10
Ryan
I stared at him in disbelief. “Why do you care?”
His gaze cut away as he shrugged carelessly. “I don’t.”
“Bullshit. You wouldn’t have asked if you didn’t.”
“Maybe I’m just being a good friend and seeing how you got on.”
“Liar.” I got in his face, my bare chest rubbing against the cotton of his T-shirt. I barely registered it, too furious to take in what was happening. “You’veneverbeen a good friend. Not to me.”
His chest was rising and falling rapidly as he scowled back at me. “Fuck you, Ryan.”
“What’s the matter?” I taunted. “Can’t stand the truth?”
We’re so close. Too close. I could feel his breath mingling with mine.
I was in a similar position to this earlier, with Maya. Then, I felt nothing.
Now, I was feeling everything.
Dominic’s gaze dropped to my lips, and my breath caught in my throat as the entire world seemed to pause.
But then he stepped back. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come.”
He tried to leave but I moved to the side, blocking his path. “Then why did you?”
“I don’t know,” he exploded. Now he was the one getting in my face. “You think I like acting like this, Ryan? I don’t. I fucking don’t, okay? I don’t understand it.”
I gaped at him in shock. I’d never seen him lose his cool before. Not like this.
“I’m so confused,” he whispered, tugging at his hair. “I don’t fucking understand any of this. What did you do to me, Shadow? Why does the thought of you kissing her make me fucking spiral? Can you explain that to me?”
I couldn’t. I was completely speechless. I just stood there, gawking at the stranger before me and wondering where the fuck Dominic had gone. Because the Dominic I knew would never be this vulnerable.
Not with me.
He went to say something else, but was stopped by a tentative knock on my door. “Ryan? Is everything alright?”
I stepped around Dominic with a sigh. Cracking the door open an inch, I smiled reassuringly at Mum. “Everything’s fine, I promise.”
Doubt was all over her face. “Are you sure? I thought I heard Dominic.”
She wouldn’t have an issue with him being in my room, not with how often he crashed with Max.
In his bed, apparently.
My stomach soured. I glanced back over my shoulder to see that Dominic was gone, the curtains blowing in the wind.
I opened the door wider, letting Mum see inside. “Nope, just me. I was rehearsing a debate for philosophy and I guess I got carried away. Sorry, Mum, I’ll try to keep it down.”
“No worries, pet.” She reached up to pat my cheek. “Seeing as we’re both awake, how about a cup of tea?”
Really, what I wanted to do was to chase after Dominic so we could finish our conversation. Instead, I gave Mum a smile and prayed she wouldn’t see through it. “Sounds great.”
I’d been turningmy phone over in my hands for a solid hour.Flip. Flip. Flip.Mum had gone to bed ages ago, but I was wide awake, and it wasn’t the late-night caffeine or conversation.
