“You too, Azrael,” I breathe to his retreating form, unsure he can even hear me.
Why did that feel like a goodbye? And why does it hurt?
I should be glad that he’s saying goodbye. That means he’ll stay away, and I won’t have to worry about his moody, rude, andconfrontational self. But a part of me that I don’t understand cries out at the thought of never seeing him again.
I’m a fucking mess.
I don’t have time to dwell on it because my phone buzzes. I expect it to be another text from Charlie, demanding details about everything that happened with the guys last night.
When I see that it’s an unknown number, I freeze. Knowing I’m not going to like whatever the text says, I open it anyway.
Unknown number
This is your last chance, birdie. Come home now or I will drag you back. Your choice.
Yep. I was absolutely right. I hate everything about the text from Andrew. For the millionth time, I wonder how in the hell he keeps getting my numbers. He’s a persistent bastard—I’ll give him that.
I guess he’s officially moved on from acting like he cares to outright threatening me. I can only hope that he’s unraveling in real life like he is over text.
As long as I’m nowhere near him.
If what happened with Wren and Marcus taught me anything, it was just how dangerous the Fowler brothers are when they want to be. Everything I eventually learned Marcus was doing to Wren tries to break out of the vault I keep it in, but I shove it back down with all my strength.
After the emotional roller coaster yesterday was, I don’t have the mental energy to go there. What I do have in spades in anger. At Marcus. At Andrew. And, most of all, at myself.
In that haze of anger, I make what’s objectively a poor life decision and respond to Andrew’s text.
Go fuck yourself, Andrew. Your creepy texts are pathetic and desperate. I’m never coming “home,” so leave me the fuck alone.
My heart’s racing after I send my reply, but it feels weirdly good to say something to him rather than staying silent as usual.
I don’t have to wait long to get his reaction. It’s less than thirty seconds before a second text comes through.
Unknown number
You made your choice. I’ll be seeing you, birdie. Real soon.
Something about what he said sends a shiver down my spine, but I remind myself that there’s no way he knows where I am. I’m safe and out of his reach. Or, at least, that’s what I try to convince myself as I finish my breakfast in uneasy silence.
Charlie looksat me incredulously from where she’s perched on the other side of the cream sectional. “You mean to tell me you spent the entire night in a hot guy’s bed and didn’t get it on? Even a little? What the actual fuck, Jojo? Are you trying to die a virgin?”
I had the guys drop me off at my apartment this morning so I could get a little work done. After finishing up what I needed for the day, I decided to come over to Charlie and Coop’s place to hang out for a little while, which I’m regretting now, thanks to her interrogation.
Coop makes a gagging noise from his spot next to me. “Eww. Can you not, Charles? Jesus. I don’t need to hear about either of my little sisters fucking anyone.”
I snort at his reaction. I’m glad to see Coop is pretty much healed up from his scuffle with Azrael. His bruises and cuts are completely gone, and he looks like his normal self.
She rolls her eyes and huffs at him. “Like you don’t know I’ve been having sex for years, Cooper. Jojo, not so much. But we’re working on that whole not-dying-without-ever-boinking-anyone thing.”
Coop slaps his hands over his ears as soon as Charlie mentions her sex life.
I groan. “For the last time, Charlie, I’m not a virgin. And no, nothing happened because I’m just friends with them.”
“Uh-huh,” she says, skepticism dripping from her words. “You’re just friends with the stupidly hot guys who follow you around like lost puppies? The four of them are so into you. I’m pretty sure even the scary dude who beat up Coop likes you. So, what’s keeping you from jumping on those pogo sticks?”
I let out another groan. Charlie sure has a way with words. An embarrassing way.
“Because she’s scared,” Coop supplies unhelpfully while I’m trying to figure out how to respond to her.
