Page 24 of Victorious: Part 2
My family is safe.
Phoenix has been worried about me this whole time, not just following orders.
And I’ve been an absolute nightmare to that poor man.
Climbing out of the seat on shaky legs, my heart hammers as I walk toward Phoenix. He peers up when he hears my footsteps, his expression cautious but hopeful.
“Everything okay?” he asks carefully.
“Everyone’s safe,” I reply, my voice coming out thick with emotion. “Apparently, Nighthawk, the woman who killed Livvy,is at the club helping them with Javier. It’s a whole thing and is making everyone feel weird.”
He furrows his brows, like he’s confused. “There’s another bird at the club?”
Shrugging, I shake my head. “I don’t even want to think about allthatright now. He said he’s gonna call you tonight and debrief you on it.”
Relief floods his features, his shoulders sagging. “Thank fuck. I feel like I’m missing a part of me. Not knowing what’s going on at the club feels as if a knife is constantly stabbing my side, then twisting for good measure.”
I never thought of it that way.
For me, it’s been about my family.
Yes, the club means everything to me, too, but the clubliterallysaved him. So, for him, being away from them, not knowing what’s going on, and not being able to help, would be physically painful.
I’m a horrible person for not having realized that sooner.
Taking a deep breath, I reach out to take his hand. “Phoenix, I owe you an apology. A massive one.”
He raises an eyebrow. “For what?”
“I’ve been horrible to you. You were only trying to do what Maverick asked, and I’ve been making your life hell because I was scared and taking it out on you.”
“Clover—”
“No. Let me finish.” I inhale a shaky breath. “I stole your truck. I left you stranded at a rest stop. I nearly got us both killed driving like a maniac on the highway. And through all of that, you still protected me. You still chose to jump in the back of a moving vehicle rather than let me drive away alone.”
Phoenix’s jaw works as he processes my words. “You were terrified. People do crazy things when they’re scared.”
“That’s not an excuse,” I say firmly. “And it doesn’t change thefact that I’ve been treating you like the enemy when you’ve been nothing but supportive.”
“You haven’t been treating me lik—”
“I called you a robot,” I interrupt, raising my brow for emphasis. “I said you don’t feel anything. I screamed at you for following orders that were meant to keep me safe. I’ve been pushing you away when all you’ve been trying to do is help.”
He’s quiet for a moment, studying my face. “You were hurting. Sometimes when people hurt, they lash out at the people closest to them.”
The simple understanding in his voice makes my chest tight. “Maverick said you’ve been worried about me. Really worried.”
Phoenix’s cheeks actually flush a little. “Your brother talks too much.”
“He said you care about me. More than you probably should, considering I’m his little sister.” I step closer. “Is that true?”
He’s quiet again, but then he takes a small step toward me. “Your safety scares the shit out of me,” he admits finally. “Not just because of the promise I made to Maverick. But because… because the thought of something happening to you makes me feel as if I physically can’t breathe.”
My heart clenches. “Phoenix…”
“I know it’s probably crossing a line—”
I cut him off by stepping closer this time, close enough that the gold flecks in his blue eyes illuminate, bringing back that magic, and suddenly I can’t remember how to breathe either. But somehow, I find the strength to reply. “It’s not crossing a line. It’s… it’sreallysweet, actually.”
