Chapter 45 The Truth Comes Out
The Truth Comes Out
Harper
I can't sleep.
I've been lying on Maddie's couch for hours, forcing my eyes closed, but my mind won't shut off. It keeps replaying the fight, the look on Cole's face when he stormed after Liam, the sound of fists connecting with flesh. The feeling of running away when everything fell apart.
Running away was a mistake.
I sit up, grabbing my phone. Three in the morning. Maddie and Sirus are asleep in their bedroom, the apartment quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator.
I can't do this. Can't lie here pretending I'm okay when Cole is at home alone, probably thinking I've given up on us. He fought for me tonight—stupidly, violently, but he fought. And I repaid him by packing my bags and leaving.
On a whim, I grab Maddie's keys from the counter and my bag from beside the couch. I scribble a quick note—Went home. I'm okay. Sorry for stealing your car. —H—and slip out the door.
The drive back to Cole's feels both endless and too short. My hands are shaking on the steering wheel. What am I going to say? Sorry I ran away? Sorry I made everything worse? Sorry I'm the reason you’re spiraling?
When I pull into the driveway, all the lights are still on. My heart leaps. He's awake. He's waiting for me.
I grab my bag and hurry inside, Rex greeting me with enthusiastic tail wags at the door.
"Where's Cole?" I whisper, scratching behind his ears.
He leads me to the living room, and my heart squeezes so tight I can barely breathe.
Cole is passed out on the couch, still in his clothes from the party, a nearly empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table beside him. His face is turned toward the back of the couch, one arm hanging off the edge, knuckles bruised and swollen.
"Cole," I breathe.
I grab a blanket from the basket and drape it over him carefully. He doesn't stir. I sit on the coffee table, just looking at him—at the dark bruise blooming under his eye, the split in his lip, the way even in sleep his brow is furrowed like he's in pain.
This is my fault. All of it.
I'm about to stand when his hand shoots out and grabs my wrist.
"You came back?" His voice is rough, slurred with sleep and alcohol.
"You should sleep."
He struggles to sit up, eyes unfocused. "Are you breaking up with me?"
"How much did you have to drink?"
He blinks at me, trying to make sense of my face. "Are you?"
"No." I reach down and grab the half-empty whiskey bottle from the floor. "Did you drink this by yourself?"
He nods slowly. "Took a shot for everything I fucked up."
"Cole," I mutter, setting the bottle aside.
"Harper, you packed your stuff and left."
"I'm here now."
He shakes his head, the movement making him sway. "But you left, so I drank. Are you mad at me?"
He leans forward, and his forehead bumps against mine—too hard, like he can't control his movements. I keep him upright, steadying him with my hands on his shoulders.
"Okay, let's get you to the bathroom and then into bed."
"Are you leaving?"
"No."
I help him stand, his weight heavy against my side as we navigate to the bathroom. He's unsteady on his feet, listing to the left, and I have to brace myself to keep us both from falling.
In the bathroom, I position him in front of the toilet and unzip his pants. I pull out his dick and aim into the toilet.
He laughs, the sound loose and uninhibited. "Are you a professional dick holder now?"
"Shh and pee."
He pees for what feels like an eternity, still chuckling to himself.
When he's done, I zip him back up and guide him to the bedroom. He collapses onto the bed, and I start removing his shirt, knowing he prefers to sleep shirtless.
"You're the best thing to ever happen to me, Harper."
"You're so drunk."
"I love you so fucking much." He reaches up and boops my nose with his finger, making me laugh despite everything.
"There's that beautiful smile," he says, his own smile crooked and devastatingly sweet.
"Okay, Cole. Get into bed."
"You're staying? Are you mad at me?"
"I'm not mad. We'll talk in the morning."
He finally lies back against the pillows. "Come here."
"I will. I need to shower first."
"Don't leave."
"I'm not leaving. I promise."
When I return from the shower, he's passed out for good, breathing deep and even. I crawl onto my side of the bed and just stare at him in the darkness. My heart clenches at the sight of him. He’s so beautiful.
"I love you so much, Cole," I whisper. "I'm scared of how much I love you."
Finally, with him beside me, I'm able to fall asleep.
I wake to the sound of running feet. Cole's gone from the bed.
I chase after him and find him in the bathroom, throwing up in the sink. He wipes his mouth and looks at me, eyes bloodshot.
"You came back?"
"You got drunk?"
He turns on the water, washing his vomit down the drain. The stench makes my stomach turn. "What'd you expect? You pack your things and leave, and I'd be––"
"Cole," I interrupt. "Just wait here."
I run to the kitchen and grab water and a wet paper towel. When I come back, he's naked.
"Oh, sorry," I say, averting my eyes.
He smiles at me. "Just gonna shower."
"Here." I hand him the water.
He chugs it, Adam's apple bobbing. "Thank you."
I start removing my clothes. He watches, eyes darkening despite his hangover.
"What're you doing?"
"Gonna take care of you."
I hop in the shower with him, the water hot against my skin. I lather soap on my hands and start washing his body, gentle over the bruises.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask softly.
He grabs my chin, tilting my face up. "Don't worry. I brushed my teeth and used mouthwash."
Then he's kissing me, and despite everything—the fight, the running away, the bottle of whiskey—this feels right. With his height, I have to look straight up to kiss him properly. His body is warm and solid against mine.
He turns me around, pressing me against the tile wall.
"I'm gonna remind you who you belong to, Harper."
I look at him over my shoulder, expecting to feel him enter me. Instead, I feel his tongue, and I squeal. He holds me still, and pleasure shoots through me despite my surprise.
Then he's standing, positioning himself, and pushing inside me. "You see, Harper? Do you feel this?" He pumps into me, each thrust deliberate.
I nod, gasping.
"Tell me that you're mine."
"I'm yours, Cole."
He continues pumping into me, and it feels so good when his fingers touch my clit.
I notice the bathroom door opens, but I assume it’s Rex, so I moan into Cole.
Cole doesn't notice the door, too focused on me. But through the shower curtain, I see a silhouette.
Is that his roommate?
My gut sinks when I see blue-green eyes.
Liam.
Our eyes meet through the translucent curtain, and my entire body goes rigid. Cole finally notices, following my gaze.
"The fuck? Get out of here!" Cole shouts.
"Looks like she came back," Liam says, not moving.
"Liam," Cole barks. "Get the fuck out!"
"What does Harper want?" he drawls.
I'm frozen, mortified, still impaled on Cole. "Get out," I manage to pant.
Liam smirks—I can see it even through the curtain—and finally walks out.
Cole pulls out, and I'm left feeling hollow and exposed. He turns his back to me and starts washing his hair like nothing happened.
"Cole," I plead.
"I told him I wanted to fucking talk last night. I didn't think he'd come."
We step out of the shower in silence. I wrap a towel around myself and run to the bedroom, my face burning with humiliation. Cole walks straight into the living room.
I dress quickly—jeans, t-shirt, whatever I can grab first—because I need to know what's being said. I need to understand what the hell is going on.
I pad down the hallway and hear voices in the living room.
"She's an adult, we can ask her," Liam is saying as I round the corner.
The tension between them is thick enough to choke on. Cole's jaw is clenched, hands balled into fists at his sides.
"I hear you packed up and left last night. Was it something I said?" Liam's eyes find mine.
I shake my head. "I needed some space. It had nothing to do with you."
"Are you sure, Trouble?"
I look between them, my heart starting to race. "What's going on? Cole?"
Liam looks at Cole. "Cole?"
Cole keeps his eyes down, jaw working.
My heart is pounding now. "Did something happen? Did you do something?"
"No," Cole says flatly.
"Are we going to talk so we can solve this?" I ask.
"I can start," Liam says, going to stand.
Cole grabs his shoulder. "Sit the fuck down."
Liam laughs, shaking him off.
"What aren't you telling me?" I demand, my voice rising. This looks suspicious, and I need to know what’s going on.
"I'll just say it if you can't," Liam says to Cole.
My vision is starting to blur at the edges. Something is very wrong.
Cole shakes his head. "Will you be quiet?"
"No," Liam laughs. "I want to know what she thinks."
"What is it!" I snap.
"Cole and I..."
I widen my eyes in annoyance that he's dragging this out. "What?"
"We share girls."
My heart flatlines. The butterflies in my stomach disappear. The blood drains from my face. I look at Cole, waiting for him to contradict it, to tell me that Liam’s full of shit.
He doesn't.
I blink. "I'm sorry, what?"
"You heard me right, Trouble. Why do you think I'm so mad? He's not fucking sharing."
I take a step back, my mind reeling. "I'm not something to just toss around and share!" I look at Cole, desperate for an explanation. "You're fucking gay?"
Cole's head snaps up. "What? No."
Liam laughs. "No, we don't cross swords. We just have threesomes."
More blood drains from my face. I feel faint. "Oh yeah," I mock, my voice shaking. "Just have threesomes. Ew! The fuck?"
Liam clicks his tongue. "Cole said you'd react this way."
Cole shakes his head. "I fucking told you to keep this to yourself. Harper's different."
"I'm different?" The words come out small, confused.
Cole nods quickly. "Of course you are."
"You are," Liam agrees.
I scowl at Liam, anger replacing the shock. "Can you leave?"
"Leave?"
I nod. "Yes, so I can talk to my boyfriend. Is this what you meant at the party? You think I care about what you guys did before me?"
Liam's bright eyes penetrate mine. "Don't pretend you don't think about me."
I feel my face start to turn red.
"I know you do, Trouble. That's why you're turning red right now. Look at her, Cole."
But Cole's already looking at me, and the expression on his face makes my chest hurt.
Liam continues, voice dropping lower. "I bet you're wet right now just—"
"Shut up! Just shut up!"
"Oh, she's mad. Look at how cute she is when she's mad," Liam mocks.
"Cole!" I turn to him, pleading for him to make this stop.
Cole glares at Liam. "Are you gonna fucking stop so we can talk, or are you gonna keep being a dick?"
“If it continues to get her hot and bothered––”
Cole grabs him by the throat. “Stop talking about my girlfriend like that.”
“Easy with the foreplay,” Liam jokes, and Cole squeezes.