“Are you in love with her, William?”
The problem wasn’t that Will fell in love easily. It was his mood swings that prevented me from figuring out his next move.
What if he told her too much? We’d all end up in deep shit.
“I told her things, stuff I’ve never told anyone.”
“What the fuck did you say to her? Do you think making her feel bad for you will get her into bed?” I snarled furiously.
I didn’t want to talk to him like that, but my judgment was clouded. Will didn’t push me hard, but I lost my balance, and my back slammed against the cold tiles.
“For fuck’s sake, James!” yelled Jackson, following William with his eyes while he stormed out of the bathroom.
“What the fuck was I supposed to say to him? You know how he gets, don’t you? He thinks she’s the love of his life for a few months, then he’ll drop her without even giving her a fucking explanation.”
“Maybe it’s different this time.”
Jackson looked down dejectedly, and we were both overwhelmed by the same memory.
“And what if she was the one who hurt him?”
“Are you afraid he’ll fuck up again like he did that time with Ari?” asked Jackson without lifting his head up.
How could anyone make me forget how my best friend tried to end it all after his first heartbreak? He locked himself in the bathroom, filled up on pills, and almost ended up in a drug-induced coma.
“Look, Jax, I was thinking—”
His gaze turned back to me, and his aquamarine eyes started shining, maybe under the influence of mine.
“This idea has been swirling around in my head.”
“Let’s hear it,” he urged.
“It’s a little extreme, but you know what they say . . .”
“Don’t beat around the bush, James.”
“What if I slept with her?”
“You. Are. Insane,” he pronounced clearly, flailing his arms.
“Listen, we can’t trust her. The only way is to hit Will over the head with the truth.”
“What the hell’s gotten into your head, James?”
“Before he completely falls for that pain in the ass I’ll make a move, and she’ll be game. Will is gonna understand that she doesn’t give a fuck about him, and he’ll leave her. I’ll have saved him from getting screwed over and future problems.”
“And who told you that she’d be interested? It’s not like everyone drools over you. Maybe Will actually likes her.”
How could I make Jackson understand that the innocent-seeming young lady thinks about me before going to sleep?
“Will definitely likes her, but that’s not the point. I don’t want him to get too involved, and imagine when they break up—do you think she won’t start talking? Maybe to get back at him? It’s better to get rid of her now.”
And then, if things went sideways, who the fuck would protect her from that slimeball Austin?
Jackson was clearly stunned. He couldn’t believe his ears.
“So do you want to break them up? What kind of fucking idea is that?”
