Page 48 of Covet (The Red #3)

Chapter Forty-Eight

Max

Listen to Don’t You Forget About Me

by Simple Minds

S tunned, I stared at Gabby. I must’ve heard wrong. This couldn’t be happening to us.

Not again.

“Elle and Noah are together?” I asked, my voice pitched too high.

We’d just finished a long, sweaty sex session, then continued in the shower.

I’d never been consistently aroused and ready to fuck twenty-four seven, but the moment Gabby came into my vision, my body jumped to attention.

I wasn’t thrilled about giving her such power.

I was scared shitless to let her know how addicted I was getting.

I’d assumed Gabby would play the normal games women did when feelings were sparked. Either pull back to show she didn’t give a crap, or act clingy because she was threatened by not knowing the rules.

I’d been wrong. I slept over at Gabby’s a lot, and things felt natural. We hung out, met after our Red shifts, but she was also completely independent and did her own thing. We checked in with each other and didn’t try to make sense out of what we were doing.

It was fucking awesome.

Gabby sat cross legged on the bed next to me. She wore a black lacy thong, a white t-shirt, and nothing else. “I’m serious, Max. Elle just told me the whole thing. Her and Noah fell hard for each other while they were making the album and they want to be together.”

My jaw dropped. “That’s why she dumped Coop?” I yelled. “She’s been cheating on him?”

Gabby shrugged. “I think they just kissed? Daisy suspected the whole thing.”

She shared their discussion at the club and I jumped from the bed. “I can’t believe this. Elle and Noah? How could he do this to poor Daisy? Holy shit, this is a dumpster fire. We’re never coming back from this.”

“I know. Noah is breaking it off with Daisy right now, and Elle is telling Coop.”

My eyes bugged out. “I have to get to him first. He’ll go apeshit and go after Noah!”

Gabby gave me a worried look. “Okay. Good plan. Text him now and maybe wait outside Elle’s place so you can calm him down?”

“This is ridiculous.” I got dressed and shot him a text. My adrenalin was already racing as I relived that moment when I saw Adam and Landon together. “We are so fucking dysfunctional. I thought at least Elle and Noah could be trusted.”

“Max, sometimes love is messy,” she said gently.

I looked at her, hair tousled and tumbling over her shoulders; gorgeous curvy body on full display.

I’d spent hours learning every inch of her.

Spent time on my knees, between her legs, and everywhere in between.

I’d obeyed in order to be called a good boy.

I’d had some of the hardest, intense orgasms of my life.

And each night, I shared more of my secrets; confident that there was no judgment or punishment from Gabby.

Only acceptance.

“Maybe,” I said grudgingly. Funny, I was beginning to see things differently. But my main focus now was Coop and being there for him.

He texted me back. Meeting Elle .

I typed back . Where?

Starbucks.

It was right by her apartment. Good, she’d been smart to talk to him in a public place. Coop would never hurt Elle but his temper could be bad when he broke. “Gotta go,” I said to Gabby, giving her a quick kiss and heading out.

“Text me after.”

“I will.”

I flagged down a yellow cab and headed to Starbucks, hiding in the side alley so no one saw me. Elle went in first, then Coop arrived. Settling outside the window, I waited for the shit to hit the fan.

It wasn’t much later that Coop flew out the door. Face red with anger, fists clenched, he began racing down the sidewalk, practically throwing himself into the street ahead of a racing car. A beep blasted the air.

Fuck. Okay, this was bad.

I raced after him and called out his name, but he was in a fugue state so I had to pick up my pace to close the distance. “Coop!” I yelled, grabbing his shoulder.

He whipped around, panting for breath, raising his fists. “What the hell are you doing, Max!” he roared. “Did you know? Fuck, did you know?”

I shook my head and stayed calm. “No. I just heard, alright? I hurried down so I can be with you. I’m sorry, man. I know what you’re going through.”

He stared at me and slowly crumbled. “I loved her, dude. I loved her.”

My heart hurt for my friend and I went in for the hug, holding him tight. “I know.”

“Noah? Why would he do this to me? What the fuck did I ever do to him? I’m going to kick the shit out of him.”

I pulled back and met his gaze. “No, Coop. Don’t.

You know how that turned out for me. Just stay away until you calm down, okay?

It’ll only make things worse and Elle still won’t come back.

Please, dude. Do what I couldn’t. Just come with me.

We’ll go to the pub and have some drinks and talk. Okay?”

Coop cursed. I know I only had a twenty five percent shot at getting him to listen, but then he surprised me. Shoulders dropping, he shook his head. “Yeah. Sure. Let’s go.”

I patted his arm in relief. Somehow, I felt like disaster had been averted. For the first time, I’d helped dim the fire rather than create the spread.

I walked with my friend to the bar.