Deadly || Sweet Pea [2]

30

Chapter 30 || Family Betrayal

"I gotta give you props, Red." I heard a familiar voice as I entered Pop's. "One minute we're headed to Hiram's prison, the next we're walking out of L&L, time served."

"Munroe?" I questioned, gravitating toward the voice.

"Hey, Kitty." Munroe greeted.

"Nice to see you without glass between us." I grinned, leaning down to give him a hug. "You and the rest of the boys."

"It's nice to see you, too." Munroe beamed. "You here to join us?"

"Unfortunately, no." I sighed. I pointed over at Sweet Pea sitting a few booths away, looking ready to storm over here and seriously hurt Munroe. "That pissed off giant is waiting for me."

"You sure it's a good idea to take to him when he's angry?" Archie asked, shooting Sweet Pea a look over his shoulder.

"He won't hurt me." I laughed. "Besides, I have all you guys a few tables away, and my dad's the sheriff now. So, you'll be congratulated for protecting me instead of thrown back into jail."

"That's good to know." Munroe laughed.

"I'll see you boys later." I waved, heading to the booth where Sweet Pea was sitting. I sat across from him and sighed, drawing his glare from Munroe.

"Who was that?" Sweet Pea questioned.

"That is Munroe." I answered. "And he's not why we're here, Sweet Pea."

"You're right." He sighed, his shoulders relaxing sightly. "Where should we even start?"

"How about we start with why my former relationship- if you could even call it that- with Archie upset you so much." I suggested.

"It's going to sound stupid." Sweet Pea muttered.

"Try me." I countered, crossing my arms.

"I don't like the idea of you being with someone that can give you something that I can't." He muttered.

"What can Archie give me that you can't?" I asked.

"A life." Sweet Pea huffed. "He can give you a nice house on the right side of the tracks, a functional family, and someone to be proud of. How can I compete with that?"

"It was never a competition, Sweet Pea." I sighed. "It never will be a competition. I don't want a house or a family with someone I don't love. The only reason I was ever even in a relationship with him was to distract me from thoughts of you. Just like I was Archie's distraction from Veronica."

"That's all it was?" Sweet Pea asked quietly.

"Yes." I confirmed.

"Okay, now let's talk about what happened between Toni, Peaches, and I." Sweet Pea sighed deeply.

"Did something happen?" I questioned, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Almost." Sweet Pea answered. "But Toni and I stopped before it could go any further than what you saw."

"You almost cheated on me." I stated as my eyes watered. "I know you asked for time, but you and I were still together. You almost cheated on me with someone I once thought to be like my sister."

"I'm so sorry." Sweet Pea apologized.

"Would you have gone through with it if I hadn't interrupted?" I asked, staring down at the table.

"No." Sweet Pea stated. "I would never do that to you, or to Toni. You were both hurting, and the farther it went with Toni, the more I understood my actions and hers were fueled by hurt instead of want, and that's when mistakes are usually made. I would've backed off."