Page 95 of Gorgeous

Theo smacks my free arm off the console, takes the bottled water from the cup holder, and chugs the last of it before unzipping his pants.

“What are you doing?” I ask, my foot easing off the gas in case I need to make an emergency stop.

“I’m about to piss in this bottle since you won’t stop.” Theo shoots me a questionable look, waiting for me to agree. Fucking with Theo usually puts me in a better mood but his stupid look does nothing for me today.

I shrug, glancing at the bottle in his hand, and then look back to the road. “Go ahead. Don’t make a mess.”

It wasn’t the answer he was expecting, and he throws the bottle, hitting me on the side of the head. “Pull over, Jameson. You’ve had enough whiny-bitch time. I’m hungry and need food to endure any more of this self-loathing.”

Grunting, I ignore him, keeping my eyes on the road. I’m not self-loathing. Much.

“Are you going to let me look at your neck?” he asks out the blue, shocking me.

“No.”

“So you enjoy looking like a crazy person, then?”

I let out a sigh, knowing he isn’t going to shut up about it. “I’ll clean it up in the bathroom when we stop.”

Theo eyes me with something like concern. “Will you give me the knife?”

I jerk back the tiniest bit. “I’m not suicidal,” I clarify.

His brows arch high up his forehead. “No?” He fingers the dried blood on my neck, and I swat his hand away.

“I was caught up in the moment,” I lie. I really wanted her to hurt me, to punish me for taking away her brother. Her family. Maybe I didn’t want her to kill me, but I wanted the pain I carry on the inside to match the pain on the outside. I wanted to bleed for her.

Theo makes an exasperated sound. “I think you’re full of shit. Hand over the knife, Jameson.”

For the first time in the almost two years I have known Theo, he looks like he might actually beat my ass. He’s serious. No jokes, no ploys, no comments.

“I promise, I’m not suicidal,” I tell him again, my tone becoming softer.

He nods. “I believe you, but just in case, how ‘bout you give it to me anyway?”

I deserve to be treated like a baby. It was a stupid thing to do. I scared Anniston and apparently Theo. After everything they’ve done for me, they don’t deserve this behavior. I make a show of being annoyed, and fish the knife out of my pocket, slapping it into Theo’s palm.

“Happy now?”

Theo turns the knife over in his hand and then looks at me. “No, Jameson. I’m not happy.” Then he tosses my knife out the window.

“What the fuck?” I shout.

“What the fuck?” he bellows back at me. “Thefuckis that you’ve come a long way, Jameson, and the girl tells you she’s your dead teammate’s sister and you go allCarrieon her ass. Drama queen much?”

My breathing falters. “You and Anniston knew who she was?”

Theo shrugs, clearly not guilty about keeping the secret from me.

“I oughta beat your ass,” I tell him, tapping the brakes, ready to pull over and take out some anger on his pretty face. “Why wouldn’t you tell me?” I roar.

Theo throws me a side glance. “Do you remember when Lou had Anniston at gunpoint in the barn?” I nod, not seeing how this is relevant. “Well, if I recall correctly, you wouldn’t allow me to know your plans on getting her out.” I go to argue and he holds a finger up. “I specifically recall you having Tim babysit me so I wouldn’t, and I quote, ‘Do something stupid.’” His eyebrows raise, indicating that he would like for me to acknowledge that his recollection is accurate.

“That was different,” I argue.

“No, it wasn’t. Anniston noticed you stalking the poor girl every weekend so she had me ask Thor to check her out. The report came back with a lot more than we expected. Including your parents.”

Thor, Theo’s retired security, dug into my past? My head drops to my chest. “Anniston knows about my parents?”

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