God, I’m so stupid. Sofuckingstupid.
Of course, he regrets it. He said it to my face. He doesn’t want to be part of this mess. I mean, look at me. What the hell did I expect? He’s ten years older with a successful career, and I’m a walking disaster with an expiration date.
I stomp down the trail, not even really looking at the lines anymore. The markers blur as the rock gaps, and roots and angles become static in my brain.
Everything is fucked.Everything. I kissed one guy who won’t speak to me, spent the night with another who thinks I have a dick, and my brother is mad at me because of a promise I fully intend to keep.
A hand clamps around my upper arm, yanking me back with enough force to make my breath hitch. I spin around.
Mason Payne.
His fingers are firm but not rough, his brows pulled into that deep, judgmental frown he’s practically trademarked. “I thought we already tried falling into the rock garden once,” he says dryly. “Didn’t look that fun the first time.”
I pull my gaze from his and glance over my shoulder.
Motherfucker.
I nearly walked right over the edge.
It takes an effort to shrug it off, but I do, turning back to him. “Oh, now you talk to me?”
The words come out sharper than I mean them, but I don’t take them back. If Finn and Mason have both decided I’m not worth talking to anymore, fine. Let them. I’m done chasing people.
“Didn’t realize saving your arse came with prerequisites.”
“You made it pretty clear you didn’t want anything to do with me.”
His jaw ticks, but he doesn’t let go of my arm. “Doesn’t mean I want to scrape you out of a rock garden…again.”
“I wasfine.”
“You were distracted.”
“No shit.”
He releases me and opens his mouth, then shuts it again. His gaze flicks away, like he’s rethinking something, but I don’t care. I’m already half-turned away, ready to storm off and be pissed about something else, when an arm slings around my shoulders.
“Salut, mes amis,” Luc greets, way too cheerfully for the tension crackling in the air. “What are we talking about? Rocks? Regret? Or maybe we skip to the part where I tell you to keep your fucking hand off my guy?”
He squeezesmy shoulder possessively, then tucks me into his side. Mason’s gaze flicks between Luc and me, clouding over with something like betrayal. I don’t like it, so I shrug off Luc’s arm.
“I’m not your fucking guy.”
Luc’s brow furrows, a flicker of hurt in his eyes.I don’t like that either.
“Oh, so in private you’re on my side, but out here, you’re on his?”
“I’m on nobody’s side,” I snap. “I’m on my own fucking side.”
Luc smirks, turning to Mason. “He has attachment issues.”
“What the fuck are you even…” I start, but my words falter as Finn and his teammates walk past.
My heart sinks as something inside me crumples, and I let it show before I can stop it. When I look back at Luc, his eyes are sharp on mine before they follow Finn’s retreating figure.
He reaches into his hoodie, pulls out Toulouse, and thrusts the rat toward me. “Here. Hold.”
“No, Luc,” I protest, holding the rat at arm’s length as Luc strides after Finn.
