My Lion. || BXB

chapter fourty-eight.

"cormac."

"what?" that wasn't right, there was a mistake. cormac doesn't- cormac wouldn't.
"listen to me hunter, alexander traced the number to a phone that neither of us had ever contacted before, but when he checked if cormac has, it showed up multiple texts and calls between him and this number."
"what are you saying?"
"alex did a bit more digging, and he found out the name of who the number belonged to."

i waited silently, partly because i didn't know what to say — partly because i wanted lionel to finish. i wanted to know, i needed too.
"claire strickley."

"what?" i shuddered, "no— cormac's girlfriend? why would she?—"
lionel cut me off instantly, "she wouldn't. she barely knows you, and she certainly doesn't know me. the only reasoning is that cormac did it from her phone." and i knew what he was saying made sense. but i still didn't understand.

cormac knew? he knew about me and lionel? for how long? why didn't he say anything? i don't understand, why hasn't he confronted me?

so many unanswered questions, my head feels like its going to blow up.
"hey, come here." lionel slowly came towards me, and when i was in reach he grabbed my sides and pulled me into a tight hug. "i got you, okay? just breathe. my love."

my eyes started to water and i could feel my cheeks reddening. this couldn't be true. how could this be true?

cormac was my best friend. he welcomed me when i had nobody. was he seriously my blackmailer? but why? why wouldn't he just confront me?

"i... i don't understand." my voice was high pitches and wobbly. i couldn't think straight, this was all too much.

"i'll sort it out, i'll sort him out." lionel whispered, kissing the top of my head comfortingly. i didn't respond, i just cried. i cried and cried until i passed out.

my head ached as my eyes fluttered open forcefully. the sun shined uncomfortably on my face. i let out a groan.

"what the-..." my voice croaked as i looked around. i was in lionel's bedroom, but he was nowhere to be seen. and thats when i remembered everything.

i immediately sat up in the bed, and searched the bed side table for my phone. i grasped it and then turned it on quickly.

i pressed on lionel's contact, calling it quickly. he answered after the second ring.
"please tell me you didn't hurt him." i instantly said down the phone, my words coming out in a jumbled up bomb.
"hunter? you're awake! hold on, i'm downstairs let me come to you." and then he hung up. i huffed before turning my phone off and chucking it aside.

then came lionel rushing through his bedroom door, "hunter!" he cheered, crouching down besides me on the floor. "how are you feeling?"
i ignored his question, that wasn't important right now. "cormac, did you hurt him lionel?"
"what? love, now isn't the time—"
"yes it is! just tell me, have you seen him?"

he sighed in defeat, getting up to his feet to shuffle onto the bed besides me. "not yet, but when i see him—"
"you will do nothing."
"excuse me?"
"lionel i need to talk to cormac first, before you beat him black and blue." i stretched my arm across, resting my hand atop of his knee.
he nodded slowly, "but, i can beat him black and blue?" he smirked cheekily and i scoffed but laughed nonetheless.

"its so confusing." i stated after a moment of silence. lio didn't speak, so i continued. "cormac is my best friend, why didn't he lash out at me when he found out? why blackmail me?"
"i don't know." lionel shrugged, "but trust me, if he doesn't tell you when you confront him; he will certainly tell me."

"please can we not talk about you beating my friend up?" i rolled my eyes, although i secretly loved how protective lionel was over me. i suppose there was some positives about dating the most feared boy in school.
"you're still calling him your friend? hunter he—"
"i know what he did, but i want to at least hear him out before i start jumping to conclusions." but he just groaned in frustration.
"that's boring." i grinned at him, leaning forward in his bed and captivating his lips into a kiss.
"that was not so boring." he chuckled. i watched as his face turned a pretty pink.

"promise me you won't go after cormac until after i've spoken to him." i said sternly, grabbing one of lionel's arms.
"but—"
"promise me."

he looked down, carefully thinking of his options in his mind. then, he glanced up and nodded with a distressed face.
"i promise."