I slammed my way into the locker room and took a good look at myself in the mirror. This was my fault. If I hadn’t been such a pussy, I could have gotten a date with her, I could have shown her who I really was. But instead, I was playing this stupid fucked up long game. Not anymore.
“I didn’t know. And in my defense, I would have known if you would have talked about it and communicated with me like an adult. I would have known to swipe left on her if you’d just told me something when I was asking the other day. How was I supposed to know?”
“You kissed her.” I was hyper-fixated on that one fact.
He shrugged as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yes, and I guess that explains why she’s living in the same building as your brother.”
“Do you want to see her again?” That was all that mattered. If Audrey wanted to date my friend, so be it. I could be the bigger person, right? I could stand aside for their happiness. I stared at myself in the mirror and I knew I was telling myself lies. I would drink myself into oblivion if I had to see them together.
“Even if I did want to see her again, I wouldn’t because now I know the truth.” He smacked his hand down on my shoulder. “Get cleaned up, go another round in the ring if you need to but please, try not to attack anyone again today.”
“Fuck.”I muttered to myself again.
No matterwhat I did that rest of the day, I couldn’t stop myself from going to Ace’s that night. I would be damned if she went on another date. I knew she was going to go on another date eventually and I couldn’t handle the thought of her going out again. I would prevent it. I would distract her. I would stop her from leaving, I didn’t care what I had to do. I would lock her in her room if I needed to.
Ace opened the door and I immediately shoved past him. I held my hand up as I stormed up the stairs. He was right on my heels. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I didn’t care what he had to say. I didn’t bother with replying. My mind was on one track.
“She’s getting ready for a date.”
Once again, I didn’t care. I would do whatever I could in my power to keep her home tonight, consequences be damned.
Knocking? What’s that? I breezed right into her room as if I owned the place. Every rational thought was right out of the window. I no longer cared about anything.
Carina sat up from her bed frowning. “What are you doing here?”
“Out!” I pointed to the door.
Her black eyebrows shot up on her forehead. “Excuse me?”
“What’s going on?” Audrey poked her head out of the bathroom, a mascara wand in one hand and the tube in the other. Her lips opened in surprise as she looked at me in the doorway. Ace standing right behind me.
“Doom and gloom in here thinks he can kick me out.”
“Are you okay?” She closed the mascara and leaned in the doorway. She was wearing a short black dress and once again, all rational thought was gone. All I wanted to do was tear it off of her but I needed her to know I wanted more. I needed more. A simple fuck wasn’t enough. It would never, ever be enough when it came to her. I just didn’t know how to convince her. I didn’t know how to do any of this. I was so fucked.
“No, I need to speak to you,” I pleaded.
Carina got off of the bed. I was sure Ace was giving her all kinds of faces behind my back. I didn’t care. Whatever I could do to get Audrey alone.
Audrey gave Carina a funny look. “I’ll be okay. Go on, we will chat later.”
The door closing behind me was the loudest sound I’d ever heard. All I wanted to do was rush across the space between us and take her in my arms, but I couldn’t. Even though my rational thoughts were gone, I still had to play my cards right. I wanted her—no—neededher.
“Does Axel mean anything to you?” It was the first question of many.
“What? How do you?” She recovered quickly, shaking her head. “Whatever, no, it was a nice date, but there weren’t any sparks.”
Relief coursed through my blood. I could breathe again but I wasn’t done.
“Do you have feelings for me?”
She opened her mouth and then closed it. “What’s going on?”
“Do you feel something for me?” My words came out more guttural this time. I was done with the games. I just wanted honest answers.
“I feel nothing.” It came out a squeak and it was the least convincing answer she’d ever given me. I saw the way her eyesdarkened in that car. I felt the electricity between us. She could deny it all she wanted to.