Page 124 of Playing the Game
“Yeah, and I’ve warned you to stay the fuck away. You swore on your life you would. You gave me your word.” His voice is at least two levels higher than usual.
“I did, but things are different now. Dori and I?—”
“If you’re about to fucking say what I think you are, reconsider it or else.”
I flex my chest. “Or else what? What the fuck is so terrible about us being together?”
“Everything. You ruin everything if you two get together.” There’s a slamming of something in the background like he’s hitting the table with every word he says.
Heat rises in me. “Like what? Give me one example.”
“Our friendship, for one.”
“Only if you make it an issue.”
“Fuck you, you bastard. You don’t fucking get it.”
“Then make me understand.”
“You wouldn’t be able to.”
“Try me.”
“You were given everything you wanted. You were the perfect son and had the privilege of living a perfect life. Why can’t you give me this one thing?”
“What thing is that? Dori?”
“I don’t want my sister, you sick fuck,” he scoffs.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Yeah, I shouldn’t have said it, but I’m seeing red. He’s held me away from her, and it nearly killed me. I’m over it.
His furious voice barrels through the line. “You’re fucking going to pay for this. Just wait until I get my hands on you. That gunshot wound will be the least of your worries.”
“Aiden, it doesn’t have to be like this. We can all sit down and talk. We can get on the same page. You’ll see that our friendship won’t be affected by it. And neither would your relationship with her. If anything, it could bring us all closer.”
He rages on. “Like hell it will. I’ll lose everything because of this little childhood crush you can’t seem to let go of.”
“It’s not a crush. I’m in love with her.” In an instant, the heaviness lifts from my shoulder. I’ve needed to say that to him for years.
“You’re in love with her?”
“Yes.”
“Does she know?”
“Yes.”
His laugh comes out wicked. “So you’ve already crossed the line. Nice. Really fucking nice. Years of friendship and empty promises.”
“I tried to stay away from her, but...”
“But what?”
I pull in a breath of courage. “We’re together and love each other, Aiden. And no matter how upset you are, it won’t change anything.”
“Get yourself a bodyguard. You’re gonna need one.” The line goes dead.
