Page 41 of Brutal Titan

“No. Because I believe in giving people another chance, and I believe you meant what you said. All I plan to do now is wait for you to prove me right, like I always am.” She winks, patting me on the hand as she stands. “I’m heading back home.”

Home. I’m home but it doesn’t feel like it.

“Elliot. Do you want to hang out with us today?”

“No, that’s okay. I have some homework I need to catch up on.”

“I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to do so tomorrow while you’re at school all day, unless you’re just making up an excuse to sit around and mope.”

Busted. “Do you ever get tired of being right?”

“Not one bit,” she teases before softening her voice. “If you want to hang out here, then so be it. I won’t force you out of the house, but if you change your mind, come by anytime.”

“Okay,” I say, but I know I’m just staying here. Moping is easier than pretending to be happy right now.

Susan gives me a kiss on the forehead before heading out. I run upstairs to shower and change, doing so quickly before heading back downstairs. Grabbing a water out of the fridge, I head outside to sit on the lounge chair. The blazing heat of the sun is better than the chilly silence inside. Looking to the house, I glance down at my phone. If I call her, I can ask her to stay over tonight, but last time I tried that, it didn’t go so well. She bailed and sent her brother to babysit me out of pity.

My head falls back with a frustrated groan. Damn, I want to be inside her again, but I can’t risk it until I confess to my best friend. Or until I can get some control over my shit because if I ask her over and she flakes out, it’ll sting worse this go-round and I’ll know that last night was pity sex.

Standing from the chaise, I toss my phone into the pool, watching it sink to the bottom. It’s the only way to keep myself from doing something reckless because every phone call I want—or need—to make opens a Pandora’s box that I may or may not be able to contain.

Walking back into the house, I grab a beer out of the fridge before returning to my trusty lounge chair. I down half the bottle, relax my head back, and soak up the warmth of the sun on my skin. I’ll figure it out tomorrow. Today, I just want to enjoy the one day where I have both of them in my life right where they belong—Victoria within my reach and Asher by my side—just as it should be.