Page 119 of Mutual Obsession

My stomach flips and my nerves prickle as I try to think of some explanation that will be good enough. When really, there isn’t one.

Any similar situation in the past, and I wouldn’t have hesitated to save Marcus first. It’s my job, and he’s my best friend. But somewhere along the way, Jacob became important to me, and my only thought earlier was to make sure he was safe.

I knew Indie was safe, but Jake wasn’t, and the thought of him getting shot was an all-consuming fear I couldn’t deal with. All I knew was that I needed to protect him, and I acted without thought.

Honestly, Marcus has every right to be pissed. I didn’t do my job, and it could have had serious consequences.

As I’m trying to think of something to say, Chloe gasps loudly as she rushes over to Marcus. “Oh, my God. Is everyone okay? Was anyone hurt?”

Marcus softens as Chloe wraps her arms around him, and he sees the fear in her eyes at the mention of someone shooting at us and her brother. He places his hand softly on her cheek, rubbing his thumb over it as he comforts her.

“No, Mio. We’re all fine.”

She breathes a sigh of relief as she steps back, lacing their fingers together so she doesn’t have to let go of him completely. She turns and casts her eyes over me, no doubt checking for herself that I’m not injured.

Marcus shifts his gaze from Chloe to me, and although he’s softened, he’s wearing an expression I never thought I’d see aimed at me. He looks confused, angry, and sad, but there’s also a hint of betrayal there that breaks my fucking heart.

It’s not a good enough explanation, not by a long shot, but I reply with some version of the truth. “I’m sorry. I just reacted in the moment.”

Marcus’ gaze darkens as he shakes his head with a snarl. “Bollocks. You work best under pressure and always have. You think clearly when others don’t. You chose to save him.”

I shake my head, although I’m not sure if the denial is aimed at him or me. “It wasn’t a conscious choice. I heard the gunshot, panicked, and ran at Jake.”

I leave out the part where I was fucking terrified for him. That all my brain could think about was how fucking devastated I’d be if I lost him after finally getting him after all these years.

Marcus looks furious with my response, and I can tell by the way he’s glaring at me, his nostrils flaring, he doesn’t buy my excuses for a second. “You are my fucking security, Miles. I pay you to protect me. I should have been your first fucking thought. I always have been in the past, so what’s changed?”

As soon as he vocalises the last question, the implication hangs heavily in the air. His gaze turns more inquisitive, like he’s trying to read what I’m not saying aloud. The thing is, we’ve been friends for such a long time, it wouldn’t surprise me that he’s able to read me like a book.

Although Jake is the only thing I’ve ever hidden from him, and I’ve been hiding him for so long, I should be good at it by now.

I drop my gaze to the floor, not able to keep eye contact with him while he’s looking at me like that. Like he’s trying to see into my soul. To see all the secrets I’m trying so hard to keep.

Marcus takes another step closer , and I can feel the heat of his glare on me as he growls, “I swear to fuck, I’m going to shoot you if you don’t start talking right now.”

“Marcus,” Chloe screeches, and I look up just in time to see her staring at her boyfriend, appalled by what he just said.

Marcus winces, and has the good sense to look ashamed, but when he sees I’m no longer staring at the ground, he turns his attention back to me. I let out a long sigh when I realise he won’t let this go.

“If I tell you this, you have to promise to keep it to yourselves. Particularly you, Chloe,” I say sternly, hoping they can see how serious I am with my expression.

Chloe looks a bit startled, but is quick to nod and agree. Marcus, on the other hand, remains closed off and cagey, having no doubt worked out at least a little of what I’m about to say.

I wonder for a moment if there’s any way I can get out of this. After all, it’s not just my secret to tell, and Chloe is Jacob’s sister. This should have been a discussion we had long before today, but it wasn’t, and now I have to do what I think is best. I just hope, like fuck, we can all withstand the fallout.

“I’m in a relationship with both Indie and Jacob. Well, more specifically, we are all in a relationship with each other,” I say, watching as both Marcus and Chloe’s expressions shift to one of shock and confusion.

I explain as much of the story as I can, leaving out the intimate details they don’t need to know about. I tell them about what happened between me and Jake when we were teenagers, and how Jake left me after prom.

Chloe pulls away from Marcus, her eyes and mouth both wide as she takes my hand in hers. “I’m so sorry Jake did that to you. You didn’t deserve that. Honestly, it explains a lot about why he fell into addiction. We knew something triggered his substance misuse, but we never could work out what it was.”

I hang my head in shame as I think about all the heartbreak my feelings for Jake caused back then. When we were teens, neither of us knew how to deal with them properly, but I never expected Jake to go off the rails the way he did.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to be the cause of his addiction,” I mumble, shame and guilt overwhelming me.

Chloe squeezes my hand tight until I look up at her and see the small smile she’s giving me. “You are not to blame. Are you the reason he’s been so happy recently?”

Flush spreads over my cheeks as I give her a slight nod. “Well, me and Indie.”

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