Page 4 of One is Never Enough

“Why did I just get a phone call that you got kicked out of Pride’s Place for fucking fighting?”

“Because the motherfucker had it coming.”

“Toby,” Jace sighs. “You can’t keep doing this. Where are you?”

I look up at Oliver’s apartment. “Out.”

“You’re watching him again, aren’t you?”

I want to deny it, but he’ll know I’m fucking lying. It’s the same thing I’ve done for the past two months. I’ve watched over Oliver to make sure he’s safe. “Yeah.”

“Come home, Dirty boy.”

“I can’t do this anymore, Jace. I need him more than I need fucking air.”

“I know. So do I, but he isn’t going to talk to us until he’s ready. Come home, and let me take care of you.”

“I’ll be there soon.” I disconnect the call and watch the lights in Oliver’s apartment turn off. I let my feet hit the ground, and right when I’m about to slide my helmet on, Leland comes marching out of the front door. He storms right up to me and punches me in the arm.

“What the fuck, Toby? I didn’t tell you we’d be there for you to go all fucking he-man on some jackass.”

“He had his hands on Oli.”

“I know he did.” Leland runs his fingers through his hair and blows a breath out. “I feel like shit for telling you to show up. Oli’s a mess.”

Leland met me a few weeks after that night and let me explain what happened. He didn’t believe me initially but started to after I told him how I felt about Oli. He refuses to get in the middle besides dropping hints about where Oliver might be. Leland says Oli has to make up his own mind. “I don’t know how to fix it.”

“Figure it out because I’m tired of tucking my crying best friend into bed. Have you talked to Aiden?”

“Jace has, but I don’t want to hear his bullshit.”

Leland shoves his hands in his pocket and shakes his head. “I don’t know what to do. I want Oliver to be happy, but I feel like I’m stabbing him in the back by talking to you.” He sighs. “I think I’m going to call Payton.”

“Payton?”

“Oliver’s sister. He’ll never forgive himself until he gets it off his chest about what happened.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” I argue. “Aiden did.”

“I know, but Oli doesn’t see it that way. His dad fucking sucks, and when Oliver came out as gay, Payton was the only one in his family that had his back. Payton and I are the only people he has.”

“Thank you for doing this,” I say sincerely.

“I’m doing this for Oliver. If you make me regret this, I’ll kill you myself.” He marches back into the apartment, and I put my helmet on to head to Jace’s.

I get there in record time, and he’s waiting in the garage, leaning against one of his many cars. I know that look all too well and steel myself. “That guy wants to press charges,” he informs me when I pull my helmet off.

“Let him. He deserved worse.” I brush by Jace, and he wraps his hand around my bicep. He jerks my back against his chest and locks his hand on my throat.

“I know you’re hurting. I feel it, too, but you can’t go around so willing to throw your life away.”

“Why does it matter?” I shoot back. “Nothing matters without him.”

“Not even me?” That makes me pause, and my heart sinks.

“That’s not what I meant.”

He gently turns me to face him. “I can’t fix this, and it’s driving me fucking crazy. Oliver walked out of our lives, you don’t talk to me anymore, and Aiden won’t come around. My family is broken, and I can’t fix it.”

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