Chapter 8 #2
Ezra. As in Ezra Fletcher, her ex-boyfriend? The one who fucking assaulted her?
Eli snatches the phone from me, pressing it up against his ear.
“What the fuck happened?” he bites out the words, his jaw working.
I snatch my phone back, my eyes narrowing on him in frustration.
“Sorry, are you alright?” I ask.
“Has Eli been here the entire time?” she asks in return.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s... It’s fine. And I’m fine. Physically, at least. He didn’t do anything. He just wanted to talk.”
Eli gently grabs my wrist, pulling my phone away from my ear and putting the call on speaker. His blood orange scent is still sour with anger, but I can tell he’s trying to tone it down. Whether it’s for Andi or me, I don’t know. Maybe both of us.
“How did he get in?” he bites out. “Were you stupid enough to open the door?”
Okay, maybe he’s only trying to tone it down for me. Because that question was stupid.
“Shut up,” I growl, shoving at his shoulder. He doesn’t budge a single inch. “Do you have to be such an ass?”
“I’m just asking a question. An important one.”
“You’re asking it like a fucking asshole,” I huff.
“It’s fine, Beck, I can chew him out myself,” Andi says from the other end of the line.
There’s a fire in her voice that’s been missing in the call so far. I much prefer her fiery spirit to the dissociative depression I was picking up on earlier.
“Listen here, you meathead. I’m only going to say this once, so you better get it through your thick skull. You seem really consumed with this idea that I’m going to go back to him or some shit. I’m not. But we dated for almost five years, so he had a key to my apartment.”
Eli opens his mouth to respond, but Andi cuts him off without even seeing him. Maybe she’s the mind reader out of the two of us.
“And before you ask, yes, I got the key back.”
If I weren’t pressed against Eli’s side, I might have missed the way his shoulders relax ever so slightly.
“Good,” he says.
I definitely don’t miss the note of relief obvious in his tone. I don’t think Andi does, either.
“You’re not gonna chew me out again?” she huffs.
“No.” Eli’s jaw works as he runs a hand through his close-cropped hair. “Good to hear you’re not planning on going back.”
“Well, it’s totally not like I’ve mentioned it in every goddamn conversation we’ve had.” I can practically hear her eyes rolling through the phone.
“People say a ton of shit, but it doesn’t mean they mean it,” Eli mutters under his breath, his eyes locked on the city skyline outside my floor to ceiling windows. His words were less to Andi and more reminiscent of the ghosts that haunt him.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Who are you to tell me that my words don’t mean shit?”
The venom laced in Andi’s words seems to snap Eli back into reality. His brows draw down in concern, and he glances up at me with a wide-eyed sort of panic.
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean you.”
“Then who the fuck did you mean?” Andi snarls, obviously not buying it.
“My mother,” Eli murmurs.
Oh shit.
Eli never talks about the reason he tended to sleep over at my place more nights than not when we were growing up. Let alone to someone he’s only met a few days ago, who he’s only argued with until now.
“Oh,” Andi says, deflating instantly.
“So what is happening to the guy?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“Well, um, he’s going to rehab. Which is good. He needs it.”
She takes a breath, seeming to sense the necessity of my change in subject. Maybe it’s our omega sixth sense working together over the phone.
“It was just a tough conversation since it was basically a breakup . We—we were together a long time. I think—and don’t give me shit for this, Eli—I think there’s a part of me that hates what he fucked up. He was kinda the only person who gave a shit about me.”
Eli’s lips quirk up ever so slightly at her preemptive reprimand. But as we share a glance with each other, there’s a profound sadness for the poor omega on the other end of the line that’s reflected back at me.
“I’m sorry I’m rambling. God, this call is a lot more than I thought it would be. I probably should’ve just texted you—”
“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, Starlight,” I say, the nickname slipping out before I can catch it and shove it back down my throat.
“Starlight?” she says, her laughter ringing like bells through the tinny speakers of my phone. “You throwing out nicknames now?”
“I mean, we are supposed to be fake dating. Might as well get a head start.”
“Yeah, I guess so. Thank you, by the way. For agreeing.”
“Of course.” The words feel heavy on my tongue. I’ve never done this sort of thing before. This being dating publicly. Though, I guess technically we’re fake dating, not dating-dating.
“I know you have your own... life going on,” she murmurs. “So I just want to let you know that I won’t get in the way. Strictly business, you know?”
She’s probably saying exactly what she should be saying. But her words make an ache start in my chest. It’s like she’s already putting up walls between us.
It makes sense why, considering the one person she thought was in her corner assaulted her. But still.
“Good,” Eli answers, filling the awkward silence. “Are you alone?”
“What? Like, in my apartment?”
“Yeah, where else?” Eli grunts.
“I mean, yeah.”
“You shouldn’t be. Your injuries—you should have someone checking up on you every two to four hours for the first night with a concussion that bad.”
“When did you talk to my doctors?” Andi huffs. “I have an alarm set. I’ll be fine.”
“An alarm won’t be able to call an ambulance if you don’t turn it off,” Eli bites back.
“Stop nagging me.” Her voice shifts back to being small and exhausted, like it was at the beginning of the call. “I don’t have anyone I can call to help me out.”
“What about your mom? Or anyone on the team?” I ask, my brows drawn down in concern when I see the actual concern on Eli’s expression.
“I’d rather go to bed and never wake up than ask them for help,” she bites out. “I’m due for another dose of pain meds. I’ll see you for whatever thing our teams plan for us. Thanks for checking up on me.”
“Wait—”
“Goodnight, Beck.”
The phone clicks as she hangs up, leaving Eli and I staring at each other.