Page 61 of On the Line

Ozzy takes a menacing step toward him, and he skitters backward on his ass.

“If you think that was bad, know that James told me what you and your friend did to her. And if you ever so much asthinkabout her, or tell a soul what happened tonight, remember that I can make what I just did to you look like child’s play next time.”

Zachary lets out a small sob in response, snot drippingdown his face. He nods profusely while pushing himself up with his uninjured hand

He doesn’t dare look at me before slinking away.

As soon as he’s out of sight, Ozzy turns to me and drags me back inside, slamming the door behind us. He yanks me into his arms.

I realize I’m shaking.

Letting me go, he cradles my face with his hands, peering into my eyes. “Are you okay?” His words sound so tender that I crack. I shatter like fragile glass and begin to sob.

He tugs me back into his arms and I don’t fight it, melting into his embrace while I try to gulp back my tears, but it's futile. “I’m fine,” I mumble into his chef’s jacket. “I’m fine.”

I repeat the words over and over again, hoping that saying them might prevent the dark hole hovering above me from swallowing me up.

“You’re safe,” he says into my hair, squeezing me into him as if terrified to let me go. “I’m so sorry, James. I shouldn’t have done that in front of you. You shouldn’t have seen that.”

I’m still shaking. Freezing but also so numb. “It’s not that … I don’t care that you—I just …”

The words just don’t seem to form. Ozzy softly shushes me, trying to calm me down and have me take a deep breath. I do, and the familiar scent of blackcurrant and tea from his cologne manages to ground me somewhat.

His lips graze mine and I slowly feel less cold. I grab hold of his jacket near his waist, pulling him into me hard. The adrenaline still pumping through our veins adds urgency to the kiss, our lips wet with my tears. I want to lose myself in this feeling, but eventually, Ozzygently pushes me away. His expression racked with concern.

“Come on, let me drive you home,” he whispers.

I shake my head, my gaze fixed on his comforting blue-green eyes. “Can I stay with you?”

His face softens. “Of course.”

24

JAMES

Iwake up in Ozzy’s arms. I barely remember him bringing me to his place. By then, I was just a blur of heightened emotions, but I still fell asleep quickly when he curled his lithe body around mine in bed. But first, I made sure to turn off my locations on my phone.

I should have known …

Should have suspected Zachary wasn’t above tampering with my privacy.

I lay still, pretending to be asleep as I focus on Ozzy’s chest rising and falling against my back. His warm body next to mine feels almost … too good to be true.

It’s a confusing feeling.

Last night left me fragmented.

Zachary got what was coming to him—Ozzy didn’t do anything wrong.

But there’s a hard pit burrowing a hole through my stomach, nonetheless.

I can’t seem to pinpoint the root cause of it. Maybe I just need time to process.

Not only about what happened yesterday, but everything that happened with OzzyandZachary leading up to now. I’ve become an accumulation of bad experiences which makes this unnameable guilt tighten around my throat—I’m not even sure where it’s stemming from. My emotions feel muddled and everything is feeling all too much.

I just need some time alone to figure it all out.

Carefully, I pull the duvet off of me and lift Ozzy’s arm away before sitting up. He stirs but doesn’t wake up. I’m wearing another one of his shirts again. I consider wearing it home but decide against it, leaving it neatly folded on the bed. Finding my work clothes on a wooden chair in the corner of the bedroom, I put them on.

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