Page 65 of What I Should Have Known

“Don’t say a fucking word,” I hissed in his direction.

“Who is he?” Kat asked, tossing a thumb at Ford. She quickly looked back at him. “Who are you?”

“Ford,” he answered, and she rolled her eyes, sighing heavily.

“One word? That’s it?” She paused and pinched her brows together for a moment. “Wait, I know you! You were there at the bar too!”

Ford and I nodded. This exchange had me all sorts of confused. I knew what she was doing here. I wanted to disappear somewhere alone with her, but also wanted to stay here in the wide open with Ford and my brother because that meant I wouldn’t do something extremely irrational. Plus, being caught with her would not only fuel Wyatt’s suspicions but possibly get her hurt. But when she got all sassy like…

It was extremely difficult to argue when her fiery attitude came out since all I wanted to do was find relief by burying my teeth into her skin. I’d get on my knees for her in a heartbeat, all she needed to do was ask.

She tipped her head, drawing my attention back to the present as her lashes fluttered briefly over her eyes that were latched onto mine. “Brother or boyfriend?”

“Brother,” Raiden answered for us from the couch.

“Your mom’s never said anything about another son,” Kat continued, her gaze scanning Ford from head to toe. “And you don’t look a thing like Bernie or Raiden.”

“We’re not blood-related,” Ford replied, lifting his chin, and then his grin suddenly grew even wider. “Hold the fuck up. You’re the girl dumbass here hit with a bottle cap.” Ford tossed a thumb at me.

“Yes, I am,” she replied and returned her snarky glare toward me.

“I already apologized, damn,” I said with a shake of my head.

Ford chuckled. “What a small fucking world.”

“So, you two haven’t… you know?” she cautiously asked.

“Nope,” I replied.

“Ever?” she added, raising a brow.

“Never. He’s not my type,” I stated, and she clicked her tongue.

“Why not? He’s hot,” she casually tossed out with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Yeah, why am I not your fucking type? I’m hot,” Ford asked, raising a brow at me.

“You’ve never called me hot.” I blinked rapidly in Kat’s direction.

“Eh, average at best,” she replied without hesitation, and my mouth fell open as Ford clutched his chest, flopped backward, and boomed with laughter.

“Kat’s hated him since day one, if you can’t tell,” Raiden called out from the couch with a grin.

Ford roared even louder with laughter as I closed my eyes and shook my head, unable to stop the smile from lifting on my lips. At least that wasn’t true anymore, but now wasn’t the time to say shit to Raiden. Allowinghim to think that she still hated me would make the ending of Kat and me easier. Even if I begged to no one, to the universe, to whatever was bigger than me, to allow more to us than just this, I knew I couldn’t have it.

I wanted more than just this sloppy shit I’d dug myself into, but I wasn’t sure how to build a ladder to get myself out of it. Or more importantly, how to keep her safe with me around. There was nothing but pain and anguish coming her way the longer she was with me. The closer that our lives became intertwined, entangled in this crazy web we weaved, the more heartbreak there would be.

Especially once she allowed herself to truly sit with the fact that I wasn’t deserving of such an incredible woman as she was.

But damn did I want to shout from the rooftops that I’d be a better man for her than Wyatt ever was.

For a third time within a matter of an hour, the wooden frame of the front door rattled with a knock. Raiden shot up from the couch and raced across the floor. Without hesitation, he ripped it open and sighed in absolute relief.

“Fina-fucking-ly,” he muttered, which only caused Ford to bellow with laughter again.

Charlotte’s hair, left in a naturally beautiful afro, rippled slightly as she took a startling step back at the sound. “What the?” She gasped and slapped a hand over her chest. “Who is that? What is going on here?” Her dark brown eyes darted around the kitchen at what had to be a rather strange sight—an unknown man, me shirtless, and Kat in a gorgeous sundress with Raiden at the door.

I gave her a smile. “Hey, Charlotte.”

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