Page 4 of His Daggered Heart

Alex

Aweekofclassesfly by and Cora has been unreachable. I couldn’t even see where she was on our location tracker. I’m worried but not enough to call Edward. “Fucking douche.” The summer session is only six weeks long and there are only three weeks left of it.

A snore loud enough to be Shrek’s fills the air. I must say that is my least favorite thing about Levi. I shove a pillow over his face

“You sound like an ogre.” His muffled words escape the pillow and I remove it. “What was that, Shrek?”

“I said, well damn, darlin’, you could have just told me. You don’t have to try and kill me.”

I laugh, shoving the pillow back in his face. “I could never kill you. I would miss your Southern cooking too much.”

“Oh, is that right? Just my cooking?” His big body throws the blankets off, and they land on top of me.

“You ass,” I yelp as I feel his hand searching for me in the blankets and I panic. I know what he’s doing so I start to squirm. I need to escape. “Don’t even think about it, Levi Carter! I will punch you in the eye.”

“In the eye? Oh no,” he says, false fear in his tone.

It’s right then that I feel his fingers tickling my sides and I double over. Only two people know this but I have two tickle spots that make me go batshit crazy and pee my pants laughing. Levi found out by accident when we were posing for a picture. The only other person who knows is Cora and she knows not to ever try it.

Booming laughter fills the room and a door slams, bringing our attention to it. A fuming Cora stands there, eyes blazing. “What the fuck, Alex?” is all that leaves her mouth and my eyes go wide with panic. I’m not scared of much in this world but having Cora upset with me is one of the things I fear most. Mainly because she is all I have in the world.

“Cora, this isn’t what it looks like.” She huffs and stomps out into the hallway, so I get up to follow. “Stay here,” I whisper.

“You don’t have to tell me twice, sugar.” I roll my eyes and he winks.

“Such a brave cowboy,” I say with sarcasm dripping from my lips as I clasp my hands together in front of my heart like a Disney princess in love.

I walk into Cora’s room and she isn’t in it, so I turn towards the hallway restroom and see shadows under the door. I knock softly. “Cora, can we talk?”

She doesn’t respond but I hear the lockclick.I turn the knob of our creaky restroom door and walk in. She’s undressing as I make my way to sit on the toilet. I feel like I’m in trouble but why should I be? I’m single and I shouldn’t have to explain who Levi is.

“Are you honestly mad at me?” She looks down at me and shakes her head. “Then what’s wrong? If you aren’t mad, then why did you walk away before I could explain?”

She moves around me to get into the shower as she starts to explain. “I just really thought you and Kohen were a sure thing.” Tears fill her eyes and my heart aches.

“Well, so did I, Cora.” She holds one hand up to me as she washes the tears away under the water.

“I guess I just thought you guys would make up. I didn’t think you would move on so quickly. He’s devastated.”

He’s devastated.

“He’sdevastated?“ I practically yell. “Wow, Cora, you aremybest friend, and here I am, thinking it’s me you’re worried about, but it’s him!”

Her eyes widen. “Well, of course, I care about you, but-”

“Stop!” I shout. “There are no buts, Cora. This is me and you, best friends through thick or thin. You should have my back. He left. He chose to leave. He gave up because I’m too fucking hard to love and too fucking broken to be repaired.” Tears are streaming down my face now. I’m angry and hurt. What do hurt people do? They hurt other people.

“Yes, Alex, but part of me having your back means I also point out when you are in the wrong.”

“Yeah, well, same goes for you. I think you are wrong for still being with that fucking idiot Edward. You don’t love him and he damn sure doesn’t love you.” A knock taps at the door.

“Alex, you okay, sugar?”

“Yeah, Levi, I’ll be right there, but grab our shit. We’re leaving.”

“Alex, come on. Don’t leave,” Cora says.

“You know what, Cora? It’s nobody’s business who I choose to repair myself with. I may have been broken already but Kohen shattered what was left when he gave up on me. So I make no apologies. Levi is a great guy and he meets me where I am, he doesn’t treat me like I’m a landmine.”

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