Page 49 of Playing Hard to Hate
Griffin looked at him for a long moment, his eyes studying Dustin. It was clear he was weighing everything, but then he nodded, his jaw tightening as he responded, his voice steady but firm.
“I get it. You care about her. But you’ve got to understand, Dustin. She’s not the same girl anymore. She’s strong. And I’m not going to hurt her. I’d die before I let anything happen to her.”
Dustin winced at the intensity in Griffin’s words, but instead of backing away, he stepped forward, his voice quieter this time. “I’m sorry for being an asshole, man. I should’ve trusted her judgment.”
There was a long pause between the two of them, and for a moment, I almost thought they’d just stand there awkwardly for the rest of eternity. But then Griffin stepped to the side, his hand waving toward the open door.
“You want to come inside? We can talk about what happened at Tate’s condo. I know it wasn’t easy for you either.”
Dustin hesitated for just a beat before nodding, the storm that was in his eyes earlier starting to settle. “Yeah. I think we should.”
Griffin gave him a small, understanding nod before looking back at me. His gaze softened as his hand rested gently on my shoulder.
“You all right?” he asked quietly, his thumb brushing the skin of my arm, grounding me.
“Thank you,” I whispered, the words heavy with everything I couldn’t quite say.
Griffin stepped toward me, his hand reaching out to rest on my shoulder, pulling me close as he kissed the top of my head. “You don’t have to thank me, Tate. I’m here for you. Always,” he said, softly enough for only me to hear.
For the first time in a long while, I felt like I might actually be able to breathe again.
Dustin stepped into the condo, and I followed behind, my mind racing.
I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but something about the shift in Dustin’s tone, his willingness to apologize, and Griffin’s calm demeanor gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, things could start to change between the three of us.
Griffin gestured to the couch, and Dustin hesitated for a moment before taking a seat, his posture stiff. Griffin took a seat across from him, folding his arms over his chest, his expression still unreadable.
“So let’s talk,” Griffin said, his voice unwavering, but there was an unmistakable edge of finality to it.
He leaned forward, his hands clasped together, and began explaining everything—the police report, the details of what went down with Damian, the panic, and the way everything spiraled out of control.
His words were calm, but there was a fierceness in his tone that made it clear how deeply this situation was affecting him.
As Griffin talked, I felt like a shadow, barely present in the conversation.
I stayed in the background, hovering just outside the chaos, nodding along in silence.
I couldn’t find my voice, my thoughts too jumbled, too consumed by the events of the past few days.
Everything felt like it was happening to someone else, someone distant and untouchable, and yet it was all too real.
Dustin listened intently, his eyes narrowing as Griffin talked about the police investigation, and then the two of them turned to discuss my condo. It was clear they were both thinking about my safety now, the reality of everything setting in.
“I think we need to sell the condo,” Griffin said, his gaze focused on Dustin. “Tate deserves a place where she can feel safe, somewhere with actual security.”
Dustin’s jaw tightened as he processed this. “I can get it done. I’ll make sure she’s protected,” he said with a finality that made me want to shrink even further into the background, feeling more like a bystander than a participant in my own life.
I watched them, but their words didn’t seem to register the way they should. They were discussing my future, my safety, and I was just here, in the corner of the room, listening to them make decisions for me. It wasn’t their fault. I knew they were trying to help. But I felt small.
It was all too much, too fast. A part of me wanted to speak up, to tell them that I was not a victim, that I could make my own decisions, but my throat tightened, and the words stuck. I just nodded again, a passive gesture, but one that felt like it was all I could do right now.
Just as the conversation between Griffin and Dustin started to settle, my phone buzzed on the kitchen counter.
The vibration was a harsh break in the otherwise heavy silence, and I glanced at the screen, seeing Millie’s name flashing.
My chest tightened instantly, and I grabbed the phone, knowing she’d been worrying about me, but I was not ready for the rush of emotions I knew would come with this call.
“Hello?” My voice cracked, a soft tremor I couldn’t hide.
“Tate, oh my god, are you okay? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.” Millie’s frantic voice came through the speaker, and I could hear the panic in her tone.
I felt my heart racing. I wanted to reassure her, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I glanced at Griffin, who watched me closely, his expression unreadable but protective. I swallowed hard and tried to steady my breath.
“I…I’m fine,” I started, but even I didn’t believe it. “It’s…it’s been a lot. I’m okay, really. I just…I need a minute.”
“Bullshit,” Millie spat, her frustration clear. “You need more than a minute, Tate. I’m on my way over. You’re at Griffin’s place, right? I’ll be there in twenty minutes. You better not hang up until I’m there, do you hear me?”
My pulse quickened at the thought of seeing her face, her worry. I glanced at Griffin again, my chest heavy with everything unsaid between us.
“Please don’t come yet. Griffin is taking care of me, and Dustin is here too,” I whispered, my voice small.
The line went quiet for a beat, and I could almost hear Millie’s thoughts, but then she exhaled loudly, a long breath. “Fine. Call me if you need anything. Tate, I mean it.”
“I will,” I promised quietly before ending the call.
I looked down at the phone in my hand, the weight of the situation pressing down on me, and as I set it back on the kitchen counter, I knew nothing would ever be the same again.