Book IV of the UNC Series
Carter Blake has a bone-deep hatred for the world-and especially for the people in it. All he wants is to keep his head down, focus on school and basketball, and avoid the mess of human connection. After enduring years of...
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I have many regrets right now. I regret how I handled my situation with Inez and Mom, how fraught my relationship with Carsen is, and how I treated Ryan the last time I saw her.
I should regret not being at my tournament, knowing that the next time I attend practice, things will not look good. I regret fighting tonight, though knowing that it potentially saved Addie's life makes me not regret it.
My only regret now is missing out on the opportunity to kiss Addie and taste her lips. The air crackled with unspoken desire as she practically begged me to kiss her; I longed to taste her lips, to feel their gentle pressure against mine.
I've never kissed anyone because the prospect of that level of closeness and the potential for emotional entanglement feels too intense for me. I witnessed the bitterness of loss with my parents, and the short-lived split with my brother and Ryan left behind deep scars. That intimacy felt like a tightrope walk over a chasm; one wrong move, and it would all come crashing down.
I didn't want to make out with the one-night stands I had or hold them tenderly as I did.
But Addie is different. She already was. For her, I shattered the carefully constructed barriers around my heart, sharing intimate details and painful truths I'd never dared to speak aloud. I told her about my family, Inez, basketball, my fears, my future, everything.
She was never just a one-night stand for me or a casual fling.
And so, in that instant, I yearned to taste her lips, to feel the softness and warmth of her skin against mine.
A hesitant knock, barely audible above the quiet hum of the house, interrupted the moment. I don't know who it could be. Carsen never comes by anymore, and Ryan hasn't attempted to come by since my outburst, for which I still need to apologize. Mom and Inez would never dream of coming here.
The only other person I could think of was Andre, but he should be in Boston, where I would be if Inez hadn't threatened to hurt Addie. And I doubt he would fly back to see me in the middle of the most crucial weekend. Since I brushed him off after practice that day, he's barely attempted to speak with me.
I pull away, my chest tightening as I see Addie's disappointed expression. I blink, watching her dilated hazel eyes slowly filter back into focus. Her gaze shifts hastily to the door when the knock resounds again. I bow my head, pinching my eyes closed, as I push off the counter and stalk towards the door.
As I swing it open, a wave of regret constricts my chest. I regret the choices I've made that have led to this.
Because Andre Davis is standing before me, fuming. His nostrils flare as he glares at me. His brown eyes darken, and his lips curl into a disappointed snarl. I release my grip on the cool, smooth wood of the door frame and step back as Andre advances, his footsteps echoing slightly.
He only has his winter jacket on, a beanie covering the top of his head, and his passport and wallet in his hand. He probably came directly from the airport.
