Page 48 of Covetous

It looks like she’s considering it, and a part of me hopes she does. I have a lot to make up for where our friendship is concerned. And we could both use each other right now. “Nah,” she finally says. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Are you sure? We have two whole days left.”

She nods. “Victor and I don’t hate each other.”

“So it wasn’t a bad breakup, then.”

“No. It wasn’t bitter or anything.”

My shoulders release their tension. “That’s good.”

“But it’s…sad. So fucking sad,” she chokes out, and I reach for her hand, which she takes. “And even though I knew something’s been off between us, I wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.”

“Off? Like how?”

“We haven’t had sex in over a month, for one.”

Seriously? As sexual as they were in the beginning, I assumed they were still connecting in that way.

“At first, he stopped initiating it—which was weird because his sex drive is insane. I thought maybe the whole open relationship thing had backfired, and he was getting most of his needs met elsewhere. But then he told me he’d stopped having sex with other girls, but that I could still have sex with other guys if I wanted to. We probably should’ve broken up then because what guy says that? He didn’t even want to watch. He never even asked if I was sleeping with anyone else. It’s like he didn’t care.”

“I’m sure that’s not it.”

“I mean, I had hope in us…still do.” You do? “I told myself there had to be another reason for his dry spell since he wasn’t sleeping around.”

“What do you think it was?”

She gives me a long look. “He was still getting you out of his system.”

I sputter, unable to get the words out. “That’s not…What you…I?—”

“Stop. Just…stop.” She rises from her chair and paces a few feet away, keeping her back to me as she stares at the ocean with her hands on her hips. That’s it. I’ve lost her—my sister from another mother, my best friend, and it’s all my fault. “I know you didn’t sleep with him. I know you wouldn’t do that to me. Neither would he. You guys wouldn’t hurt me like that.”

“We wouldn’t. We didn’t. It was never even an option—for either of us. I swear, we’re just friends.”

“I saw you two.”

I stiffen. “What are you…” My voice trembles. “What are you talking about? Saw us? Where?”

“At the house. Before we left for the airport.” She looks over her shoulder at me, her brows raised as if daring me to lie.

I wince. “We shouldn’t have been that close. I know what it looked like.”

“What were you guys talking about?”

I give her all the details, not leaving anything out about how mad Victor was at Ian’s behavior toward me at the lounge.

“What’s it to him?”

“He has three sisters, so it hits home for him. He just wanted to make sure that I was okay and that I was safe in my relationship.”

“So you’re saying you’re like a sister to him?” Her tone is biting. Even the chuckle that follows is harsh.

“No, E. Not like that. But I am his sister’s friend. And I’m your friend.”

She looks back toward the sea. “Good luck with your relationship, Sky. I hope it works out.” With that, she stomps away, walking to the edge of the ocean, where she stands with her head down, letting the waves wash over her feet.

Chapter Seventeen

---