Page 10 of Covet (The Red #3)
Chapter Ten
Coop
Listen to Can We Start Over
by Imagine Dragons
I watched as Elle’s beautiful face lost the glow of drugged softness I was addicted to. As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I should’ve delayed the news until later.
Fuck . My knees still hurt from the cracked pavement and her spicy taste lingered on my tongue.
I loved getting her off. Loved the way I was able to push her to the edge with these sex games and keep her hungry for me.
No one else knew the inner bad girl Elle tried to hide.
Those big dark eyes, olive skin, and straight, shiny hair reminded me of a Catholic school fantasy.
She gave off a mix of purity and sin. The possibilities of endlessly defiling Elle kept me coming back for more, even when we fought.
Which lately, was most of the time.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, snapping her brows into a frown. I tried to hold her again but she pushed me away. I held back a sigh of regret. I could’ve handled this better if I’d come, but now I doubted that was happening later.
“When I went to see Max, he pitched me an opportunity to open a gym. We’d go in as partners.” I tried not to let myself sound defensive, but the way she was staring at me like I’d lost my mind pissed me off.
“You have got to be kidding me. Max knows nothing about opening a new business, especially when there’s a gym on every spare block! What does he have to offer that the others don’t?”
I shook my head. “Can you at least pretend to listen before shitting all over my dream?”
Her mouth fell open. “You never once talked about opening a gym! You’re a photographer, Coop. An artist. Your career has been growing ever since you did the shoot for Red, and now you’re going to throw it away to be Max’s wing man?”
Anger hit. “Oh, so it’s fine for you to quit acting and jump into a music career you never wanted, but I can’t change my career?
I’m sick of catalogue shoots, and crap jobs.
I’m sick of scrambling to get seen in a world where AI is taking over, and everyone seems to be an artist because they have a fucking phone.
I need to find something else before it’s too late.
Being a personal trainer and helping people get fit is a dream of mine.
I just never allowed myself to pursue it. ”
She was blinking rapidly, as if trying to keep up with the words spouting out of my mouth.
My gut eased as I finally admitted the truth.
Yeah, I’d always love photography. But this was a way to do more with my life, and really build something big.
The idea of working with my best friend, helping clients, and owning a piece of a real business lit me up, and I hadn’t felt like that in a long time.
I leaned in, hoping I can get her to understand.
“Elle, I want this. Max already has a chunk of money saved for a deposit. We’d both co-sign the loan, which he guaranteed we’d be approved for.
We both have a ton of contacts to tap. This could work.
This could be the best move of my life. I need you to see it. ”
Her voice sounded choked. “I just don’t believe this. I know how much you love the gym, Coop. But opening up a business is a whole other level. Where are you going to get your share of the money?”
“I’ve been saving. I have credit cards. The loan is key, and can be paid off in the long term.
” I tried to exhibit the confidence I’d been sure of after speaking with Max.
“He’s got a business plan, an attorney, and an accountant.
He’s done the research. This isn’t a thing we decided to do after a drunken night. ”
“But you just talked about it today, right? How can you be on board with this so quickly? Do you really think you can trust Max with your entire financial future?”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah, I do. Because I’m not following him like some sad loser who doesn’t have ideas of his own. Shit, is that what you think of me?”
“No! This whole thing just came out of the blue!” She nibbled at her bruised lip and all I wanted to do was kiss her, and make her soft and sweet again in my arms. “I thought—I thought we talked about using some of our money to move in together.”
I stiffened. We’d been talking about it for a while, but then the thing with Adam and Landon happened, then we were fighting nonstop.
I figured she was happy I wasn’t pushing like I used to.
I stepped in and stroked her hair. “We did, and I want to. I just think we need a little more time. It’ll be easier to live with Max if we’re launching the gym together.
And it’ll save us money since we both won’t be paying the full rent.
I can’t get out of my lease for another six months. ”
“Sure.” She stepped back. Coldness seeped from her pores. “Live with Max. Open a gym. Quit photography. Why not? Why not blow it all up after one afternoon conversation.”
“We talked about it before, Elle.”
The words rocketed out of my mouth before I could stop them. Immediately, she cranked her head up and stared at me. “Wait. You spoke with Max about this whole thing before and you never told me?”
I winced and rubbed my head. “He mentioned it last weekend at breakfast. At first, I thought he was bullshitting but he’d done the work.”
Hurt flickered over her features. “You were with Max when you canceled our dinner?”
I gave a shrug, pissed she was focusing on the wrong thing. “I told you I was working. It was work.”
Her voice was faint. “I thought we told each other everything.”
“We do. I didn’t think it was really going to happen, Elle! I planned to talk to you tonight. It hasn’t felt right mentioning any of it since we’ve been fighting nonstop lately.”
“Right. Yet, I managed to tell you about Noah and making an album. How I decided not to go to LA because I didn’t want to leave you. About how I felt giving up acting, and how scared I was. But I guess thinking about giving up photography and emptying your bank account for Max is different.”
I grit my teeth and felt my temper explode.
“There you go again—trying to make yourself look better in this relationship. I never tried to keep you from LA! Fuck, I’ve been supportive no matter what.
Maybe you’re just afraid to go hard after what you want in case it blows up, but I’m not, okay?
I want this. I figured as my girlfriend, you’d be happy for me and support me, but that’s too much to ask. ”
She gave a laugh that held no humor. “Ask forgiveness rather than permission, huh? Whatever. Do what you want, Coop. You always do anyway.”
She jerked away, spun on her heel, and marched out.
I watched her go, nerves frayed, gut tight, and wondered again how things had gone so wrong. Wondered if we weren’t as perfect for each other as I’d believed.
Wondered what the hell I was going to do to fix it.
Fuck.
I had to talk to Max and make sure our plans were tight.
Maybe Elle was taken off guard and she needed some time to process.
I wasn’t the best with communication. Each time, I seemed to pick the wrong time to tell her stuff.
I hated all that mushy shit with telling her everything I was thinking and feeling.
I’d rather just let my body do the talking with a deep, satisfying fuck.
Not that I was getting any tonight.
I headed back into the club. If I knew Elle, she’d already taken off with Gabby and Daisy, calling me every insult imaginable while they trash talked me in the diner.
Maybe I’d hang at the Irish pub with Max and Noah so I could get my head straight.
No use chasing after Elle. It was too late, and we were too drunk to make sense. I’d try again in the morning.
I searched for my friends through the flashing, foggy lights and finally found Max.
Then stopped short.
Because he was in the corner with Gabby, and his hands were all over her.
At first, I figured they were hooking up.
It almost looked like she was staring at him intensely and totally into it.
My brain tried to process, but then again, Max was a professional player.
There weren’t many women he couldn’t get, and with the sting of losing Landon, I wasn’t surprised he’d try to fuck Gabby.
She was hot and had hooked up with Adam. That combo would be droolworthy to Max.
I started to smile, but the scene turned hard in a matter of seconds when Gabby suddenly drew her hand back.
Then slapped Max across the face.