Page 94 of Frozen Flames

Don’t do this—you were relieved two minutes ago.

She stands, and it’s like she enjoys ignoring me as she keeps packing.

Let her go.

“Please, let’s work through this, Gemma.”

My mind and my heart are at war. My heart knows it’s time to let go and move on and work on myself so that I can figure things out with Claire, yet my mind is stuck in this state of fear and worry about the unknown.

Gemma shakes her head.

She looks sad too.

“I’m trying here, and every time I do, you push back.” My voice sounds desperate.

It’s true.

Every time I tried improving myself and being there for her, she distanced herself from me even more. I doubt she even wanted this life to begin with.

You wasted years of my life.

Why couldn’t you cheat on me the first year we got together, for fuck’s sake?

I keep looking at Henrik, wishing he weren’t here. I have stuff to get off my chest, and I can’t do it with him around.

“I’d say you have two years of groveling to catch up on.” Hen narrows his eyes at me.

Really?

He hasnoidea what it’s like to be me. And the fact that he would protect Gemma over his own brother when she slept with her boss says a lot about him.

I can’t trust anyone.

So I leave before I destroy my relationship with my brother too. Despite how much he’s driving me up the wall right now, I can’t lose him too.

When I get to my room, I can’t even game all evening. They’re making so much noise. I assume that it’s Henrik, as he’s always been a shitty packer.

I can’t believe this is happening.

A part of me wishes that tomorrow I’ll wake up and everything will go back to normal, yet a part of me thinksgood riddance.

I was never going to be able to trust Gemma again anyway.

Henrik comes in my room much later, sporting a sweaty T-shirt. He wipes his hands on his army pants before pushing his hair back.

“Let’s clear the air. I don’t want to fight with you, brother,” he says as if he rehearsed this speech. “You both messed up in your own ways, and it’s none of my business. That’s what I think, and that’s that.”

“Nobody asked you for your opinion, Hen. I’d love to see the day you’re finally in love and your girl cheats on you. Then come talk to me.”

“Well”—he clicks his tongue—“hopefully you’re not enough of a prick to wish that on me.”

I snort. “I’m a prick?” I shake my head. “Did you know?”

This is where most assholes would deny it. They’d lie and pretend or turn things around to make it seem like you’re crazy, but not Henrik.

“Yeah, I knew.”

I bite my lip. “Fuck you. What a brother you are. You’re a hypocrite—you gave me so much shit for kissing Claire; meanwhile, you knew Gemma had fucked someone behind my back.”

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