Page 89 of Fighting the Darkness

“Well, that’s a pretty sight.”

Wilder and I rip apart, turning our heads to find Griffin and Soren standing just a few feet from us.

I grin up at them sheepishly, but Griffin’s eyes are focused elsewhere. “Your stalker was here?”

I sigh, leaning forward to rest my head on Wilder’s chest. “Yeah. Wilder has the note. He checked out the locker room, but they were already gone.”

Soren squats down next to us, running his hand over my hair. “My poor sunshine. You just can’t catch a break, can you?”

“I’m calling Detective Santiago. We’ll wait for him to arrive so we can talk to him, but after that, we’re all heading to my place.” Griffin’s eyes narrow as his attention turns to Wilder. “Including you. You’ve got some explaining to do.”

“But he—“

Griffin holds up his hand to cut me off. “He might have explained things to you, but he hasn’t explained it to me and Soren yet. We’re just as much a part of this as you.”

“You’re right.” I lower my head back onto Wilder’s chest as Griffin takes out his phone.

I’d been riding such a high after my win, but now my stalker has taken that from me as well. What else will they take from me before this is over?

Chapter Thirty-nine

Wilder

“Whydoyoualwayshave to be such a dick?” Soren asks as he follows me into Griffin’s living room. “Do you know how badly you hurt her?”

I clench and unclench my fists as I try to keep myself from punching him. I’ve already explained to all of them why I left, and Freya has already forgiven me. So why does he have to keep harping on it? I know I fucked up, and that I’m lucky she’s given me another chance. But if this fucker doesn’t back off, I won’t be responsible for what happens next.

“Soren, leave me alone.”

He scoffs. “Leave you alone? Why? So you can disappear again?”

I spin around, shoving myself into his face. “Why won’t you drop it? Don’t you think I know how badly I screwed up? Don’t you think I know I don’t deserve the chance she’s giving? I know I’m a dick, and that’s never going to change, but you continuing to pick at what you know is a sore subject isn’t going to go the way you think it is. Drop it.”

“I don’t think I will.”

“Then I think I’m going to punch you in your fucking face,” I growl.

Freya appears between the two of us, shoving us apart. “I’m so sick and tired of the two of you picking at one another. The two of you need to work your shit out. I was going to invite you to join me and Griffin in the bedroom to celebrate my win, but neither of you is invited until you work out this shit. Yell, scream, fuck. I don’t care what you have to do, but I need you to fix it. We can’t move on while the two of you are at each other’s throats.

“And don’t think you can pretend like everything’s fine without working it out, because I promise you I’ll know. I don’t care if it takes months, neither one of you will be having sex until you fix this. I can guarantee that I can get Griffin on board with this as well, so don’t even think about going to him, Soren.”

“Oh, I’m definitely on board,” Griffin says as he steps in behind Freya, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back flush against his front. “Let’s see how long it takes you two idiots to work out your shit while I make our girl scream just down the hallway.”

Then he’s sweeping Freya into his arms and over his shoulder. When he turns around to head toward the bedroom, she pushes off his back to lift herself up. “Fix it,” she repeats, and I know she’s serious.

Fuck. I don’t even know where to begin to fix this shit with Soren. I know I’m the reason there is a chasm between us. I was so embarrassed when he rejected me, not once, but twice, so I acted out. I started being an asshole and just kept on being an asshole.

Turning back to Soren, I see his frustration written all over his face. I know he’s never had anything against me. He only acts this way toward me because it’s how I treat him. There are so many regrets I have in my life, and this is just one of them. I guess tonight is my tour of apologies.

Fuck me.

Dropping my eyes, unable to look at him any longer, I murmur, “I’m sorry.”

He’s so silent that I’m not sure he even heard me. When I lift my eyes to meet his gaze, I see I’ve surprised him.

“Could we sit down?” I ask him, gesturing to the couches. “I’d feel better if we did this while sitting.”

Soren looks like he wants to argue with me but eventually nods. I follow him over to the couch, each of us sitting in opposite corners.

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