The Hook-up

Chapter 206

I'm trying not to." Bruno said in a frustrated tone.

"Was that directed toward me?" Phil asked a bit caught off guard with Bruno's tone.

"No." he said still frustrated.

"I don't get her..." he told Phil as Damaris walked further toward the front of the group with Ryan and Jamero.

"What's not to get?" Phil asked. "Stop talking to her."

"I can't she's kind of a package deal." he told his friend. "She's kind of family."

"So is your wife." Phil said with his lips clenched.

"I know!" Bruno almost yelled. "I can't help it!"

"Come over here...." Phil told his friend pulling him to the side.

"We'll catch up!" Bruno yelled standing on the side of the street with Phil. "What?"

"What does she do to you?" Phil asked.

"She's like this Medusa of seduction or something. She just sucks me into her stupid fucking traps." Bruno told Phil.

"What does that even mean?" Phil questioned.

"It means that I still can't stop thinking about her when I see her." Bruno said with a sigh leaning his head against the building.

"That's not the right answer!" Phil said frustrated.

"I know it's not. I love Lauren. I love her so much." he told Phil.

"What about your wife? How does she make you feel?" Phil responded.

"She makes me feel full of life and energized and happy and....she makes me feel everything." Bruno told him.

"Then what the fuck is your problem?" Phil replied.

"I don't know. I know something is going to happen..." Bruno said reaching for his cigarettes. "Something is going to happen and I'm going to hurt her again. And whatever happens after that I am going to deserve. I don't know what. I don't know when. But something will happen..." he said lighting the cigarette pulling his phone out hearing Lauren's text ringtone. He pulled it out seeing a picture that she sent him.

Not going to see her my ass. Don't bring home any STDs, Bruno. I mean it.

Bruno quickly pressed the button to cal Lauren. "What are you talking about?" he asked her without even saying hello.

"Don't even bs me, Bruno. You were with her." Lauren snapped over a crying baby.

"I was with her." he admitted in a defeated tone.

"How can you even do this?" Lauren asked with a shaky emotion in her voice. "After promising me and telling me that she means nothing to you. You weren't even there a whole day before you saw her." Phil stood next to Bruno listening to Lauren's loud angry voice shaking his head.

"I have no excuse." Bruno admitted. "She's a few blocks ahead of me with Ry...." he told her.

"Then get away from her!" Lauren yelled at him.

"I don't understand how you can lie to my face and be okay with it, Brunz. I don't even know if I should try anymore. Should I just know that you're going to be with her and be okay with it? Just accept it? Just accept that I'm the one you're married to but she's the one that satisfies you? That she's the one that makes you happy?"

"Ugh. Lauren. Stop." his voice quickly changed from defeat to frustration with Lauren's conclusions.

"Have a good night, Bruno. Everlee is crying and I need to go." she told him in an equally as defeated tone ending the call.

"I don't get it..." Bruno said putting the phone away walking toward Ryan and Damaris.

"She knows you, bro. She knows what's going to happen. And she's finally realizing it. You need to fix it." Phil told him.

"I know." Bruno moaned throwing his cigarette butt into the busy New York street.