Page 40 of Restorations

“I don’t want her.”

He rolls his eyes. “Bullshit. I know you, and I should have seen it then. I thought I did—that’s why I brought it up so many times—but I let you convince me you weren’t capable of it.”

“I’m not,” I say through gritted teeth.

“That’s for you to decide because if you’re not man enough to commit to her, then you should stay away. Don’t be weak.”

“Fuck. You.”

He turns away from me, starting toward the door but turns around, his face looking more broken than I’ve ever seen it. “Did you fuck her?”

I know the “her” he’s talking about. “It’s always back to Piper for you, isn’t it?”

His jaw ticks, but he doesn’t say anything.

“No.”

His eyes search for any sign of deceit. “I can take it.”

“You’re hoping I'll say yes. I know you too. You want the pain, but I can’t give it. I called her, but she was here.” Which I'm assuming he already knew. He’ll always keep track of Piper.

“How did she sound?”

Christ. I almost pity the poor bastard. “Angry.”

I never said I fucked her, but last night, all I wanted to do was hurt him like they hurt me. Childish. I know.

He hangs his head in defeat. “Don’t hurt her or I’ll break your face.”

He’s talking about Viv again, and I roll my eyes. “I don’t want anything to do with her.”

He doesn’t try to argue with me, just walks to the door, pulling it open with his shoulders raised high, his confident charade back. “I’ll be around. But she doesn’t want anything except my friendship.”

I don’t believe him, and he doesn’t care. He just leaves, closing the door behind him, and I slump down on the couch.

Sick of fucking everything.

19

VIVIENNE

“So . . . how is everything going?”

I turn to look at Lola as I sit on the couch in the living room with Penelope and her. We just finished with work for the day. Baz is running around the house with a friend he met in school this last year.

Asher was nice enough to host a playdate with his little friend today, and I'm grateful. We haven’t talked much in the weeks since the night in the pool with Sawyer, and summer is coming to an end soon.

It’s been nothing but polite indifference for both of us, never talking about anything other than Baz.

I suppose that’s the way it needs to be. We’ve done enough damage.

I turn to Lola, who seems to have a reason behind her question. She always does. “I’ve been with you all day.”

“She means with Asher,” Penelope supplies, kicking her feet up on the coffee table, and I laugh, always enjoying her bluntness.

“Everything is fine.”

She nods her head, but Lola still looks worried. She can’t help it. “That’s good. He’s going to start teaching in the fall.”

---