ADDICTED [BoyxBoy]

26 | fєαrℓєѕѕ

You run your hands through your hair

Absentmindedly making me want you

Chapter 26 ~ Fearless

Max Caldwell

I came to the conclusion that despite everything that happened in the last couple weeks, I was genuinely happy.

After spending a few days in the hospital, the doctors told me I was safe to go home as long as I avoided any strenuous activities. Since then, my parents rarely left me out of their sight. I wasn't allowed to go back to school until I regained all of my strength and I couldn't do just about everything without someone hovering over my shoulder and asking me if I was okay. In the past week, I had gotten more family and friend visits than I did in the last few years.

I'm sure my past self would have retched at the thought of so much attention, but my current new and improved self was pleased with the warmth of comfort and love.

"So," Trey began as he tore his attention away from the bag of chips he was devouring and gazed up at me with questioning eyes, "you never told me why you decided to ditch me on prom night."

I rolled my eyes and didn't say anything in response, deciding to keep my attention on the sketch I was currently working on.

Trey had been all sorts of pissed when he found out I had been a car crash and he was planning to tear Liam from limb to limb if I hadn't talked him out of it. Although I shouldn't have left him without any notice that night, I told him it was for a good reason . . . a reason I had yet to tell him.

But it wasn't like I could tell him that Liam's former friend might have killed his ex-boyfriend. Trey didn't even know about Scotty.

"Or you can just ignore me," he said at last once he figured I wasn't going to reply. "That's cool, too."

I dropped my pencil and sat up straighter with my eyes traveling to Trey's sprawled out position on the floor, giving him my full attention. "I told you I was sorry, but I can't talk to you about this. It's personal for Liam."

He nodded gently and stuck another chip in his mouth, not removing his eyes from mine. "Do you love him?"

I flinched at his harsh words. There was a dry bitter connotation behind them, and it didn't help that he was staring me down with an intense glare.

"Huh?" I ended up asking, even though I knew exactly what he said.

He chewed harshly on his chip. "Well, he damn near killed you and you still want to suck his dick. That must be love, right?"

My jaw grew slack. "Trey."

Something I interpreted as regret flashed across Trey's face as he breathed out along sigh and said, "Sorry. I'm just worried about you. I don't want an asshole like him to hurt you and he has, emotionally and physically." His voice was so volatile, so shaky, that I couldn't possibly know what he was truly feeling inside.

I said nothing for a moment and stared down at my hands, absentmindedly playing with my fingers. "It's not his fault," I said. "I was the one who agreed to help him with his personal problems."

Trey watched me with dark eyes. "And that's not your fault, either. That's just who you are. You help people."

My gaze slowly lifted to his, but I couldn't say anything. He was right. No matter how much I tried, I always ended up caring for the same people that I swore I hated.

He sucked in a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. I swear, I just-" He didn't get to finish because my father waltzed into the living room, making him fall silent.