𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟗

ALESSIO
KINGSTON

The tension between us hung thick in the air, so palpable it felt like a physical weight pressing down on my chest. Damon was pushing, relentless as always, his words trying to burrow their way under my skin, trying to unravel the tangled mess inside me. "All I'm saying is that it's okay to be in love with her," he argued, his voice calm, but insistent. I could feel the irritation bubbling up inside me, a hot surge of frustration that wanted to escape in the form of a sharp retort. But I fought it back, pressing my lips together to keep the words from spilling out. He was delusional if he thought I was in love with Avery. Sure, she was wonderful—kind, intelligent, beautiful—but love? No. Love was too big, too heavy. I admired her, maybe even liked her in ways I wasn't willing to admit, but that was the extent of it. Love wasn't part of the equation.

"Give me one reason why you believe I'm falling for her," I shot back, my voice firm, trying to keep the anger from cracking it.

Damon leaned back, crossing his arms in that way that only made him look more convinced of his own infallibility. "Oh, buddy, you aren't falling for her. You fell for her a long time ago." Grayson yawned, barely paying attention, as if this entire conversation was as entertaining as watching paint dry. But it didn't matter. The words had hit me like a punch to the gut, even if they were said with the same casual indifference Damon always used. How could he be so sure? How could he know something about me that I wasn't willing to admit to myself?

I scoffed, but Damon wasn't finished. He wasn't ever finished. "Look, you never bought a helmet for anyone. You rode with her once and got her a helmet the next day. You called her on each of her birthdays. You check up on her every second like you're married to her. That's kinda suspicious. You could either love her or lose her forever. Do you want another guy to steal her away?" The words tumbled out of him, sharp and pointed, meant to hit the mark, to make me feel something. And they did. Every one of them felt like a stake driven into my chest.

I wanted to say something—anything—to defend myself, to push back against the truth of his accusations. But when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. I felt stupid. I felt exposed. They were all looking at me, Jaxon, Damon, Grayson—each of them with raised eyebrows, waiting for me to deny it, waiting for me to push away the truth they were all so sure of. I shook my head, putting a finger up to silence them, as if I could somehow stop this conversation in its tracks. "Do not say a word," I snapped, my voice more forceful than I intended, but I couldn't help it. "I am not in love with anyone."

They didn't listen. Of course they didn't. They shrugged and smiled, those smug, irritating grins that made me want to throw something across the room. Dickheads.

"Hold on," Grayson interjected, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Why are we talking about me? Let's badmouth this asshole. Do you think we can't see you staring at Stella, watching her with that protectiveness? You're the one who's head over heels for her." He turned the tables on me, and for the first time, I felt a flash of panic rise in my chest.

I shot him an accusing look. "For your information, professionally and honestly, I am head over heels for her. And I consider her the most perfect girl, but love? That would be greatly unacceptable because we both are going through so many problems. We are fine alone. Neither Stella nor I need to be pleased by love like you pussies do. I'm not interested in crushes or cutesy love. I stand by, stay away from romance otherwise you get stuck in emotional, physical, psychological drama."

I blinked at him, stunned by his response, which was so bitter, so raw, it was almost painful to hear. He was so sure, so completely entrenched in his own stubbornness, that it felt like there was no room for anything else—no room for love, no room for vulnerability. He was locked in his own prison of denial, and the thought made something cold coil in my chest.