Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Hey.” I grabbed Griff’s arm as he tried to walk away. “He’s a grown-ass man who can make decisions for himself.” I looked at Kellan. “If you want to go, I’ll understand, but know I want you here. I’m so sorry this happened, but where we go from here is up to you.”
Griff jerked out of my grasp. “Do you not understand what’s happening here? Christ, Chase! You know how it’s always been for him! He’s always been seen as an outsider, and now there are photos of him naked and handcuffed, obviously about to blow you. You know how Havenwood works! You’ll come out of this shit unscathed, and Kellan will take the wrath of it.”
His words slammed into me, made me dizzy, and nausea rolled through my gut. He was right. I fucking hated that he was, but eventually I’d be okay. I wasn’t sure if Kellan would be. He’d be the laughingstock of town. “I’ll tell them it was my fault. I’ll fix it. Fuck, I’ll find a way to fix it, okay?” I wanted to. I’d do anything to fix it, but I wasn’t sure I could. Not really.
“You never should have done it!” Griff yelled. “I trusted you. You were my best friend. My brother—which means you’re a brother to him! You went behind my back for God knows how long. Lying to me, keeping this shit from me. Listening to me when I said I thought Kell was dating someone and wondered where he’d been spending his nights, and it was with you the whole fucking time! Oh, except the night you were with Becca.”
“I didn’t sleep with Becca,” I shouted back. “I told her I couldn’t. That I was seeing someone else.”
“Oh, that changes everything. Give the man a fucking medal. Fuck you, Chase. You lied to me and put the most important person in my life at risk.”
“I—”
“Stop fighting!” Kellan yelled, cutting me off. He began pacing, his hands in his hair, tugging at the messy strands. “Stop fighting. Please stop fighting. I can’t take this. I can’t handle the two of you arguing like this.” He stopped and looked up at Griff. “The photos were everywhere?” His voice broke when he spoke.
Griffin nodded.
I moved forward, wrapped my arms around Kellan, and held him tight. “I’m so sorry, so sorry, baby boy. We’ll figure it out, okay?” I was angry at myself, at the town, at the world. Who in the hell could have done this?
Kellan’s nails dug into my back. He held me, buried his face in my chest. Over his head, my eyes found Griff, who was watching us. His jaw was tight as he took in the sight, but there was confusion in his stare too. Like maybe he was seeing something he hadn’t expected in Kellan and me. “I’m not using him. I don’t want to hurt him. I’m sorry I lied to you, Griff. You’re my brother, my best friend, but I…I’m in love with him,” I admitted. The second the words passed my lips, I knew they were true. I was in love with Kellan Caine. With his laugh and his confidence and his resilience. With his heart and love of art and teaching kids. I was in love with every part of him.
Kellan’s whole body was rigid against mine. It was shitty that the first time I said it was under these circumstances. If I was honest with myself, I’d probably admit I’d known it for a while. Whether or not I did, I knew to the marrow of my bones that it was true.
Kellan pulled back slightly and looked up at me. “Chase?”
I shrugged. “I’m in love with you. I know you didn’t want me to say it.”
“You can say it,” he said quickly. “I wanted it to come naturally.”
Christ, he was adorable. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Kellan replied.
“Fuck,” Griff cursed, dropping down to my couch, elbows on his knees and face in his hands.
“I’m sorry I lied to you, Griff. You gotta know that, man, but I can’t be sorry this happened with Kellan. I never…” Never thought this would happen for me. Never knew I could care so much. Never thought someone would care about me this much.
“We’re both adults,” Kell said, pulling away from me to walk over to his brother. “I apologize too, but this has nothing to do with you. Whatever happens between Chase and me is between us.”
Griff looked up at Kellan. “You know I want you to be happy, kid. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, but the lying from Chase…that’s gonna take me some time to work through.”
I closed my eyes, hating to hear the words, but understanding where he was coming from. It never should have been that way. I should have told him from the start. Griff had always been there for me, and I’d betrayed him by keeping this from him. “I understand,” I told him. “I’ll be right here waiting for you, Griff. I’m not going anywhere. You’re my best friend whether you see that right now or not.”