Page 32 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

Colt folds his arms, watching me, but he doesn’t say a word.

Guess he doesn’t have to.

I already know I screwed up.

A pool of guilt collects in my stomach. Scratch that. The guilt’s been sitting in my stomach since last night. Maybe even before then. Now, it’s rising. Churning. Mixing with regret and attraction and indecision and anger and frustration and––

Taking off my hat, I slap it onto the bench press and snap, “Just say it.”

“Say what?”

“Whatever you’re wanting to say.”

Colt scratches at his temple with his index finger but stays silent for another second, then mutters, “Can I ask you something?”

With my elbows on my knees, I stare at the flecks of gray in the white laminate floor and mumble, “Sure.”

“Why are you an ass to her?”

Frowning, I look up at him. “I’m not––”

“You are. And I wanna know why. It’s been worse since she moved in with Ash and the girls.”

Yeah, it’s been worse, I think to myself. Because I haven’t been able to escape her since she moved here. I haven’t been able to get her off my mind. I haven’t been able to think straight. I can’t even come to practice anymore without seeing her. It’s messing with my head and my resolve. It’s driving me fucking crazy.

Picking up my hat, I fidget with the brim, dragging my thumbs along the edge, muttering, “Blake and I have never exactly been close.”

“And I call bullshit.” Colt laughs. “She always liked you ‘cause you were nice to her. You didn’t care when she tagged along with us or wanted to play whatever we were playing when we were kids. But when we went to high school, you started acting like an ass––”

“It isn’t my fault I want to keep her safe,” I say through clenched teeth. I force my jaw muscles to relax and glance back at him. adding, “Just like you do.”

He shrugs one shoulder. “I dunno, man. Feels different with you two.”

I force a laugh, but there isn’t any humor in it. “Not sure what you mean.”

“Me neither,” he admits. “But I don’t like seeing my sister hurting. And I really don’t like how it’s you who’s hurting her.”

“I’m not––”

“Last night was a dick move, and you know it,” Colt says. “I need my best friend and my sister to get along, especially when my sister lives with my girlfriend. I need you to fix this.”

“Colt,” I groan. “She’s underage. She shouldn’t have been at SeaBird––”

“Says the guy who’s slipped more than one of his puck bunnies a fake ID so they could sneak past the bouncers.”

“I haven’t done it in forever,” I mutter, well-aware of how much I sound like an ass right now. But I can’t help it. Can’t stop it. Can’t control myself when it comes to Blake.

Colt shrugs. “Yeah, but I’ve heard the stories. Not to mention what I’ve seen firsthand at the Taylor House. It’s a mighty high horse you like to ride on, Theo.”

“Do you even care about her?” I spit. The words roll off my tongue before I can stop them, followed by another wave of regret.

Colt pulls back, surprised.

Fuck me. Why the hell did I say that?

Of course, he cares about her. He loves her. But he also respects her and her decisions. I know I should do the same, but it’s hard with Blake. The girl knows how to get under my skin and piss me off more than anyone I’ve ever met. But still. Insinuating Colt doesn’t care about her because he knows how to keep his head out of his ass? It was a dick move, and he deserves better.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I let out a sigh. “Fuck, Colt. That was uncalled for. I’m sorry.”

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