What the hell is going on?
“Liv? Earth to Liv!” Tobias calls. “Are you going to help me with this, or what?”
I snap my gaze from the two men to the piece of black tarp in my hands. “Sorry,” I mutter as I go back to helping him erect a crude curtain around the washing area we’ve set up. It’s not much, just a couple ofbuckets of water and plastic bags so people can create a shower if they’re creative enough.
As we finish up, my eyes wander towards Theo and Alex again. The two of them are standing off to the side, and again, Alex is ignoring Theo as the smaller man tries and fails to talk to him. Across the room, I see Rhys pause midway through pitching a tent to frown at his two best friends before his eyes find mine. He quirks a brow and tilts his head towards them, silently asking if I know anything about it.
I shake my head.
His frown deepens, and he looks like he’s about to abandon the tent to go talk to them when Jerri pointedly clears her throat.
“For fuck’s sake, at least finish the job first,” she complains, pointing at the tent that she’s barely helping set up. The peacocking idiot is beside her, shooting Rhys a disapproving look while holding the other side of the tent.
I grind my teeth and shoot daggers at the duo, expecting Rhys to demand that she treat him with respect, like he would me if I spoke to him like that. But he doesn’t. He just sighs and goes back to shoving the pole into the top of the tent.
What the fuck? Why doesn’t he defend himself against Jerri?
I must make a noise of frustration because Tobias pats my shoulder. “It’s not your problem,” he tells me, but I can feel his curious gaze on my face, silently begging me to tell him which of the guys I’m with.
Honestly, at this point,noneof them because I have this sinking feeling that the rift between Alex and Theo is because of me. Guilt eats away at me as Tobias and I finish up with the first makeshift washing bay and move onto the second.
By the time we’re finished, I’m sick to my stomach and eager to hunt down Alex so I can figure out what’s wrong. He’s standing alone off to the side, his expression hard and his shoulders tense as he watches the people around him set up camp. I hate seeing him look so deadened andcold. Those blue eyes should be sparkling with mirth, not hard chips of ice.
I need to fix this.
I keep to the edges of the room, avoiding detection until I sidle up next to him. “You okay?” I ask him as I place my palm on his arm.
His muscles tense beneath my hand as he flicks his eyes from me to across the warehouse, seeking Theo amongst the chaos. “I’m fine,” he grits out, sounding decidedlynot fine.
I bite back a wince. This reminds me of the night at the Lodge, when Alex confessed he wanted me after being hurt that I’d chosen Theo to be my fake boyfriend. It confirms my suspicion that this is my fault. Although I can’t figure out why it’s happening now.
If it was my confession to him on the night of the attack, then surely he would have been a grumpy prick after the fight. But he wasn’t. He was laughing and smiling after the fight, happily talking with Theo. That happiness is gone and he barely even looks at Theo, let alone talks to him. So what the hell happened?
“Alex…”
He shakes his head, not sparing me a glance. “This isn’t something for you to fix, Ollie.” No,sweetheart, justOllie. “Just go back to Theo.”
I frown as my hand drops from his arm. “Go back? I haven’t been with him.”
He snorts derisively. “Didn’t seem like that last night.”
Last night? What…oh. The kiss. I close my eyes briefly. “It’s not like that. We just kissed, but I stopped it.”
I can practically feel the pain and disbelief pouring off him as he stands like a statue beside me. “You know, it hurt like a motherfucker when you told me what happened between you and him the other night, but you told me you weren’t choosing and I believed you.” He trains those hard, icy blue eyes on me. “Is this you choosing? Because that’s what seeing the two of you together felt like.”
His words are like a stab to the heart, but I swallow back my pain. “I meant what I said that night; I’m not choosing and risking your friendship.”
He huffs and shakes his head. “How is shoving your tongue down Theo’s throatnotchoosing? Or is it that you won’t choose, but just prefer him over me regardless?”
I flinch at the harshness of his words.God,the pain in his voice… It’s only just overshadowed by the anger flashing in his eyes, but even that cools until there’s nothing but icy blankness left.I did that. I hurt him, and now he’s rightfully lashing out at me.
“Alex…” I reach for him, but he steps back.
“I have shit to do,” he says before striding away from me.
I lean against the wall, gasping for breath as my chest feels like it’s caving in while guilt, sorrow, and pain churn in my stomach. Tears blur my vision as I stare blankly at the floor. I knew this is what would happen if I gave into my feelings for these men but selfishly I ignored it and now I’ve hurt one of them.
I’m not sure how long I lean against the wall, my world crashing down around me when a hand cups the side of my head. My gaze snaps up, meeting a brow furrowed in concern and liquid silver eyes blazing with sorrow.
