I jerked away. It’s not how I meant to react, but I did it anyway and regretted it the moment I saw the shock… the pain on her face. I hated that part of myself. It reminded me of my father, and as much as I loved him, I didn’t want to be him. He destroyed my mother. At least he had an excuse. I had no fucking excuse, but I also had no control.
“I don’t know what to think since in the last five minutes I’ve been informed that you’re ‘friends with Jamie’s penis and testicles.’”
She flinched as her face contorted, but not in shock… in guilt.
“And that you “hate football,” and for the win… you kissed Flint!”
She held a finger over her lips to hush me. I had too damnmuch anger simmering inside to be hushed. I was going to let the Jamie thing go and write it off as a six-year-old misunderstanding, but after the Flint revelation, I just couldn’t.
“I’m exhausted. Shayna has thrown up three times today, and Trzy had attempted to eat it three times and later made her own vomit mess for me to clean up. When Shayna wasn’t vomiting, she wanted me to cuddle with her and her body temperature is like two hundred degrees and now I’m a sticky, yucky, mess in desperate need of a shower. So I’m simply going to tell you what happened and then we’re not going to talk about it anymore.”
I didn’t move. All I could do was glare at her, my jaw set.
She released a long breath. “I made a snarky comment to Jamie saying I hoped he ended up with chicken pox on his t-e-s-t-i-c-l-e-s, not realizing how well Shayna could spell. She asked about them then asked if they were like a penis, so I said yes, they were friends. End of story. As for the Flint thing…” closing her eyes for a moment she shook her head “…he not only brought me groceries, but he brought all this stuff for Shayna that he didn’t have to bring her. Flint has done a lot for me, and before he left I gave him a ‘friendly’ hug and quick peck on the cheek.”
Jealousy. Worst fucking feeling ever.
“I’ve had a long day too… I’m going home before I say something I might regret.”
LAKE
Leaving.That was his response? To leave? Everything was so innocent and meant nothing. How could he not see that?
“Really? After yesterday, you honestly think I’m interested in some other guy?”
“I don’t know what to think, it’s just…” He pressed the heels of his hand to his temples and rubbed them. “Do you kiss the package delivery guy? If some guy holds open a door for you or picks up something you dropped, do you kiss him?”
“Not fair. Flint’s different.”
His face hardened again. “Flint’s my employee.”
“Flint’s your friend.”
His eyes narrowed, chin jutting forward. “All the more reason to keep your fucking lips off him.”
That was a nice jab. I didn’t have the strength for the fight he wanted to have.
“I know you think he’s good looking. You told him the first day you two met. You like his name. You call him when you’re in trouble…”
“Fuck you.” I couldn’t take back the words. I didn’t say them playfully like Everson, and the moment they crossed my lips I felt a clenching pain in my heart.
Cage’s eyes widened. He didn’t expect me to say that either. After a few moments, he shook his head, running his hands through his hair. “I hate it,” he whispered. “I hate this fucking—” He stopped so abruptly it felt like a car slamming into a concrete wall.
Words hurt so bad. My eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry…” I saw as much pain on his face as I felt in my heart. He blinked several times, his eyes softening a bit. “I’m tired. It’s no excuse. I’m jealous. It’s not an excuse either, but I’m human so I can’t help it. I get it. He saved you that day at the beach, but I would have too. You could have called 9-1-1 or?—”
“Jesus, Cage! He didn’t just save me at the beach. He saved Shayna’s life when I couldn’t.” That was it… the tears could no longer be held at bay. “After the game, when Everson asked about her, he was referring to our trip that turned into Shayna choking on a gumball while I just stood there helpless. Had…” I sucked in a shaky breath because the idea of what would have happened had Flint not been there was still too unbearable. “Had Flint not been following me… she…” My hand slapped over my mouth and I released a sob. “H-he s-saved her l-life…”
Before I could take another breath, he had me in his arms. It’s the place I’d felt so desperate to be since the day it happened. In the most literal sense, I fought my way every day to be strong and stand on my own two feet, but sometimes even strong people needed a safe haven to just fall apart.
“Lake …”
I fisted his shirt and just cried. No expectations. No need for words. All I wanted was for him to be strong enough to take that pain I could no longer hold in my heart.
“I killed Ben and Shayna almost…”
“Shh… no… you’re so wrong.” He held my head, brushing his thumbs over my wet cheeks. “Lake Ivy Jones…”
