Page 112 of Diem

No sooner do the words leave his mouth than Diem is looming over us. His arctic gaze hurts my soul, but I push it aside. Focus is the name of the game. Diem is a distraction that I don’t need.

“Isn’t this cozy?” Diem sneers and Bone stiffens around me.

“What’s up, bro?” Bone says and I pat his chest.

“I’m good if you need to do, um business,” I murmur.

Bone eyes me with a flinty stare and I bow my head. I know I’m causing trouble but what else can I do? Besides, it’s none of Diem’s damn business. He expressed his disdain quite clearly, now he can go straight to hell.

Diem chuffs and says, “Yeah, let’s talkbusiness, bro.”

I wince at his acidic tone as Bone stands and follows him to the corner of the building. From here, I can’t see what they’re saying but it’s clear Diem is lighting into him while Bone stands with a stoic frown. Guilt burns my sternum, but I rationalize that finding out who put the rabbit’s foot on Penny’s car is more important.

Finally, they break away and I exhale shakily when they approach. It’s a painful fucking truth but being in Diem’s presence still lights my soul on fire…but all the while, my chest aches with the betrayal he dumped on me before walking away.

Diem stops before me and Bone slides back onto the bench. Although he doesn’t touch me this time, he sits closer than normal and I relax before Diem says, “You wanna die, bro?”

With a lazy smile, its clear to see is forced, Bone says, “I’m fine thanks. Maybe you should worry about your own, feel me?”

Shuddering at the reminder, I raise my chin. Diem meets my flinty gaze with a stone-cold expression before his lips pull into a sneer. “You definitely have a death wish. And I know just how to take care of my own, youfeelme?”

The tension surrounding the small table ratchets my anxiety and licking my lips, I interject before Diem loses his shit and Bone suffers for my lies, “Why are you even here, Diem? Did you change your mind about my greedy eyes?”

His nostrils flare and he clenches his jaw before dropping his palms to the table and leaning forward. I rear back, in defense of my heart because his proximity jumbles my inside.

Of course, he smirks but I see no triumph behind his stare, only sheer fucking determination when he says, “Sweetheart, if you want to stare at me with those pretty eyes while I fuck you, I’m game.”

The words send a dirty thrill through me but I’m not a piece of meat. Dick.

Bone is quiet beside me when I stand and wave my finger in his face. “Fucking you is my greatest regret, so you’ll have to go back to that bitch and hope she’s what you really wanted.”

Diem stands, his eyes wide before they narrow, and he rounds the table. Bracing for impact, I gasp when Bone stands and says, quickly, “C’mon bro. You don’t want to do this.”

Diem pauses, searching Bone’s expression before the life seems to seep out of him and he bows his head. Strangely, my heart hurts for his defeat but I shore that shit up when he curses and strides away. Watching him go, I silently sigh when he doesn’t look back.

For hating my supposed obsession, Diem sure likes to intervene in my life. Why? Because he does care? Is my brother the wall between us? Or does Diem like the chase?

I guess I’ll never know because I don’t plan on asking the fucker.

“You sure you don’t want to tell him?” Bone says and I collapse back to the bench.

“Diem has other shit to worry about,” I mumble, and he chuckles, grabbing my chin.

“What?”

“Maeve, the only thing Diem seems to worry about is you.” With that, he rises and holds out his hand.

Relieved, I take it and stand. We part ways with his word to do some digging and with a weird twinge in my heart, I ignore his statement, hopeful that I might actually find some answers.

I guess I should have been more careful with my wishes because sometimes, you get what you ask for in spades and you can’t fucking take it back.

∞∞∞

It’s like deja vu when Matt approaches me in the parking lot the following day. He looks terrible but the girl whose heart still aches at his cruel words finds a certain amount of satisfaction.

Now if only someone would give Diem a dose of his own medicine. Ha!

I don’t really want to speak to him while I’m still processing everything, but I fear if I don’t, he’ll only get worse. I miss my friend. A thought that makes me smile bitterly because I’ve been saying that a lot these days.

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