Page 122 of Mutual Obsession

We both know where this is going, but I let him tell the story his own way, even though it feels like ice is flooding my veins as fear overwhelms me.

When he finally meets my gaze, there’s a mixture of emotions there, and I can’t quite tell what it all means. “What happened?” I ask, unable to take the suspense any longer.

“I told Marcus and Chloe about us…about the three of us. I didn’t really have a choice. Marcus knew something was goingon after the shooting, and he was really pissed that I wouldn’t tell him what was going on,” he replies.

“How much did you tell them?” Indie asks, before I’m able to say anything.

Miles keeps his gaze fixed on me as he replies to Indie. “I didn’t go into any explicit details, but I told them about our past. About what happened when Jake and I were teenagers, and how it led to us becoming estranged. I then told them about how we decided to be together, the three of us.”

As soon as the words are out there, it’s like they become real. I knew what he was going to say, but hearing it out loud is like a punch to the gut. My stomach flips from the growing nausea, and if it wasn’t for Indie sitting on my lap, I’d be pacing like a caged animal right now.

“What did they say?” My voice is barely above a whisper as I drop my gaze to the floor. I’m not sure I have the strength or the courage to hear his response.

Miles reaches out and places his hand on my face, rubbing his thumb along my cheek as he forces me to look at him. The way he’s staring at me with those gorgeous blue eyes of his almost makes me forget my nerves.

“They were shocked, and they said knowing what happened actually helped them make sense of the way you spiralled into addiction. They were upset that we felt we couldn’t tell them, but they also understood why we didn’t. Mostly, they said they’re happy as long as we are.” His lips tilt into a smile at the end, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

It’s like all the pent up energy and anxiety I’ve felt since arriving home drains from my body, and I sag against his hand, drawing warmth from his touch.

“Chloe is really okay with it?” I ask, hating how fucking hopeful I sound.

Miles smiles as he nods. “She really is.”

Indie lets out a relieved laugh, grinning as her gaze flicks between the two of us. “I guess our secret is out now.”

Miles quickly shakes his head. “No, they won’t tell anyone. Not until we’re ready.”

“I’m ready.” Although the words fall from my lips before I’ve had the chance to think it through, as soon as it’s out there, I know I mean it.

I want the world to know I’m with Indie and Miles. The feelings I have for them both are only growing stronger each day, and if I wasn’t so much of a coward, I’d probably have told them I love them already, but I’m not quite ready yet.

Keeping our relationship a secret feels like I’m doing them both a disservice. We had good reasons to hide in the beginning, whilst we worked through our pasts, but now we’re all in a good place, and our relationship has never been stronger.

I want the world to know how I feel… I have both a girlfriend and a boyfriend that I’d do anything for, and I’m willing to deal with the inevitable fallout that comes once the truth is revealed.

“You want to tell people?” Indie asks, sounding more than a little shocked.

Miles is staring at me intently, no doubt trying to tell if this is just an impulse decision or if I really mean it. I keep my gaze fixed on him, letting him see my truth as I say, “I want to tell the world about us. I’m done hiding. You two belong to me, and I don’t care who knows.”

Miles nods his head as his smile grows, finally lighting up his face. “Then we won’t hide anymore.”

I lean over and capture his lips with mine, kissing him passionately as I let him feel how much I care about him. It’s over way too quickly, and as my thoughts return, I realise there’s something I never asked.

“You said they were okay with us dating, but you never mentioned what this means for your job.”

I have bodyguards of my own, and I know exactly what would happen if someone who was hired to protect me didn’t do their job. As much as I don’t want to believe that Marcus could fire his best friend, I’m sure he’d always put his job and his safety first.

“I was hoping you’d miss that part,” Miles grumbles.

“What do you mean? What have I missed?” Indie asks, her questions tumbling out.

Miles lets out a huff. “My job is to protect Marcus at all costs, and he believes, now he knows how I feel about Jacob, that whenever the three of us are together, I won’t be able to do my job properly. He called it a conflict of interest.”

“I’ve been called worse,” I reply sarcastically, which I’m relieved to see makes him smile.

“What does that mean?” Indie asks, looking as worried as I feel, but am trying hard not to show.

“It means… I’m moving jobs. I?—”

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