Page 34 of Forbidden Bond

He’s been doing that a lot lately. He keeps referring to us as friends and I haven’t corrected him yet. Mostly because I think it’s the safest thing we can be. And also because I believe in manifestation. If we say it enough times maybe the things I feel in his presence will magically disappear and I can convince myself not to think of Christopher D’Angelo as anything other than that.

Friends.

“Would you please go?” I plead.

“No,” he says, shouldering past me and handing his keys to the valet so his motorcycle is properly parked. I groan, following him into the building. “The last time I was in the apartment, it was filled to the brim with drunk people. I’m just trying to get a feel of how it is when there isn’t a raging party.”

“It’s like a normal house. That I share with my best friend. And if I remember correctly, you were one of those drunk people.”

“It was just a little beer,” he says, a smile playing on his lips.

I sigh, realizing I have no choice anymore and he was going to walk me up. Topher stays quiet as I walk past the elevators, instead heading for the flight of stairs that lead to the first floor. He doesn’t say a word as we start to climb and that more than anything else bothers me.

“Aren’t you going to ask?” I say after the third flight of steps.

I look back at him and he’s staring at me with an innocent expression.

“Ask what?”

“Why we’re using the stairs when there’s a perfectly good elevator.”

“I thought this was your version of cardio. It’s fine, princess. I need the workout as well.”

I stop and turn around, staring at him for the longest moment. I can see in his eyes that this is him being nice. For once, he’s not going to ask me any uncomfortable questions. Gratitude wells up in my throat but I force it down and turn around, continuing our walk. When we finally arrive in front of the door to the apartment, I grab my key to open it.

As soon as I walk in, a scream is torn from my throat.

Dicks and boobs. Dicks and boobs everywhere.

Topher pulls me behind him as we stare at the shitshow happening in Jameson’s living room. He appears a few seconds later, dressed only in a speedo with a grin on his face.

“I didn’t think you were coming home, Katie. I thought you’d spend the night at your parents after our conversation last night.”

I swallow softly. “If I was going to do that, I would have told you, Jameson. I thought you were joking. Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is.”

“An orgy,” Topher murmurs. He sounds amused.

I’m more shocked.

“D’Angelo, my man,” Jameson says excitedly. The two of them fist bump and I roll my eyes. “Since you two are here, you could join the party. The more the merrier.”

There’s a slight sheen in his eyes that tells me he’s not as sober as he appears. He just might be on drugs. My heart clenches. What am I going to do with him?

Topher answers for us. “Actually, Katherine and I are going to leave.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. You have fun. We’ll just… yeah.”

Jameson doesn’t even question it. He simply nods and waves us off. Topher leads me out of the house.

“That was…” he trails off.

“He’s not always like that.” My voice is a little shaky.

“Eh, he’s just having a little fun,” Topher says without judgement.

“It’s just… the past few years have been hard on him. He lost his mom and then—” I stop before I reveal too much. “He’s on a path to self-destruction,” I say slowly. “How do you help someone on a path to self-destruction?”

---