My brothers best friend

Chapter 33: Lines Crossed

Chapter 33

Jake's Point of View

The pale light of morning crept through the thin curtains, casting long, soft shadows across the room. Valerie was still asleep, curled into the blanket with her face tucked against the pillow. Her breathing was slow and steady, a calm rhythm that belied the storm from the night before.

I sat in the chair by the window, scrolling through my phone while my mind wrestled with itself. The texts had been coming in nonstop.

Mason: Where the hell are you? Is Val safe?
Mason: You better not be pulling any shit, Jake. I mean it. Call me.
Mason: If she's not okay, I swear to God—

And Paige, trying to keep the peace.

Paige: Mason's freaking out. Please just let us know she's alright. Viktoria is worried too.
Paige: Jake, this isn't like you. What's going on?

I had sent a single response, one I knew would do little to calm Mason's protective fury.

Me: She's safe. I'll bring her home later.

But I knew that wasn't going to cut it. I was going to have to talk to Mason sooner or later, and the thought churned in my gut. He wasn't just Valerie's brother—he was one of my closest friends. He trusted me. And here I was, with his sister in a hotel room after the most chaotic night imaginable.

I leaned back in the chair, rubbing a hand over my face. None of this was how I'd pictured things going.

Valerie stirred, her hand reaching out blindly to the empty side of the bed before her eyes fluttered open. She blinked against the light, her gaze finding me across the room. For a second, there was a softness in her expression, almost a smile.

"Morning," she murmured, her voice rough from sleep.

"Morning," I said, keeping my tone even.

She sat up slowly, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. "Did you sleep at all?"

I shrugged, looking away. "I'm fine."

Her brow furrowed, and I could see the question forming in her eyes. But instead of asking it, she tucked her legs beneath her and stared at the bedspread. The silence between us stretched, heavy and awkward.

"Jake," she said softly, breaking the quiet. "About last night—"

"Don't," I cut her off, my voice sharper than I intended. Her eyes widened slightly, and I immediately felt like an ass. "I mean... we don't have to do this now."

Her shoulders sagged a little, and she nodded, but the hurt was there in her eyes.

I stood, shoving my phone into my pocket. "We should get going. Mason's losing his mind."

The mention of her brother seemed to snap her out of it. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, I figured."

As she got up and started gathering her things, I watched her out of the corner of my eye. She looked tired—more than tired, really. Worn down. And I hated that I was part of the reason for it.

But I couldn't ignore the way my thoughts kept circling back to the day she left the farm. The way she'd shut me out so completely, saying she wanted to go home without any real explanation. She'd been distant, almost cold, and I'd told myself to respect her space. But now, after last night, I couldn't make sense of it. One minute she'd been pushing me away, and now she was pulling me back in, and I had no idea where I stood.