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“Yes?”
“If Megan wants to find out anything about Parker, she should call her fiance and ask him directly. You need to stay completely out of it. The last thing I’d want to see is for you tobecome collateral damage because those two can’t get their shit together.”
“Do you think Hunter would cut me out of his life or something?”
The thought of that frightens me. We’ve just found each other.
“I’d never let that happen but there would be consequences. I’m hoping that we’d never have to cross that bridge.”
“It’s nice to know that I’d have another big brother willing to take Hunter’s place if he ever did.” I smile. “Thanks for always being there for me Christian. You’ve been a great friend.”
“A friend?”
“We are friends, aren’t we?” I ask questioning whether he’s been taking care of me because Hunter ordered him to or because he genuinely cares for my well-being.
A conflicted look I don’t completely understand the meaning of crosses Christian’s face and my heart sinks. One of my biggest flaws is that I’ve always misinterpreted people’s true intentions. It’s a skill I’m sure you learn if you grow up in a normal way and not alone and frightened like I did.
Of course, this man doesn’t give a singlerealshit about me. Why would he? He’s just doing whatever Hunter’s told him to do.
“We are,” he says plainly and his eyes give him away.
I am nothing but an assignment.
Or perhaps a favor for his friend.
None of this is real.
And I need to remember that.
“I’ve got food to prep so I’m going to head off now,” I tell him desperately trying to mask my hurt feelings with a superficial smile.
“And the thing with Megan?”
“Stepping away and minding my business.” I throw my hands up.
Once I make it back downstairs, I dip into a side hallway before I enter the kitchen, and for the first time in a long time, maybe years... I have an ugly cry.
Chapter 14
First Things First
MEGAN
If I watch another episode of a woman falling all over herself, embarrassing herself, to get a rose from a man with the hopes of screwing him in a hot tub I’m going to vomit.
It’s my own fault.
This is what happens when you quit your job, dump your fiancé, and basically blow up your entire life in one moment. You end up bored as hell on the sofa eating shit to keep the baby walrus growing inside of me happy.
That’s it.
I have to get out of this apartment.
I promised I’d give Lena 24 hours to find out what she could about Parker, but her search and find mission came up short. She didn’t say much but that she reached a dead end.
She’s a sweet girl who is trying to find her way in this new life that she’s found herself in with Hunter as her brother, but I’m done sitting passively as things happen around me.
Those days are over.