Slade breathed in deep, let it out slowly.He was primed to argue, but it was difficult to argue with the truth.
“Maybe this isn’t the right thing for us,” Carson whispered.
And therein lies the problem.
Two days ago, Slade would’ve disagreed, thrown himself at Carson’s mercy, and pleaded with him to give him a chance.But over the course of the past two days, something had changed.Something significant.Slade wasn’t even sure he could admit to what it was.Not even to himself.Not yet.
Before Carson could get up, Slade grabbed his arm and pulled him back.“Wait.”
Carson relaxed, and Slade rolled to his side, moving closer.
“Tell me the truth.”
“Anything.”
Slade scanned his face, but he wasn’t sure what he was looking for.“Do you really see this goin’ anywhere?”
Carson’s expression didn’t change; his eyes remained fixed on him.Because of that, Slade saw the truth in them.The same truth he’d seen so long ago, back when they’d been together.Carson had already disconnected.He was there, not because he wanted to salvage what they had, but because he wanted to know whether there was anything left.
Odd how Slade felt the same way.
“I don’t think this is gonna work, Carson.”
Carson tucked his hands under his head and stared up at the ceiling.“I think you’re right.”
“I thought I could—” He stopped talking when he realized Carson had agreed with him.“What?”
“You’re right.”
Slade frowned.“What about Atticus?”
Carson turned his head to look at him.“I don’t know.I haven’t talked to him.”
“I think he’s fuckin’ Archer.”
Slade felt the weight of Carson’s stare when he looked at him.“He’s not.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Atticus is far too honest to cheat.”
“Pfft.Honest?Why the hell would you think that?”
“Come on, Slade.Atticus is honest to a fault.I’m not sure the guy knows how to lie.”
Slade seriously doubted that.Everyone lied.At least everyone he’d ever met did.And he was always the one being lied to, though he couldn’t understand why.
“Well, he spends an awful lot of time with him,” Slade groused.
“Aren’t they partners?”
“Supposedly.”Slade knew he sounded petty, but he couldn’t help it.He didn’t want to admit he might’ve been wrong, that he could be the one who had imploded their entire relationship with his insecurity.
“Deep down, you know Atticus isn’t the sort who’d hurt anyone.”
Maybe.
Still, acknowledging it wasn’t going to make him feel better.
