Page 71 of I Do With You

But Sean? I know we’ve had our issues lately, but I never would’ve imagined he’d be this evil.

“For you, you fucking idiot!” he roars, scrubbing his hands over his face. “You were gonna tell her, and we both know it. Nothing I said last night changed that, so I took the hit.” He slams his palm to his chest, the sound hollow because he’s the fucking Tin Man. No heart, no soul, only darkness and pain coated in bitterness and biting sarcasm.

“I wanted to tell her in my own way,” I argue, not refuting that I was going to tell her. I wanted to do it with kindness, explaining the very important reasons for the secrecy, not whatever the hell Sean did.

“Yeah? Well, she showed up here, giving me the perfect opportunity to do it for you.” He arches his right brow, which confuses me.

He’s seeking, not destroying. But he sure destroyed any chance I had with Hope.

She looked devastated, and as much as I’m hurting, her pain is what cuts me the most. She’s been through so much and doesn’t deserveto be caught up in whatever Sean’s stirring up, especially right as she’s finding her footing.

“That was my right! My responsibility. I willneverforgive you for this. We’re done. Fuck off!” I hiss, turning to leave. I don’t know where I’m going, but I can’t be around him anymore. I’m afraid of what I’ll do. What I’ll say.

“It’s a test,” Sean calls out, and I stop, one hand on the door.

Glaring over my shoulder, I bark, “What?”

“It’s a test,” he repeats, which clarifies nothing. He crosses his arms over his chest defensively and glares right back. “You said you trust her, and though I don’t know her, I know you, and you don’t trust easily. She claims she’s trustworthy. Said she’s better than your mom, would choose you over any-fucking-thing else,” he says mockingly. “I’m testing that theory.”

He delivers the explanation coldly, but there’s some vital information there. He didn’t take the first opportunity to tell Hope. He talked to her.

He’s not an act-first, deal-with-the-fallout-later guy, as much as sometimes it feels as if that’s the case. Sean is smart, calculating, and shrewd. He’s the one who’s saved us countless times over the years by leading with his head when I led with my heart. He’s up to something, playing chess five steps ahead while I’m stuck at schoolyard hopscotch, stumbling as I try to avoid the rocks in my way. I need to catch up to his game, quickly. Unfortunately, he’s a diabolical genius, and I’m ... me.

“I didn’t need you to test her. I know her heart. When I told her, I would’ve helped her understand.”

“Yeah, well, right now, the bad news is, she failed the test. Spectacularly, crashing in a blaze of fiery glory. The worse news? Sheknows, and you’d better fix it so we’re not fucked. But at least if she does go and tell the world—ruining the band and any chance at performing you have—AMM will rain down hell, brimstone, and contract penalties on me, not you.”

Wait.

That’s it. That’s his angle.

He knew I was going to tell Hope, violating every rule and clause we have, and he’s protecting me from AMM’s wrath. We know what they can do. How far they’re willing to go. It’s why we’ve been circling the drain on the whole contract thing to begin with. As much as I’d like to say we could lawyer up and deal with it, AMM wouldn’t let it be that easy. They’re monsters.

And Sean doesn’t want them setting their sights on me because I told Hope the one thing I’m not allowed to share.

I narrow my eyes, my gaze hard and cold. “I see you, see what you’re doing.”

Sean scoffs. “I’m not doing shit.”

But he whirls around, giving me his back so I can’t read him. When he drops into the chair, his face is once again schooled into blank neutrality.

“Protecting me from AMM. It’s sweet. Misguided as hell, but sweet.”

“I’m not sweet,” Sean says, but I can see the crack in his mask forming. “I’m a cold motherfucker who wanted to fuck your shit up so you’d get your ass out of this shithole and back on tour, where you belong.”

He’s blustering in alady doth protest too muchway, but I hear the truth.

He does want me on tour, wants us to sort our issues out so that can happen. But he knows things have changed for me. Because of Hope.

In the twistiest of sick ways, he was ... helping me? Or probably thought he was, and his intentions matter. To me. Except that’s not how it’s played out. Hope’s gone and I can’t blame her for being furious.

“We’re really fucked up,” I tell him, collapsing to the couch. We’re through fighting. We have to be. And though we might not be poster children for how to handle a disagreement, our version of dysfunction works for us. It always has.

Sean shrugs, not caring.

“You hurt her and I will never forgive you for that,” I say firmly.

He nods. “Now what?”

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