I can’t shake this feeling that I’m the punch line of a joke. One that isn’t funny.
“I was a dick, but I’ve teased you about being a daddy’s girl before and you never acted like this. What’s going on?”
Indignation steals over her expression, temporarily masking the hurt. “Why would I ever trust you with my personal shit? Get out.”
Fuck. Something is going on. “Len—”
A loud knock on the main door cuts me off.
“That’s George,” Storm tells her. “I texted him.”
Traitor.
Lennon looks at me. “Leave. Now.”
I don’t want to, but I don’t want to hurt her anymore, either.
I’ll come back after she calms down.
Storm follows me back to my room.
The second I hear the latch click; I slam him against the wall. “What’s wrong with Lennon?”
We don’t keep secrets—aside from the one I’ve been holding on to—so the fucker better tell me whatever he knows.
But then I realize that I’m barking up the wrong tree since there’s no way Lennon would tell Storm.
Sure, they’re friends, but Storm’s not me.
I’m about to let him go, but his next words halt me. “It’s not my shit to tell.”
It’s like a goddamn brick to the face.
Not only does George know something that I don’t about Lennon…Storm does, too.
Then again, why would she confide in me?
I gave her every reason not to.
The muscles in my chest draw tight with regret as I back away.
I expect Storm to give me more shit, but he exits without another word.
I can’t hear what George is saying on the other side, but given he’s speaking so low, I assume he’s consoling her.
Irritation simmers in my gut, and I punch the wall.
This is my fuckup.
He doesn’t get to swoop in like some noble hero and fix this.
Fuck that motherfucker.
I don’t deserve Lennon, but neither does he.
I twist the knob so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t rip off.
George’s arms are wrapped tightly around Lennon’s waist while he whispers something in her ear.
Her face is buried in his neck and she’s clinging to him like a lifeline.
Like she needs saving from the big, bad wolf who hurt her.
Only he didn’t mean to hurt her.
Not this much.
“I need to talk to you.”
At the sound of my voice, they break apart.
Lennon looks like she wants to rip my intestines out with her teeth and choke me with them. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
I look at George. “Get out.”
God help the prick if he chooses this moment to find his balls, because I’ll toss his ass out the window.
He doesn’t get a chance to, though, because Lennon snaps, “Stay.” Then she grabs his hand. “On second thought, let’s go to your room.”
Fuck that. The only thing worse than knowing they’re in here together is them moving their little movie watching rendezvous to his room down the hall.
Then I won’t be able to hear what they’re doing…or interrupt.
“Lennon,” I warn as she leads him to the door.
She doesn’t have to speak to tell me to fuck off…but she does anyway.
Her next words feel like a dull knife slicing the cold, black thing beating inside my chest.
The one she managed to burrow her way into over four years ago, despite how much I resisted.
“He’s the one I want, Phoenix. Not you.”
Her mouth is saying the words, but her eyes don’t back it up.
They tell me I’m the one she wants.
Millions of girls have looked at me like I was something special over the years.
Like I was going to change the world with my talent.
But she’s the only one who ever made me truly believe it.
And I fucked it up.
“You don’t even know him.”
It’s a weak argument, but it’s all I’ve got.
I can’t stand here and tell her I’m a better guy than George…because I’m not.
I can’t offer to comfort and console her like he can…because I don’t know how.
I can’t tell her I’ll never hurt her…because I did.
Those baby browns glare hate fire in my direction. “And yet, I trust him way more than I’ll ever trust you.”
This time, her eyes corroborate the validity of her words.
That ugly, bitter feeling in my chest is back with a vengeance the moment she closes the door.
I can’t tell her to trust me…
Because she never will again.
CHAPTER 41
LENNON
Mother nature sucks big, hairy monkey balls.
Three days ago, Skylar and I got our periods…which explains why I’m more emotional than usual.
And hungrier.
In the spirit of sisterhood solidarity—and the need for copious amounts of sugar, chocolate, and tampons—I left to make a snack run during the concert while she stayed back to do some more investigation work on baby mama number two.
I rummage around the paper bag I’m holding as I enter the greenroom. “Okay, I got us some twinkies, chocolate bars, ice cream—”
“Some things never change,” a familiar voice sneers.
My head snaps up at the sound of Sabrina’s voice. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
This must be a nightmare. That’s the only logical explanation for why the girl who made it her life’s mission to torture me nonstop for years is sitting a mere seven feet away…looking at me like I’m the one out of place.
Then again, that’s how she’s always looked at me.
Like I didn’t belong anywhere.
So much so, I started to feel like I didn’t.
Shifting her focus to something behind me, Sabrina’s face lights up. “There you are, baby. Sorry I’m late, my plane was delayed.”
My stomach churns as a sweaty Phoenix strolls inside.
My mind spins as I attempt to put the pieces together.
It’s been twenty-four hours since our blowout and we still haven’t spoken a word to each other, which was fairly easy to do because I intentionally spent the night in George’s room.
Guess Phoenix invited her here as payback.
But is it?
Because she did call him baby.
Just like she used to.
Storm walks in a moment later. His eyes go big when he spots Sabrina on the couch. Then they narrow on Phoenix.
“You just keep fucking up.”
A confused Skylar comes out of the bathroom. “What’s going on?”
I wish I knew.
Memphis, Chandler, and George join us next.
“Good sh—” The tension must be obvious because Memphis stops mid-sentence and looks around until his eyes land on Sabrina. “Who’s the new chick?”
“Not a new chick,” Storm says. “That’s Sabrina.”
This time, Chandler’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
Then he marches off, muttering something about not being paid enough to deal with drama.
Memphis shakes his head. “You’re a brave motherfucker. Brave and stupid.”