,” Rooke says gently.

“Or dropped Pay into Isabella’s lap,” Nate finishes.

“I’m betting that he didn’t think we’d find either one of you,” I sigh. “I’m done taking orders from him. However, I do have to marry Patience because of the will. I’m sorry, Rooke.”

“You’re fine,” he says, waving my words away. “I may have been worried when you were hiding me away, but you held my hand at school today. I think we’ll be fine.”

My chest hurts at the realization that I’ve been a really shitty boyfriend in the past. I was hiding my sexuality so much from my father and the world that I hurt the one person that I was trying to protect.

I suck. I’m honestly trying, though. Sharing isn’t something I’ve ever done very well.

“It was my honor to come out with you at school,” I tell him instead.

“You two are really adorable,” Nate chuckles as he gets out of the car once I park in the underground parking lot.

Patience: I need to beat something up. Can we spar?

I stare at my phone screen for a beat before smiling. I love that she reached out to me.

Me: Yeah, Pay. I’m in. Just got to the parking garage at home. Want to come down?

I always bring a change of clothes with me. Pulling up the schedule for the gym, I reserve a sparring ring for us.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Rooke teases. “The only reason I’m not jealous is because I’m pretty sure I know.”

Dropping my head back on the headrest, I continue to smile like a dope. “Patience asked me to spar with her. I have a feeling she’s still pissed after enacting her version of a rage room demolition in my dad’s office.”

"Happiness looks good on you, bro,” Nate says with a smirk while opening the car door. “She coming down here?"

“Yeah, I just reserved a ring. I’ll bring food back on my way home with her. I’m kind of in the mood for pasta, maybe some cannoli?” I suggest with a shrug.

“Fuck, yes. My hero,” Rooke groans, leaning in the back seat to kiss me upside down. I struggle not to make a sound, but as my pants start to tighten, I realize it’s a losing battle.

“My brother, the porn star,” Nate chuckles. I worry that Rooke might be upset, even though he’s joking, but Rooke just grins and gets out of the car.

“Bye, baby,” he says, walking to the elevator with my brother.

Patience steps out of the elevator in front of them, and I watch her closely as she interacts with them. She gives them each a hug and a kiss and walks to the car. She’s in tight workout gear, and I swear I almost swallow my tongue. Her sports bra should be illegal in five different states.

Slipping into the passenger seat, she gives me a feral grin. “Did you know that steel bats are super destructive when yielded properly?” she asks.

Snorting, I grin at her. “Please tell me that you took photos,” I beg as I put the car into drive.

Pulling her phone out of her tiny shorts, she leans in and shows me the photos. She really fucked up his office. Scrolling over the photos, I see there’s a photo of her posed with the bat, her lips pursed in a kiss. “That’s just for you, Cal,” she murmurs.

“Send it to me, baby girl,” I tell her, maneuvering out of the garage. “I want to fucking frame it.”

The giggles she gives me are the world’s best gift. I love her so much, and I want to give her everything. We just need to survive our insane lives first. I feel as if it’s been one thing after another. We can’t get a damn break.

The drive to the gym is one that we spend comfortably as she turns on some music. Pay sings softly to herself as we drive, and I’m reminded of simpler times. We did everything together. We practically lived at each other’s houses. I’m hoping we can make what we had even better.

“What are you thinking about?” she asks as we get out of the car. I have my duffle in my hand to change quickly, and I also have tape and such in there. I prefer my own.

“The past,” I grunt. “Before your dad died and all the bullshit happened. It’s dumb.”

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