"You're insufferable."
"Maybe," he says softly, "but you still can't keep your eyes off me."
"Maybe I don't want to."
♥___________♥
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢
Playboy, arrogant, and egoistic-sounds like a typical jerk, right? But there's more to Marco th...
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I stepped into Alex's apartment, the smell of dinner cooking in the kitchen. Alex was at the stove, his usual bright smile missing. "Late again," he said, turning down the heat and wiping his hands on a towel. "Were you with Marco again?"
I hesitated for a moment, catching Alex's gaze. "Yeah, Marco and I were working late."
Alex's lips tightened into a thin line. "Working or just hanging out?"
"It's not like that," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "We're just working on the case. We have to."
Alex's eyes narrowed. "That's convenient. How do you think I feel when you spend time with a guy you used to like? It's weird for me, James."
I felt a surge of frustration. "Yeah, Used to like him, when we were kids. I don't like him anymore, Alex. I don't even want to be around him, but I have to because of this case. Why is it so hard to believe?" I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. "It was years ago, Alex! I've moved on. I hate him now, okay? Can we drop this?"
Alex scoffed. "Hate him? Right. That's why you're spending all this extra time with him, huh? You expect me to believe that there's nothing left?"
I clenched my fists, my temper flaring. "You don't get it! It's not like I want to spend time with him! I'm trying to solve a murder, Alex! This isn't some high school drama!"
"Well, it sure feels like it," he shot back. "You're with him every day, and I'm here, wondering if I even matter to you anymore!"
I took a step forward, voice trembling with anger. "You matter. You always have. But if you're going to keep throwing Marco in my face every time we talk, then maybe you don't trust me at all!"
Alex's face flushed with frustration. "How am I supposed to trust you when you've been keeping all this bottled up? I had to drag the truth out of you!"
"I didn't keep anything from you!" I yelled. "I told you, it's over. It's been over for years. But you refuse to let it go!"
Alex shook his head, exasperated. "I can't just let it go when it's staring me in the face every day. You're spending more time with him than you are with me, James!"
My chest tightened. "Because I'm working! I'm doing my damn job! And I need you to stop acting like I'm out there having fun with him. I'm not. I'm trying to close this case so we can move forward."
Alex threw the towel onto the counter. "I just don't know how to be okay with this. I don't like feeling like I'm competing with your work or your past."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "You're not competing. But I can't keep having this argument every time I come home. You've got to trust me, Alex."
Alex's words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Well, I can't. Don't you remember what he did to you? He used you, tossed you aside, and almost caused your fucking death!"
