Page 13 of The Truth of Our Past

“Alec, say something.” Madyson bites her lip. “This is good news. It was never your fault.”

This isn’t right.

I never wanted to hear this bullshit.

My head is swimming.

I need to get out of here.

I stand so fast I lose my balance.

The chair tips over.

There’s yelling.

It’s me.

I’m yelling.

Jayce is in the room. He’s screaming.

My fists twitch to shut him the fuck up.

My feet finally cooperate and get me the hell out of there.

Chapter seven

Von

Aclap of thunder pulls me from my work. Rain is lashing the windows as if it's trying to drown the earth. Its ferocity makes me shiver.

I know before looking at my phone that I will have several texts from Lars. Losing myself in my work is an acceptable excuse to miss meeting him, mainly because I heard Alec would be there. Lars wants to catch up, and being at the meeting would be convenient for him, but we can do it another time.

I’m not actively avoiding Alec.

That is a lie. Iamavoiding Alec. It is best to be honest with myself.

I’m a grown man evading my attraction to a man with questionable personality traits. Alec knows he is the best-looking person in the room. And he is a shameless flirt. And his gender identity is tangled up with being a top.

But admitting I’m weak and dying to take whatever reprieve he can give me from the pain of the past year is difficult. It calls into question my morals. I’m willing to use a man to forget and steal his sunshine for myself.

So I’m staying away from him. For him.

It’s easier to avoid him than push him away.

His talent is also attractive. I wonder if he ever wanted to do something else. The way he listened to Madyson’s idea for the arch and drew it perfectly scaled was incredible. I couldn’t see it, but he magically conjured it.

I’m struggling, needing to finish a few more pieces for The Artistic Edge show. Madyson already took the one I donated for the auction. It wasn’t done, but she said it was perfect.

At least the arch is completed, and I managed to make her a necklace as a token of thanks. I worry about her, which is ridiculous. Jayce would lay down his life for her. So I don’t understand my irrational fear for her heart. I guess all our hearts need protecting sometimes.

Riding the elevator down to The Artistic Edge, I text Lars back. Realizing he’s gone to meet his girlfriend, I casually peek intoMadyson’s office before announcing my presence and freeze in place.

Jayce holds Madyson as she sobs and wails. “You were right. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Jayce murmurs in her ear, so I can’t hear his response.

I quietly retreat, not wanting to intrude on the end of a fight. As I backtrack, I hear the wind and follow the sound to the front of the gallery. The main front door is slightly ajar, so rain is flooding the entrance. I close it and head back upstairs to the artists’ space.

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