Page 9 of If You Say So

Mateo:Where do you want to meet?

Me:Come to my place. I’ll text you the address.

Mateo:I’ll head that way now.

I set my phone back down, hands shaking.

I invited another man over to the house. I’ve never invitedanyoneover to the house. Why did I do that?

To get back at Nate?No.

To make myself feel better?Yes.

Because I’m afraid to be alone in the house with him?

Shit.That’s exactly what this is. I don’t trust myself to be alone with him. Sure, he’s downstairs and I’m up here, but I don’t trust my feet to not force me by his side.

Sitting there waiting, I try not to panic, but it’s no use.

My breathing is labored, head is swimming, and I cannot believe I’m going to have another man inside this house…inside this bedroom.

Nate is going to kill me.

Killhim.

Shit.

When the doorbell sounds throughout the house, I wonder how long I’ve been sitting up here alone, sunk in my thoughts.

I rush to my feet and race down the hallway, worried Nate will be the first to the door. That can’t happen. Mateo will never make it inside.

He’s just getting to his feet as I hop the last step.

We stand there, staring at one another, saying nothing.

Nate blinks once, twice. His eyes slide toward the front door before falling to slits.

He knows, because he can read methatfucking well.

Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I drop my head, not meeting his eyes as I take determined steps toward the front door just as the bell sounds again.

I open the door, and there stands Mateo, a huge smile on his face, blond hair windblown, brown eyes sparkling. Mateo’s handsome, there’s no denying that. He’s kind and soft-spoken. We haven’t spent much time together outside of class, but I like what I know of him.

A wall of warmth washes over me.

“Hey, Blake,” Mateo greets, his eyes shooting to Nate standing behind me. “Hey Nate. I didn’t know you’d be here studying too.”

“You two know each other?” I ask.

“Sort of,” Mateo says. “We have a class together.”

“Huh, I had no idea. Well then, come on in.”

Neither of us move. I can still feel Nate hovering.

“Uh, you sure?”

Throwing a glance over my shoulder, I try not to shiver at the look marring Nate’s face. His lips are pulled tight, eyes glaring.

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