Page 101 of The CEO I Hate

“What are you doing here, Liam?” Jake said after a beat.

“I wanted to see you. And I know you don’t want to see me right now, but?—”

“But?” Jake said. The elevator doors opened in the hall behind me, and Jake managed a smile and a wave at one of his neighbors before wheeling his chair back. “Well?” he snapped at me when I didn’t move. “Are you coming in or not?”

Not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, I immediately stepped inside. Jake closed the door behind me. “Nosy old bat,” I heard him mutter under his breath before turning his chair sharply to face me. Ash trotted in behind me like he owned the place, paused in the entryway, then beelined straight for Jake. He rested his chin on Jake’s footrest like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Jake raised a brow. “You brought the mutt?”

“He didn’t give me a choice,” I muttered. “He gets separation anxiety now, apparently.”

“Huh,” Jake said, reaching down to scratch behind Ash’s ears. “Seems like he’s doing just fine without you.” He turned his attention back to me. “All right, now you…what could you possibly have to say that I want to hear?” he demanded.

“Because I already know you were dating my sister behind my back. I already know you turned around and broke her heart.” His eyes narrowed. “I already know everything, man. So what’s left to talk about?”

There was only one thing Icouldsay. “I’m sorry.”

Jake scoffed. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to for your shitty behavior.”

“Okay, fair,” I said, walking into the living room. Jake had a calendar pinned to the wall and printouts of exercises. “You restarted PT?” I asked.

“Surgeon gave me the go-ahead,” he muttered.

“That’s great. Do you need help with these exercises today?”

“I don’t needyourhelp,” Jake said, annoyed.

I picked up a worn resistance band from the corner where he kept a couple weights and medicine balls. “If you’re gonna be pissed at me, that’s fine, but at least let us channel it into something productive,” I said, holding the resistance band out to him. “You know this was always easier with me helping.”

“I don’t need you,” he said again.

“Well, I’m here and I’m offering anyway.”

Jake released a heavy breath, snatched the resistance band from my hand, and tossed it aside. “What, do you think helping me do some exercises would let you off the hook?”

I knew he was beyond pissed at me. I’d known his angry face since we were teens. That pinched line between his brows, the way his cheeks sort of puffed up with hot air, and those puckered lips. Jake wasn’t usually one to hold a grudge, but for Mia’s exes, he was always willing to make an exception. I just hadn’t thought I’d end up on that list.

“I’m not trying to be let off any hooks,” I said. “I’m just…trying to help a friend.”

“When I look at you, do you really think I see a friend instead of the asshole who broke my sister’s heart?” he said.

I couldn’t help flinching. On the one hand, I knew that if it really came down to a split, Jake would be on Mia’s side—as he should be. But did ithaveto come down to a split? Jake was one of the most important people in my life, and I couldn’t stand the thought of that relationship being over for good. I had to figure this out, so we could navigate our way past it.

“That’s what I thought,” Jake muttered. “Nothing to say for yourself.”

“Well, what do you want me to say?” I shot back. “Nothing I tell you is going to change how you feel or what happened between me and Mia.”

“Exactly, dude.” His voice cracked. “Mia!”

That’s all he had to say. JustMia. Because I already knew how he’d feel the moment he found out. I already knew why he was so angry. It was everything I’d been afraid of. Everything I’d been trying to avoid…trying to protect us all from. I thought I could fix this in a way that worked, that let me have Mia and not lose Jake, but thinking that had been my first mistake.

“You decided to make a go of things with her, and then you hurt her,” Jake said. “You chose to hurt her.”

“That’s not what I set out to do,” I said. “I think after all these years you know me better than that.”

“I thought I knew you better too, man,” he said, shaking his head.

I swallowed hard, the weight of Jake’s words sitting heavy on my chest. I hadn’t expected this—hadn’t expected to be torn to pieces losing Mia and then torn up all over again trying to salvage things with Jake. I rubbed at the back of my neck, searching for the right words. “I messed up. I didn’t want to, but I did. And she deserves better.”

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