Page 35 of Petals of Blue: Part One
What does that say about me that I'd rather have his cruelty than his care?
Trick question because I have the answer.
I'm a whole lot jaded and tremendously fucking sad. I can't shake the exhausting loop of wonderingwhyover and over again?
So yeah. Maybe now, after everything and all the hurts, I'd rather Felix call me a weak ass bitch than look at me the way he is now. The pain and longing in his eyes awaken the vulnerability I've stashed away in the recesses of my soul.
He's coaxing out lip wobbles one frown at a time.
Twenty-Two
JARED
Blue's lip quivers, but she fights the tears I know are trying their damnedest to escape.
Fucking Christ. My heart breaks a little more as it pounds away in my chest. I'm not prone to anxiety, but receiving the call from Felix an hour ago that Declan was wasted and needed a ride freaked me out.
As a rule, my friend hasn't drunk enough to not be able to walk since college. Same with Roman, although the eldest Ledger brother is more strict about his consumption.
Hearing that my greatest friend of all time was so hammered he was passed out at Blue's bar made me sick to my stomach. Guilt yanked at my gut the entire drive to the club.
I should have pushed him harder about telling Roman years ago.
I should have checked on him hours ago.
I...I...I...
The selfishness of my thoughts made me shut down and focus on what I needed to do. I parked my car down the busy street and ran for the doors. There was something urging me faster and faster as I shimmied through the sweaty dancers.Once I saw the hulking man stiffen beside Declan, I knew I had to act fast.
D was in no condition to defend himself against an angry man almost double his size.I won't be telling him that, though.I didn't hesitate to yank Declan away, yet I soon came to realize it wasn't him the asshole was mad at.
Unfortunately, the crowd we got sucked into kept me from figuring out who the hulk was cussing out. Declan was spouting gibberish as the music blared around us. I didn't hold him back from trying to get back to the bar, thinking he’d left his wallet there or something.
I didn't realize until Felix came barreling through the sea of dancers that something horrible truly was happening. My attention was on keeping Declan upright and getting him home as soon as fucking possible.
Then....motherfuckingthen...
Felix staked a claim.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY WOMAN!" he bellowed. Then began an aggression led by fear that I had never seen come out of Felix in our entire friendship.
My womanhe said. It clicked in that moment because there's only one woman he would claim so viciously and blatantly.
Blue.
When the people parted and Felix bolted in a different direction, there was no choice. I had to follow. I clung to Declan's forearm and dragged him to the back room.
When we stumbled out of the crowd and into the shockingly glorious lounge area, I shoved Declan into a chair and ran toward the group surrounding Blue. Slightly out of her peripheral vision, I watch on as she blinks up at Felix.
My heart has yet to settle, and my nerves are firing every which way. The worrying only gets worse by the second as Blue so clearly fights another show of emotion.
"Please just leave me alone," she begs Felix, looking completely worn out.
Are we the reason?Beside me now, Declan sucks in a sharp breath.
Felix shakes his head and tenderly grabs her arm. "I can't do that, sweetheart."
She flinches at the first contact of ice. "Why not?" The distrust in her gaze makes me anxious.
