Chapter 30
The next morning, I wake up to the sound of my bedroom door opening and closing. At first, I think I’m dreaming, until I see Johnny standing over me, wearing a face of barely restrained fury.
If it were anyone else, I might be intimidated. But this is Johnny. He’d never hurt me.
Still, the look in his eyes chills me.
“Johnny?”
“Lina,” he snaps, like my name is something foul in his mouth. The sheer audacity of it wakes me faster than any coffee ever could.
“Can I help you with something?”
He crosses his arms, jaw clenched. “I saw you last night,” he hisses.
“Saw me?...” Realization clicks into place. “Oh. Oh.” So, I did see movement at the window.
If he came in here thinking he could shame me, he’s going to be disappointed. Last night was the first time I’d been truly touched with care. With respect. There’s nothing he can say to make me regret a second of it.
“Okay,” I say coolly. “And?”
“And? Are you fucking stupid?”
His words hit like cold steel. Whatever amusement I had disappears in a flash of white-hot anger.
“No,” I say, carefully calm. “But clearly you have something to say.”
He runs a hand over his freshly buzzed hair and down his face. His nostrils flare, catching the light on his nose ring. He looks wrecked.
“God, you drive me crazy!”
“The feeling’s mutual,” I bite back. “Maybe you should go find Tasha before you say something you can’t take back.”
“Tasha left last night.”
“Oh, that’s what this is about. She didn’t give you what you needed, and now you’re throwing a tantrum because you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” he growls. “I’m pissed because you’re making shitty decisions that you’re going to regret.”
“Why? Because I didn’t include you in those shitty decisions?”
“Yes!” he shouts, and it echoes like a crack down my spine.
I throw the covers off and march up to him. He towers over me, but I jab a finger hard into his chest, meeting his glare with one of my own.
“Let’s get something straight. You kissed me that night. You pulled away. I followed your lead, even when it hurt. I gave you space. I respected your silence. And I could’ve gotten over all of that… I was getting over it. But the worst thing you did wasn’t treating me like a mistake…”
My voice wavers, but I push through.
“It was throwing me away. Making me trust you, rely on you, only to vanish when I needed you most. You weren’t there in Darren’s aftermath. So don’t you dare walk in here like you have any right to be angry.”
I swipe at the tears streaking down my face. Damn it. I hate crying when I’m mad.
Johnny takes a step back, jaw tight. His voice is low now. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not ready to hear it,” I say, voice hoarse. “Get out.”
“Lina—”
“Get. Out.”
He hesitates, guilt etched into every line of his face. Then he turns and walks out, shutting the door behind him with quiet finality.
I almost feel bad. Almost.
A moment later, I hear my bathroom door creak open. Axel slips through from his side of the shared space, the scent of his body wash curling around me before his arms do.
“You okay?” he murmurs, pulling me close.
“No,” I sniffle into his shoulder. “How much did you hear?”
“Just the part where you got a little loud.” He says it gently.
“He makes me so damn mad.”
“I can tell.” He pauses, then adds, “So, you and Johnny kissed, huh?”
Crap. Guess that’s out.
I pull back, wiping at my cheeks. “Yeah. Halloween.”
Axel whistles low. “Ah. Everything makes sense now. I knew something happened! You saucy little minx. You blow into this house, stealing hearts left and right. Look at you!”
He ruffles my hair like a coach proud of their star player while I turn crimson.
“Come on,” he says, brightening. “Let’s wake up Nik and go get breakfast. Then maybe we can make out by the pool some more and really send Johnny over the edge.”
“In your dreams.” I shove him playfully, but the grin tugging at my mouth says it all.