Page 15 of Before. Then. Now.

Understanding finally crossed his face, and he smirked.“Ah.”

His response pissed me off.“Ah?That’s all you’re going to say about it?Fuckingah?What does that even mean?Don’t offer to listen and then give me bullshit in return.”

Luca sighed, shaking his head at me.“You’re obviously hurting right now, Jags.And I get it.Vi’s attention is addictive.Once you have it, it’s impossible to give up.I feel for you, brother.But there’s nothing I can do to help fix this for you.”

I jerked my arm out of his hold.“Thanks a fucking lot.”

“Shaw and I already talked about this.We’re not going to hold your hands while you two figure out your relationship.That’s between you and Vi.”He clapped me on the shoulder.“But here’s a hint.Vi is more stubborn than you realize.If she has it in her mind about something, you have to prove to her it’s not what she’s made herself think it is.You two obviously are not on the same page.Talk to her.Or not.Talking is overrated sometimes.Actions speak a lot louder than words.”

“Actions,” I repeated with a disgusted grunt.“I refuse to act until she gives me the green light.”

“Shaw was right.You are brain-dead sometimes.”He slapped me on the back of the head, hard.“Open your eyes, dumbass.Her light has been green for a long damn time.”

“Hey, are you two coming?”Shaw called from inside the restaurant.“Our table is ready.”

Muttering a curse under his breath, Luca shoved my shoulder.“Get your head on straight before you come in.I’m not dealing with your stupidity tonight.”

“You have a lot of room to talk,” I snarled.

“See?So stupid you can’t even throw me a good comeback.I pulled my head out of my ass a long time ago, Jagger.Vi’s happiness is the only thing that matters to me.And guess what?She’s not happy right now.Because of you.Man up.Own how you feel, and fix this.”

All I could do was stand there.Hurt poured off me, turning the pain to anger until I was vibrating.I was alone outside the restaurant, the establishment too selective for a stream of diners to be coming and going.It was why we so often picked this place, given that it offered the privacy we wouldn’t get anywhere else.

Grabbing the back of my neck with both hands, I squeezed, glaring up at the starless night sky.Luca hadn’t said much more than what Shaw had voiced about my relationship with Vi, but it was enough to give me pause despite the anger and hurt ripping through me.

Vi was sweet to Shaw’s spicy.I didn’t think there were many people who could be more stubborn than my wife, but many times, Vi had proven that she was the queen of stubbornness.

But why would she be stubborn about me?

She held all the power, and she knew it.I wanted her to choose when or even if we had something of our own.Didn’t she know how much I wanted her?How much I cared?

Had we talked about it, though?When had I ever told her I loved her?

A week ago.

I remembered the text.It had been a random thought that had gone through my head, and I’d sent the text.Wanting her to know I was thinking of her, desperate to talk to her, hoping she would give me something other than frost, I sent three simple words.

Love you, Vi.

And I’d gotten anILY2in reply.It had cut me deep.

But again, Luca was right.When Vi saw something one way, and she convinced herself that was the truth, it took a hell of a lot to prove to her it was something completely different.

What I should have said instead was,I’m in love with you, Vi.Maybe I would have gotten an entirely different response.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered.“Stop being a pussy.”

When it came down to it, though, that was the real problem.I was scared.If she didn’t feel the same, it would kill a part of my soul.But as long as I didn’t act on how I felt, I could pretend she loved me on the same level I loved her.

Owning that realization, I opened the door, only to find Shaw and Vi coming outside.Shaw arched a brow as she walked past.

Luca walked behind them, carrying a single to-go box.“Got you a cheeseburger and fries,” he said, pushing the plastic container into my hands.

“You didn’t eat?”I grumbled, following them.

“We’ve been inside for nearly an hour.The girls even had dessert.”He pulled his keys out of his pocket.“Figured you weren’t hungry.I’m familiar with how stupidity kills an appetite.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

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