Page 113 of Diem

His brown eyes meet mine and he smiles sheepishly causing the wound in his lip to crack and bleed. “Mae…I’m…I’m sorry.”

Looking away, I nibble my lip. I know I have a part to play in this because I should’ve told him from the get-go how I felt. I’ve been a jerk and while it doesn’t excuse his behavior, it does explain some of it.

“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But what you did…”

Clenching his jaw, he bows his head, kicking the pebbles at our feet. “It was a shitty thing to do. I don’t have a good excuse but I’m hoping you’ll forgive me.”

I’ve forgiven a lot more for Diem, which is why I search his forlorn expression and say softly, “Maybe. I just need a little time, you know?”

My stomach flips when he nods, avoiding my gaze and I reach out to touch his arm as he says, “Okay, I get it.”

I hope he does because I’ve learned my lesson a thousand-fold, forgiveness isn’t always about being generous. Sometimes you have to earn that shit.

I’m left hanging in the wind when Harriet appears behind him and to my shock, she squeezes under his arm. Dropping my hand, I spy Matt stiffen minutely before wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Shit. Is he using her to get back at me? I fucking hope not. Not much I can do though. I suspect Harriet wouldn’t believe me if I tried to explain.

Does she know he slept with me not so long ago?

“Hey,” Harriet says, lifting her lips in an approximation of a smile.

Great. What did Matt tell her? The options are endless and my heart sinks when Matt pulls her around and says, “See ya.”

I’d like to be happy that my friends found each other as I had hoped all along but this feels pointed and the machinations leave me confused. If Matt so badly wanted my forgiveness, why is creating a further divide by using Harriet?

Chapter Twenty-Six

Maeve

Bone texts me later that evening and I brood over it for an hour before responding. I need the information that I hope Bone can provide but involving him is dangerous. Can I live with myself if something happens to him?

I admit, a large part of me still wants Diem to hurt but once again, using Bone isn’t going to get the results I desire. Diem doesn’t fucking care, or so I tell myself. The words constantly spitting from his mouth like verbal fucking diarrhea are reprehensible but his actions, they point to a different story.

Which one is the real deal?

Did Diem push me away because of Ollie or something else? Does it matter? There is no redemption for him. Right?

The phone buzzes in my hand again and with a heavy heart, I type out a response.

I’ll meet you at Fight Club

With a raging headache and sense of doom barreling down on me, I shower and dress. The entire drive across town, I talk myself out of turning around and going home. The only reason I don’t is because I still need answers and desperation circles my soul.

The place is packed when I step inside. I search the crowd for Diem, relieved when he’s not here. I overheard Ollie on the phone earlier, so I know he arranged to meet up with them at the mansion.

Still, it’s a risk to come here knowing this is their turf. Even so, I feel safer here which is probably stupid but all I’ve got to cling to.

I don’t see Bone either and resolve to waiting around while he does business only to pause when the fucker who won’t quit says behind me, “Hm, I didn’t think I’d find you here. Must be my lucky day.”

Spinning on my heel, I meet Skull’s evil ass gaze and raise my chin. I’m in the middle of a crowd. He can’t hurt me here, right?

Patrick stands behind him and although he has an ugly smirk on his face, his wide eyes search the crowd with a frown. Hm. He should be scared because Diem would kick his ass if he found him here, with Skull no less.

“Excuse me,” I mutter but Skull catches my arm and leads me to a blank spot near the wall. The crowd parts when he does and my heart sinks because maybe it was foolish to believe anyone in this damn place would step up in an emergency.

Where the hell is Bone?

“Now,” Skull says, blocking my view. “A little birdy told me you were looking for information.”

---