Chapter 16 #2
Her eyes flick to my neck and her brows come together as she gingerly touches the angry skin there, making me hiss in a breath with the sting. She immediately drops her hand as well as her gaze and shakes her head.
“Love, please talk to me. Tell me that you know I'd never do that to you,” I beg.
“Do what to me, Brad? We're not exactly official, so it's really none of my business who you kiss, or, or...fuck.” She cringes with the last word.
“Shari, we absolutely are official. You’re the one who won’t commit. I've been all in since day one, so kissing or fucking other people? That would be cheating in my eyes, and I would never cheat on you. Ever.”
She sniffles as she wraps her arms around her waist, reminding me that I never gave her the hoodie that I’m still holding.
“Arms up, Blaze. Put this on so you don't freeze.” She looks like she wants to deny me, but I can see her need to be warm win out, so she raises her arms for me to slip it over her head.
It absolutely drowns her, but I know that's what she loves about the garment.
We both turn at the sound of what can only be described as cackling, to see the Triple B’s laughing in our direction.
Keeley herself is standing at the bottom of the steps with her arms crossed, a cruel smile etched on her face.
She fucking planned for Shari to see that kiss.
What the hell did she expect to happen, though?
Did she really think I’d be overcome and kiss her back? Absolutely off her fucking rocker.
Trey, Torbyn and Elle come jogging over to us. “The fuck was that, man?” Trey asks, completely baffled.
“Fucking Keeley,” I seethe. “She accosted me in the kitchen, spouting deluded nonsense about us being end game, and when I tried to get away from her she kissed me,” I flick my eyes to Shari, but she's staring at her feet as Elle wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“I know Keeley can be a bit of a bitch and difficult at times—”
“All the time,” I interrupt, deadpan.
“—but are you sure nothing...happened for her to act like that?” Torbyn asks, looking over his shoulder at the hyenas, uncertainly.
Trey smacks Torbyn on the back of the head.
“Are you fucking serious with this shit, man?
You know Brad has never given Keeley the time of day.
You think he's about to start today? While Shari's here?
You need to take off your blinders when it comes to those girls, Tor.
I've been telling you for years, they're fucking poisonous.” He turns away, sucking his teeth.
Torbyn at least has the decency to look apologetic. “Sorry, mate. I didn't mean—”
“You need to get rid of them,” I cut him off. “She’s been pulling this shit all day with me – trying to hold my hand, groping my biceps, pinching my arse, stroking my skin as she walks past. If our genders were reversed, everyone would be in uproar at the blatant harassment!”
He stares at me for a moment, brows pulled together. When Shari and her tear-streaked face catch his gaze, his posture completely softens. “Ok. Ok, let me go...figure something out.” He jogs off towards the campfire.
I look back at Shari to see that the rest of the group have joined our circle and are asking her what's happened.
The women have moved several paces away and are talking quietly so I can't hear what they're saying, but they're all glaring at the Barbies.
Except Jaime, who is watching me with a look that seems part anger, part sympathy. I don't like what that could mean.
Torbyn reappears in our little gathering, snagging my attention. “I’ve asked Lozza and Jeff to help me usher Keeley and her clique up to the main hotel. I'll get them all settled in a room together there, since we can't exactly drive them home right now.”
He gently touches Shari's elbow, “You ok, Shari?”
Shari forces a smile that melts off just as quickly. “Yeah, no, I'm fine. Thanks.”
Torbyn grimaces, but excuses himself to go and sort the girls out. Thank fuck his dad owns this whole hotel, or we'd be stuck with them all night.
“I think he feels responsible because he's the one who invited them,” Trey offers.
“I don’t know why he’s still so blinkered where they’re involved. They’re such vacuous tramps,” Dave grinds out. He’s never liked any of those girls, has always seen through their bullshit.
I move to stand in Shari’s eyeline since she's spent the last ten minutes avoiding my gaze. “Blaze, can we please talk?” It hurts that she flinches a little, but she nods and tells her friends we'll meet them back at the bonfire in a bit.
We stand in silence for a moment, the quiet whoosh of the waves softly lapping at the sand providing the only soundtrack to this moment. I hold my hand out, praying she'll accept it. “Walk with me?”
She stares at it for the longest five beats of my sinking heart, before delicately placing her hand in mind. It's a very loose hold, but I'll take whatever she's willing to give me right now.
I walk us down to the shore, so the cold waves just lick at our toes before I start, but she gets there first.
“You slept with her?”
Heart meet stomach. “What? Blaze, love, not in years! And it was only once, and I regretted it immediately when I realised what a viper she is.”
I watch the tight column of her throat as she forces a swallow and turns her head back to the horizon, nodding once.
“Are you ok?”
She looks up at me with glassy eyes. “Um, yeah, I guess,” she pauses and starts shaking her head, “No, that's such a lie. I'm not ok. That was...not ok.”
“I know, love. But I really need to know that you believe me.
I didn't kiss her, or encourage her, or give any sort of inclination that I wanted her to kiss me. She just...did! Honestly, I felt violated, especially when I couldn't push her off.” My skin crawls at the memory. “And I meant what I said, in my mind, we’ve always been exclusive, so I would never do anything to cheat on you. Not ever.”
Shari clears her throat, watching her feet as she wriggles her toes to sink further into the sand with each rolling wave. Her gaze finds mine, and she squeezes my hand. “I believe you. I do, but—”
“No but, if you believe me then that should be it!” I know I'm getting frustrated, but I can feel her pulling away from me emotionally.
“Brad, it's not that simple. I believe that you didn't want her to kiss you and that you didn't instigate it, but I can't stop seeing her wrapped around you, her lips on yours.
I can't unsee it! And now that I know you have actually fucked her, even if it was only once, years ago, it just makes it so much worse. You have no idea the slideshow of imagery my brain is producing right now. It makes me murderous, and jealous, and just sad. I just think…” she trails off.
“What, love?” I urge, heart in my throat.
“I can’t cope with this feeling! It’s, it just, it hurts!
It sucks. And I do believe you that you haven’t led her on.
But it felt like every time I looked up today she was touching you, draped on you, trying to get as close to you as possible, all whilst glaring at me with her manipulative, stupid, fucking pretty face! ”
“Blaze, love, you had to have seen me shrugging her off and evading her at every turn, too. If you were watching that closely, you must have seen it,” I plead. I really don’t like where she’s going with this.
“You know, she cornered me earlier when you were grabbing some more drinks. She told me all about how the two of you agreed to have fun and sleep around during your studies, but that as soon as you graduated you had an agreement to finally be together,” Shari sniffles.
“That it meant you would last because neither of you felt like you were missing out on the fun, meaningless flings. The fun years.”
“Shari, you know that’s bullshit, right? Please tell me you know she’s lying.”
“I do, but it kind of reiterated my point about not wanting you to miss out on the fun years. To have the meaningless flings so that when you’re ready to settle down you won’t have FOMO,” she shrugs, wiping her nose on the cuff of my hoodie.
“Fuck! This is such a mess! Blaze, I’ve told you, I’m not missing out on anything.
I am ready to settle down. With you and our baby.
I don’t need the meaningless flings to have fun.
” My hands crease my t-shirt as I clench the material, the adrenaline crash starting to mess with my nerves endings.
“Love, please. Don’t do this, don’t push me away because of one idiotic girl.
Tell me what you need for me to fix this.
” I release my shirt and reach forward to hold both of her hands.
“I think I need some time. To process. Just...I need some time.”
“Ok, Blaze. Ok. Let's head back to the cabin and turn in for the night, it's getting late anyways.
We can talk about it tomorrow if you're ready. Or whenever. I can wait.” I know if I push her, she'll retreat even further.
If she needs time to get over the image of blasted Keeley assaulting my face, then I'll give her all the time she needs.
“Actually, I think I'm going to crash in Max’s room tonight.”
Why does this feel like the beginning of the end?