I didn’t answer, because he was damn right. And the fact that she chased me, needed me, felt like some stupid, meaningless victory.
“When you two were texting and meeting up, be honest with me,” William said. “Did it ever cross your mind to sleep with her?”
“No,” I answered quickly. Maybe too quickly.
I leaned back, jaw tight. “I was wrong for giving her attention, for letting the line blur, but I never planned to sleep with her. I didn’t go into any of it wanting that.”
William stared at me for a long moment, expression unreadable. Then he let out a low whistle. “So you’re telling me you didn’t even think about it? Not once?”
I shot him a glare. “No.”
He raised both brows, skeptical as hell. “You’re saying that didn’t even flicker in your brain?”
I hesitated. Just a second too long. “Of course not.”
His brows lifted slightly.
“It wasn’t something I wanted,” I continued, voice low. “And it sure as hell wasn’t something I meant to act on.”
He leaned back, arms crossing. “But you stupidly let yourself get close enough that it could happen.”
I didn’t argue.
“I don’t know, man,” he muttered, picking up his cup again. “All I can say is... I hope there’s still something worth saving.”
I stared into my coffee, the words settling heavy in my chest. I didn’t say anything, but God, I hoped he was right. I hoped there was still something left for me to fix, something Elena hadn’t completely given up on.
William didn’t give me long to linger in it. “When you slept with her, did you at least use a condom?” he asked.
“Yes. Hers. I didn’t bring any. I mean, come on, you’ve never seen me screwing around when I’m out of town.”
He blinked at me. Slowly. Like he couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.
Then he scoffed. Hard.
“...Right. Because that’s exactly what this looks like,” he muttered.
Before I could respond, he leaned in, eyebrows raised in pure disbelief. “She even brought a condom to meet you. That means she planned it, and you just walked straight into it,” he said. But he didn’t stop there. “And it was her condom. Man, what the hell is wrong with you? What if she tampered with it? Poked holes in it? Do you not think?” He shook his head, still staring at me like he was trying to process the stupidity. “Imagine her showing up months later with a baby and calling it yours. Jesus.”
“No,” I snapped. “I went out and got a morning-after pill right after. Made sure she took it right in front of me.”
Even saying it out loud made my stomach twist. None of it sounded right. None of it erased what I’d already done.
He let out a low whistle. “Well, good. Elena doesn’t need another surprise.”
I only grunted in response.
He took another sip of his drink while checking his watch. “Alright, I gotta head back.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not heading out?” he asked.
“Nah. I’ll stay a bit.”
He nodded once and left.
I lifted my cup again—lukewarm now—and stared into it like it had answers.
