Page 39 of F Is for Honey Bee

If Arlo hadn’t said anything about Jonah dating Kijani, Jonah might have decided he was overreacting. To an outsider, it really would look like the guy was just being a good friend. So far, Arlo hadn’t done anything overt that would rouse any suspicion.

Stopping by to visit Jonah. Hanging out with him at work. That all seemed innocent enough.

But no one else other than Flint had experienced Arlo’s unnerving vibe. No one else was aware Arlo knew details he shouldn’t. If Jonah went to the police right now, what would he say? “My ex-boyfriend, who I thought was now my friend, is obsessively concerned about me and keeps dropping by without an invitation. Please arrest him.”

It would be Jonah’s word against Arlo’s, and with no proof…

But Kijani would believe him.

The doorbell rang three times in a row. Arlo wasn’t going to leave until Jonah answered. With no other choice, Jonah stood. Then raced to his garage to retrieve his phone, only to find the car doors were locked. It was then that he remembered he had left his keys on the kitchen counter.

Jonah really should have gotten that guard dog the moment he’d thought about it. Although he had Kijani, his mate was at work, which did Jonah absolutely no good right now.

A dog would have been in the house with Jonah, defending him against the psycho on his porch.

Since his doors and windows were locked, Jonah reversed course for the kitchen to retrieve his keys but, once again, stopped dead in his tracks.

This time because he heard the sound of a key turning in his lock. That couldn’t be possible. He’d never given anyone a key to his house. Unless… His blood ran cold as he realized Arlo must have known where he kept the spare.

Jonah couldn’t remember the last time he’d checked to make sure the key was still there. Since everyone knew about fake rocks, he’d meant to find a new hiding spot, but had never gotten around to it.

Jonah was breathing too fast, his eyes wide, and his muscles locked up tight as the front door slowly opened. He took a step back and then another as Arlo walked in and shut the door behind him.

Locking it.

“Have a seat on the couch,” Arlo said softly. “You look like you’re going to faint.” They began an awkward dance. With every step Jonah took backward, Arlo took one forward. “I only came by to check on you.”

“With your own key?” Jonah was sick of hearing how all Arlo wanted to do was check on him. It had become his go-to statement every time Arlo saw him.

“Jesus, Jonah. You went home sick and wouldn’t answer your door or phone.” Arlo looked pained. “What if you were lying unconscious on the floor? Yes, I knew about the spare, but I never used it before today.”

The air was charged with tension, like a taut wire about to snap.

“Get out of my house,” Jonah said through gritted teeth.

“You don’t mean that.” Arlo scratched at the side of his jaw. “Flint just fucked your head up. He’s got you thinking bad is good and everyone is as unbalanced as he is.”

Bad is good? “He told me there was something off about you.” Fear and bile mingle in his throat, making it difficult to swallow.

“Because he was trying to sabotage our reconciliation.” Arlo’s expression darkened. “Now that deputy is trying to do the same. Ever since you spread your legs for him, you’ve been treating me like shit.” His voice rose in volume. “I don’t deserve that!”

Jonah spun and bolted toward the kitchen. But before he could make it, Arlo lunged forward and caught his legs, sending them both crashing to the floor. In an instant, Arlo scrambled up Jonah’s body and planted himself firmly on top of him.

“Get off me!” Jonah struggled against Arlo’s hold, gasping for air as their bodies pressed together in a tangled mess.

“That’s always been your problem,” Arlo spat back. “You’d rather run than face your issues head-on.”

How was Arlo so strong when he lacked muscles? Jonah fought to get the guy off of him, only for Arlo to pin him down harder, making it difficult for him to breathe.

“You broke up with me without ever giving us a chance,” Arlo snarled, his words punctuated by the forceful shove of his forearm into the back of Jonah’s neck. “For two months after that, I couldn’t eat or sleep. I was a wreck. And when I finally pulled out of my funk, I find out you got Flint all up in your life.”

“I did try with you, but even you admitted you weren’t a great boyfriend and things didn’t work out between us,” Jonah shot back. “You have to let this go.”

A strangled, animalistic sound tore from Arlo’s throat as he grabbed a fistful of Jonah’s hair and slammed his head into the floor. Pain burst inside Jonah’s skull. “You just use guys then wreck them!”

“I’ve never used anyone! You and Flint were already wrecked in the head. You’re a piece of shit, and so was he!” Jonah bucked and twisted but couldn’t get Arlo off him. “You only thought of yourself while disregarding my feelings. I was always the one rearranging my schedule to accommodate your whims. It was always whatever you wanted or needed, without any consideration for me. And if I ever dared to spend time away from you, you threw a childish fit!”

Jonah howled when Arlo slammed his head against the hard floor with even more force. The impact sent a sharp pain through Jonah’s skull, threatening to split it open. “Why couldn’t you just cater to your man like my mom did for my dad?”

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