Page 94 of Filthy Elite

“I just fucked you an hour ago,” he points out. “No, Dixie, you’re not my beard.”

“I heard what Duke just said to you.”

“Yeah, well, here’s a novel idea. Why don’t you mind your own goddamn business, and stop snooping on my conversations and going through my shit. I’m not fodder for your gossip blog, Dixie. I’m your fucking boyfriend.”

“Are you?” I ask. “Or am I just a friend with benefits, a fuck buddy until you can get a girl like Gloria Walton again?”

“For the last fucking time,” he grits out, glaring at me.

“What?” I ask. “You don’t like her, but you carry her picture in your wallet? AndDuke?Where’s my picture, Colt?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” he says, slamming his head back against the headrest and closing his eyes. “You want to know why I have those pictures? They’re Maverick’s. He has them all over the tattoo shop. You’ve been in there, right? When you were snooping to see if he knew anything I’d forgotten. You should know that.”

I swallow, staring at the folded pictures he so carelessly tossed down, like they meant nothing. But everything means something.

“But why do you have them?” I ask. “Why those two?”

He sighs, not opening his eyes. “Because he said they were people who were down to fuck. And I pulled them off because they’re not. Duke’s straight, and Gloria—Gloria is theirs. If he hooked up with her, they’d kick his ass, and he’s my friend, so I didn’t want that to happen. That’s why I have them. Happy now?”

“No,” I say quietly. “I’m not happy, Colt. That makes no sense. Gloria’s hooking up with Maverick and everyone knows it. And Duke said you blew him.”

“You want to know all about how they fucking assaulted me?” he demands, swinging around to glare at me. “I know you’ve heard the rumors. It’s not like they’re subtle. It’s not like they don’t throw it in my face in front of anyone within earshot whenever they feel like it. You know what they’re like, what they do to their enemies. Don’t pretend to be shocked that they targeted your boyfriend just because you’re their little lapdog. You’re not that naïve anymore, Dixie.”

My nose burns, and I don’t have to force the tears this time. “And what about Gloria?” I whisper. “Did they make you fuck her too? Because I’ve heard what they like to do to theirDolce girls too. And since I’m not naïve, I can figure out that one too.”

“I cannot keep having this conversation,” he says, throwing open the door. “I’ll stay here tonight. Take my truck and go home. We can talk tomorrow—if there’s anything left to talk about.”

“Colt,” I cry, just as he’s about to slam the door.

He drops his head and takes a slow, deep breath, like he’s trying to summon patience. “I swear, if you say something about her right now…”

“Then what?”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t be together.”

We stare at each other across the seat for a minute, and I let tears pool in my eyes. “What are you saying?” I ask. “You can’t leave me, Colt. I love you!”

“You can’t weaponize love, Dixie. You can’t use it to force someone to do your bidding.”

“Fine,” I snap. “Then—then I’ll kill myself.”

“What?” he grits out, glaring at me.

“I can’t live without you,” I wail. “If you leave me, I’ll die anyway, so I might as well end it myself.”

“What the fuck, Dixie.”

“Are you really going to risk it?” I ask, swiping at my tears. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t even be considering it.”

“I wasn’t,” he growls.

“You weren’t?” I whimper, staring at him with teary eyes.

“No,” he says, scowling back at me.

I scramble across the seat and throw my arms around him, kissing him before he can change his mind. His shoulders are tense, stiff, so I massage them for him, knowing I can ply him back to me with guilt if nothing else works. After his mom and his sister both attempted suicide, he’s not going to risk letting me do it. I just had to remind him there would be blood on hishands if he did. It would be his fault. He’s smart enough that I don’t have to spell it out.

Finally I pull back and look up at him. “I love you so much, Colt. Life wouldn’t be worth living without you.”

---