Thankfully, Jasper cuts back in to change the subject to work this week.
Always the peacekeeper.
We settle into easy conversation and are listening to Miles tell a story about one of his guys at work when I feel it. The side of my head sparks with awareness as I dart my eyes in the direction of whoever is staring at me, just to see none other than Declan and Rowan sitting across the bar from us. My eyes lock on his as he subtly jerks his head to the side where the bathrooms are.
He’s out of his mind. Just because we texted earlier this week doesn’t mean anything. We aren’t friends. Actually, it’s more than that—we’re so far detached from friends that I despise him. Not just in an ‘oh, I’m so mad I could kill him’ way but in an ‘I will slide a blade across his carotid artery without blinking’ way. I just didn’t want to ghost him in case he really needed something. I may hate him, but I’m still a human. Could my sister’s wedding come any quicker? I swear these next two months are going to drag.
Tearing my gaze away from him, I tune back into Miles’ story. Not even a full second later, my phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s not nine yet, so I know it isn’t Dieter. Decidingnot to touch it just in case the six foot four brown haired douche bag across the building is the culprit, I instead bring my beer up and take a long pull, making sure my middle finger is up the entire time.
It’s childish and I know it. But so is acting like he despises me as much as I do him, just for him to keep popping up wherever I am. I don’t know what his plan is or what he thinks he’s going to gain from this, but he can’t play a game that no one will play with him. He refuses to‘play my game’as he likes to tell me, but I refuse to play his too. He’s trying to mend fences, and I’m trying to take a sledgehammer to them. I tripped up that day behind the pool house. I let his addictive energy overtake me. That’s a mistake I won’t be making again. I’m stronger than that. So I promptly ignore the two oldest Byrne’s and continue to hang out with my friends.
A few hours and beers later, we’re about to leave and go to my brother’s, but before we can leave, I make everyone wait for me as I run to the bathroom. Declan and Rowan left about forty-five minutes ago, so I know I’m not going to get ambushed with some weird half-friend half-enemy energy. I take care of my business and wash my hands. As soon as I step foot outside of the bathroom, I’m shoved back inside by none other than the same man I thought had fucking left.
“What do you want, Declan?” I force my hands to uncurl at my sides and my expression to come off bored and mildly annoyed. Declan paces in front of me like a caged animal until he finally turns his lethal gaze on me.
“What’s the deal with Miles?” He practically snarls while moving closer to me. Every step he takes towards me is one I take backwards until my back hits the wall.
Fuck. That was stupid.
“What are you talking about?” I ask genuinely, not picking up what he’s trying to throw at me.
“Are you fucking Miles?” He asks through teeth clenched so tightly I’m worried he may need to see a dentist in the morning.
Then what he asks settles in my brain. What? Why would he ever think that? For starters, neither of us likes men, and secondly, we might as well be blood related with how tight we are.
I want to ask him if he hit his damn head on something but decide the tides have just turned in my favor.
“Who I do or do not fuck isn’t any of your business. All you need to know is I’m not fucking your little girlfriend.” Just to drive the final nail into the coffin, I shove him out of my space and walk past him. “Now I’ve got to go, I have someone waiting for me.”
My hand grips the handle to the bathroom door when his voice stops me in my tracks.
“If you care about him, you won’t ever let him touch you like that again, Jakob. I’m serious.”
What is he going on about? Glancing over my shoulder at him, I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dec. He didn’t touch me in any type of way.”
He stalks towards me like a predator stalking his prey before spinning me around. My back crashes to the door, and the next thing I know, I’m pinned by his hips and looking into his absolutely furious emerald eyes. Declan has the most menacing glare that I’ve ever seen, and in situations like this I hate that shit. He brings his hand up, gently cupping my chin between his thumb and forefinger like he did earlier this week. Such a contradiction to his expression.We’re so close that his minty breath dances over my lips as we breathe the same air.
“Like this. Like you two are on a higher level than just friends. He touched you like you were the most precious thing in the world to him.” He tilts my head up just slightly as an infuriating smirk covers his features.
“Like he can’t get you out of his fucking head. Like he realizes he made the worst mistake five years ago and wants to fix it now. Like he wants to brutally murder anyone else who ever thinks of touching you, like you’rehis.”
Holy shit. He can’t be serious? After everything that’s happened? After what she would do to us if she found out? He’s lost his fucking mind, but as he keeps his heated eyes locked on mine, I realize Dec and I don’t feel the same way at all. I must lose my mind too, because before I can even process it, I’m pressing forward slightly, shifting my weight to the balls of my feet, and bringing my mouth just centimeters from his.
“I can’t give you what you want, Declan.” My lips brush against his as I speak and fire floods my veins at the connection. This new feeling overwhelms me, right as none other than fucking Miles bangs on the door at my back.
“Yo Fischer, you good? Let’s go! We’re all waiting for you.” He yells through the door.
Declan doesn’t let me go though. He keeps me tethered to him with his strong grip on my chin while his other hand rests on my hip and his now bulged erection presses into me. My breath catches in my throat for just a moment before I yell back to him.
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be right there.”
With the spell seemingly broken, I attempt to slide out fromDeclan’s hold. Reluctantly, he allows it.
“I’m sorry I can’t be who you want anymore. Not after last time, not after the years of healing and growing that I’ve done. I’ll always have a soft spot for you, Dec. But I have to put myself first now.”
Leaving him speechless, I push down the hurt I’m feeling and rejoin my friends to go hang out with my little brother.
7
