Page 163 of Toxic Wishes

“I can’t believe you.” Tears started to fall, and that was always my weakness with Naomi. “So it all meant nothing. I mean, nothing? You’re letting a fucking troll get in the way of what we have?”

I look around, hoping no one is near to hear. She’s starting to cause a scene. I brush the small of her back, guiding her to the other end of the hallway.

“What we had wasn’t real Naomi. I’m sorry, but you only want to be with me because I’m an NFL player. Let’s be honest. You never even wanted to get close to Bodie, so what we have is ending because of you, not her.”

Anger settles in between her eyes. “You’ll regret this. Once you’re tired of fucking her in every position, I know you’ll want me back. It’s what you always do, Colt. And it’s not fair. I mean, I should be pissed. My cousin, of all people? How could you?”

“Funny, you were okay with it five minutes ago, even forgave me. Now you're not?”

“Ya, when I-.”

“When you thought your manipulation would work. Plus, it wasn’t planned, it just happened. It’s not like I premeditated this. And you want to know something? I’m not sorry because-” I hesitated, realizing the words that were about to come out of my mouth.

“What? You loved her?” She asked with a condescending tone. When I don’t answer, her eyes go wide.

“Are you fucking serious? You can’t be serious.”

“I am in love with her. Not loved.”

Her mouth falls open, and shock is written all over her face.

“If anything, I don’t deserve her. And that’s the truth.” I turn around and walk off as she lets the reality set in of what I just said.

“You’ll regret this!” She yells behind me, but I continue to walk out of there as fast as I can, putting my sunglasses back on my face.

As I leave the hotel, I run into my dad, and the force causes me to bounce back. When I turned to face him, he had a woman on his arm. As recognition sets in, he says, “Colt? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Dad, I was-” I look behind where he stood, processing how this night went nothing like I planned. “I was just leaving.”

“Is everything okay?” He says with a hint of concern behind his tone.

“Yeah. But will you do me a favor and make sure Naomi doesn’t try to go to Abigail’s room tonight? I told her it was over, for real this time, since she can’t get it in her head, we are never getting back together.”

“Maybe you need to play her the Taylor Swift song.” He says through a chuckle, looking at the woman on his arm and then reverting his gaze to me. I give him a stoic look, unamused.

He clears his throat. “ I was wondering what was happening with you two, but why would I need to?” He pauses. “Ooohhh, gotcha, yeah, Josh is right across from her room. We are on the same floor, too, so I’ll make sure he keeps an eye on her.”

I was so worried Naomi would try and do something stupid or say things to hurt her, and Abigail has been through enough shit, especially from her own family. I didn’t want to see her hurt anymore. I needed to get my head out of my ass and start living again. Abigail was right. The only way out was through. It was time to face it.

Dad’s lady friend walks towards the elevator doors. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute, babe.” He says to her, then faces me.

“I was hoping to get you alone so that I could ask. Did you ever listen to the album?”

“How did you know about that?” I take my sunglasses off.

“We’ve been working on it. Together.”

“You and Abigail?”

He nods.

“What does she have on you that you don’t want to go to the press?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on him.

“Is it that hard to believe I’m doing it out of the goodness of my heart?”

“Yeah. Impossible, actually, on the account that your heart only appears if there’s some fulfillment in it for you.” I grimaced.

He waves me off with his hand. “Sometimes Bodie joins in. He loves music just like—-Well, you know.”

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