Page 101 of Bad Blood

She lolls her head to the side, glaring at me, her brown eyes frustrated. “And I always seem to have a front-row seat for the shitshow. Why can’t you two grow up?”

I throw my hands up. “In my defense, I haven’t been on your shitlist in forever.”

“True, but your offense is ongoing.”

“What do you expect me to say to that?” There’s a surge of disappointment, knowing she’s right. I made the mistake of letting Dani into my life, and I have to live with the fallout.

“Nothing. Just here to remind you.” Bree smiles, referencing the restraining order fiasco.

“Because I don’t beat myself up enough over it every day?”

“Just doing my job.”

Dani has always taken things to the extreme. I shouldn’t have let our arrangement get out of control, but when she came calling, I was always there to answer. I had no intention of taking advantage of her and didn’t know she had different ideas about what would happen between us. Plus, I sorta overlooked her obsession with me because my ego got in the way.

After explaining to her how I’d like to stay friends and how I’d see her around, I never imagined she would take things as far as she did.

“Whatever,” I say, knowing I’m being a colossal pain in the ass. I cross my arms over my chest, hoping Bree will take the hint and disappear.

“What I said earlier,” she says, waiting for a beat, “moving is unnecessary. It would make my life a whole helluva lot easier, but I won’t make you move because you keep sticking your head up your ass.”

“Well, thanks.”

“You know I’m looking out for you. Once the restraining order is up, there’s not much we can do.”

“How long do we have?” I ask, knowing I should have the answer, but it slips my mind. Bree probably mentioned it before, and I missed it.

“Your lawyer said two months.” She throws her legs over the side of the chair and settles her chin on her palm. “Just double-checking because he asked. You didn’t touch her, right?”

I replay what happened on the elevator, and my heart somersaults to my toes. Sweat clings to my skin. I drop my head in my hand, squeezing my eyes shut.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Bree throws her hands in the air. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

I shake my head.

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

I look at her with wide eyes and no answers.

She leans toward me and grabs me by the shoulders. “What in the fuck happened?”

“She wouldn’t stop talking and said something she shouldn’t have, and I wasn’t thinking—I just acted.”

“And that’s what got you into this mess in the first place.”

“I know that,” I bite through clenched teeth.

She glares at the sky, shaking her head back and forth. “That much is obvious. Dax”—she pauses for effect, holding her hands to either side of her face—“listen to me. If she shows up—you leave. If she talks—you ignore her. If she touches you—fucking run in the other direction. Do you understand?”

I already feel stupid enough for putting us back in a situation where something else could happen.

Bree’s condescending tone grates at my nerves, but she’s right. Why do I keep finding myself in these situations?

“We don’t have enough cause to get another restraining order when this one’s up. This isn’t just about you at this point. Don’t you get that? Now that she has ammo against you, do you think a judge will vote in your favor? What the fuck?” She stands, throwing her hands in the air. She paces beside the pool.

What do I say? A million excuses fill my mind, and none are good enough. Bree’s right, one hundred percent, but I can’t take back what happened. I wish I could, but I can’t change what I did yesterday or five years ago.

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