“Fuck,” I muttered, sinking down onto the edge of the bed. Our bed. The bed where he’d held me and made me feel like I mattered to him.
I should have known better. People don’t change overnight. The Kent who had tormented me as a teenager, who had spent years making homophobic jokes at my expense… that was therealKent. This version, the one who’d seemed so tender and caring, so passionate about me... that had been the illusion. And I’d fallen for it.
The worst part was that I couldn’t even talk to anyone about it. Who could I possibly tell? “Hey, I’m heartbroken because my stepbrother dumped me for his ex-girlfriend”? That would go over well.
A knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts. I froze, my pulse quickening. Could it be Kent? Had he changed his mind? Had he realized what he’d done?
I practically ran to the door, not bothering to check the peephole before yanking it open.
But it wasn’t Kent.
It was Trevor.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, anger flaring instantly.
Trevor looked different than the last time I’d seen him. He was less cocky, more subdued, and a lot less angry. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
“I saw them,” he said without preamble. “Your stepbrother and that blonde chick. They were loading stuff into her car downstairs.”
I stared at him, suddenly too exhausted to even be properly angry. “And you came up here to what? Gloat?”
“No,” Trevor said quickly. “I came to see if you were okay.”
I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter even to my own ears. “Oh, now you care about how I’m doing? After threatening to tell everyone about us? After calling us fucking disgusting? That’s rich.”
“Look, I was an asshole,” Trevor admitted, his eyes dropping to the floor. “I was hurt and I lashed out. But I never actually told anyone.”
I leaned against the doorframe, suddenly feeling like my legs might give out. “What do you want, Trevor?”
“Can I come in? Just for a minute?”
“No,” I said, blocking the doorway. “Not today.”
Trevor looked disappointed, but he just nodded. “Alright. Well, I just came to say I’m sorry and that I don’t expect you to forgive me. But I… I couldn’t live with myself after what I said.”
“Thanks for apologizing,” I grunted. “I’m still pissed at you.”
“That’s fair…”
“Now, if you don’t mind,” I added. “I have work to do.”
“Right. Okay.” Trevor backed away from the door. “See you around I guess?—”
I shut the door before he could finish. The last thing I wanted to hear right now was some shitty apology from Trevor. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I believed that he meant it. The timing wasawfully convenient for him to try to swoop in and get me to fall into his arms with a few sweet words while I was hurting. That wasn’t a game I wanted to play.
I thought maybe my work would distract me for a while, so I went to my desk and flipped open my laptop. It looked like my clients had sent me the new contract and a few files about what they were looking for. I’d been reading for maybe ten minutes before there was another knock at my door.
“Go away, Trevor,” I called. “I told you to leave me alone.”
Another knock, more insistent this time.
“Jesus fucking Christ…” I grumbled, pushing myself up. “That guy can’t take a fucking hint.” I stomped over to the door, practically tearing it open. “I told you I don’t?—”
But it wasn’t Trevor. It was Kent. And all the breath left my body.
“James…” he said, rushing through the door. He reached up, grabbing the sides of my face and pressed his lips to mine before I could get a word out.
Any other time I would’ve melted under his touch. Any other time I would’ve longed for this feeling. But the only thing that rose up was an inferno of fury in my belly.
