Page 46 of Drop Three

Kodi:Yes, thank you, Bodhi. We love you, and we trust you to take care of our best friend!

Jesus, it’s a group chat.

Cal:What she said. Watch over her for me, bro. Navy is a wild card, as you know. I want her protected and unharmed.

Cal:You’re a brother to me, man. That’s why I chose you as my best man. But I’ll kill you if something happens to her. Especially after what happened with Luke.

Kodi:Fuck that guy.

Cal:Angel, you know how much I love it when you get fired up.

Cal:Gotta go, B. Text me when you get back home and have Navy do the same. Later.

Shit. Motherfucker. I fucked up, and bad.

What was I thinking?

I wasn’t. I was stuck in a haze of lust and adoration for my best friend’s little sister. The sister I’ve become friends with, and started to see as more than her title to Cal.

God. The way I touched her in there…how could I have been so stupid?

Navy is newly single, and I know she wants a genuine relationship in the future. I am in no shape to give that to her, so why the fuck would I think getting her naked and copping a feel would be okay?

Fuck, if Cal hadn’t texted me, I would be balls deep inside of her by now. He’s going to kill me.

But I can’t let him find out.

Shit, Navy is still waiting for me.

Why do I have to want her so badly? Why do I have to always want things I’ll never be able to have? I can barely take care of myself and my issues, I know I’d never be enough for her. She would grow to hate me because I surely hate myself.

I don’t want to hate myself, but I do.

I have too many things to work through.

I held Navy like I envisioned for so long, and now I have to step away.

She’ll never forgive me, and the worst part of it all is that I have to make her hate me—or at least be angry for a little while. I can’t handle her hatred, but that’s the only way for her to truly let go of her feelings for me.

Navy is smart. She will know something happened if I don’t play my part, especially after my declaration in there.

This is gonna hurt.

I’ve finally gotten to a place where I’m ready to enjoy something for myself—someone,in this case—and it’s being taken away from me.

I’m doing this for my best friend.

Callaway has been by my side through the deepest of trenches in my life, and I owe him everything. He would likely argue that, but the guys came to visit me while I was locked up every week for two years. He held down the fort with all my personal affairs while I was gone, and most importantly, he looked out for Penelope. My relationship with my sister is much like Cal’s is with Navy; we’re close and protective of each other—an unshakable solid ground.

I could never betray his loyalty after all he’s done for me. I have a limited number of good people in my life, and my friendship with my boy isn’t transferable.

I know what I need to do.

I can’t help but wonder if Cal knew, would he hate me more for acting on my feelings for Navy or for how deeply I’m about to hurt her?

I’m running out of time, and I need to get back.

I send Cal and Kodi a text ensuring them Navy’s safety and head to break the heart of a woman who is so easy to love.

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