Page 27 of Petals of Blue, Part One (Wilted Duet #1)

Twenty-Two

JARED

Blue's lip quivers, but she fights the tears I know are trying their damnedest to escape.

Fucking Christ. My heart breaks a little more as it pounds away in my chest. I'm not prone to anxiety, but receiving the call from Felix an hour ago that Declan was wasted and needed a ride freaked me out.

As a rule, my friend hasn't drunk enough to not be able to walk since college. Same with Roman, although the eldest Ledger brother is more strict about his consumption.

Hearing that my greatest friend of all time was so hammered he was passed out at Blue's bar made me sick to my stomach. Guilt yanked at my gut the entire drive to the club.

I should have pushed him harder about telling Roman years ago.

I should have checked on him hours ago.

I...I...I...

The selfishness of my thoughts made me shut down and focus on what I needed to do.

I parked my car down the busy street and ran for the doors.

There was something urging me faster and faster as I shimmied through the sweaty dancers.

Once I saw the hulking man stiffen beside Declan, I knew I had to act fast.

D was in no condition to defend himself against an angry man almost double his size. I won't be telling him that, though. I didn't hesitate to yank Declan away, yet I soon came to realize it wasn't him the asshole was mad at.

Unfortunately, the crowd we got sucked into kept me from figuring out who the hulk was cussing out. Declan was spouting gibberish as the music blared around us. I didn't hold him back from trying to get back to the bar, thinking he’d left his wallet there or something.

I didn't realize until Felix came barreling through the sea of dancers that something horrible truly was happening. My attention was on keeping Declan upright and getting him home as soon as fucking possible.

Then....motherfucking then...

Felix staked a claim.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY WOMAN!" he bellowed. Then began an aggression led by fear that I had never seen come out of Felix in our entire friendship.

My woman he said. It clicked in that moment because there's only one woman he would claim so viciously and blatantly.

Blue.

When the people parted and Felix bolted in a different direction, there was no choice. I had to follow. I clung to Declan's forearm and dragged him to the back room.

When we stumbled out of the crowd and into the shockingly glorious lounge area, I shoved Declan into a chair and ran toward the group surrounding Blue. Slightly out of her peripheral vision, I watch on as she blinks up at Felix.

My heart has yet to settle, and my nerves are firing every which way. The worrying only gets worse by the second as Blue so clearly fights another show of emotion.

"Please just leave me alone," she begs Felix, looking completely worn out.

Are we the reason? Beside me now, Declan sucks in a sharp breath.

Felix shakes his head and tenderly grabs her arm. "I can't do that, sweetheart."

She flinches at the first contact of ice. "Why not?" The distrust in her gaze makes me anxious.

"Well, A," Felix mutters, poking at her bruised skin. "Janine and Beth need to get back to the bar."

The woman who I believe is Janine scoffs. "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

Felix doesn't even spare her a glance. "I'm your boss. Just replaced your previous bar manager a few hours ago." With that, he levels Janine with a blank stare, waiting for her to argue. She doesn't and neither does Blue which freaks me out.

When he told us about accepting the position above her, Roman, Declan, and I thought it would be a disaster. I'm not seeing a tsunami of rage like I expected, though.

All I witness is the emotion in Blue's sparkling gaze disintegrating behind a shield of neutrality. Come back, Bee.

Cursing, Janine apologizes to Blue before rushing back out to serve drinks. I'm assuming with all three bartenders running back here, someone else had to step in for them. What do I know, though?

When the door slams shut behind the two women, Blue snaps, "So you're only here to fix an employee’s hand, huh? Well, don't bother. Just give me a minute and I'll be right out."

Felix continues twisting her arm around, ignoring her quip. There's no way in hell she will be going back out there tonight. I don't need to ask Felix for his thoughts either.

"Just stop, Felix!" Blue snaps, trying to yank her wrist away from his gentle touch. She barely moves, and Felix catches her elbow before she can hurt herself.

"Don't move, Bennett." Felix grabs her jaw in a strong grip, making her eyes widen and my lungs stop working. "I swear to fuck if you hurt yourself..." he threatens more so to himself. Releasing Blue, he resumes icing her ache.

"Why do you care?" She no longer sounds mad, but there's a thick layer of uncertainty in her tone. The guilt that has lived inside of me for eleven fucking years expands and quivers in my soul.

Felix leans back ever so slightly and returns his touch to her jaw. "I've never stopped caring, sweetheart."

Defiance flashes in her gaze. She's closing herself off right in front of me. "Yes. You did. Nobody does what you did if they actually cared, Felix."

"Bee..." I murmur, needing her to see me. I need Blue to see me so maybe she'll realize how much I regret my childish choices. I need her to see me so maybe she will allow me to see her.

While the concept of her opening up to us sounds like a win, it sure as fuck doesn't feel like one.

My heart doesn’t crack, it shatters when she sees me and Declan close by. Blue releases a scratchy sob that makes her entire body jolt. Her hands, one swollen, the other trembling, fly up to cover her face as she doubles over her lap.

Every atom of my body is tuned into every cry and shake of Blue's body.

While I know without a doubt that the woman before me is the strongest one I have ever met, I'm not na?ve enough to think the strongest people are exempt from overwhelming turmoil.

My strong, beautiful, vibrant Blue is crumbling. While I'm heartbroken at the sight of her salty tears ruining her makeup, I can't help but feel relieved.

I've known since the moment we were reunited that the core of Erica Bennett has not changed. Blue is the persona she adopted to survive. To protect the energetic, happy girl who struggled to live on during her childhood.

"Blue, ca-can I?" Felix stumbles over his words which hurts me in a new way. He's always so damn sure of himself, I can't control the rise of my anxiety as I watch him reach for our woman with hesitancy that doesn't look right on him.

She only cries harder, swaying forward with her hands still covering her face, but she doesn't stop him.

This feels like a first step. Please let this be our first step.