Page 128 of Frozen Hearts
And the irony isn’t lost on me that Riley is not my girlfriend. Yet here I am, making a fool of myself in thefemale productsaisle of the pharmacy.
“Thank you. I appreciate your help,” I tell the woman as I hand over my card and take the bag from her, making a mental note to never return here again. I’d probably die of embarrassment the second I walked through the door.
“Oh, were you at the store? Did you get protein powder?” Royce asks, jumping on me the second I get through the door, my earlier outburst forgotten for now.
He snatches the paper bag from my grip before I can shove him away.
“Dude, what the fuck is this?” he asks, lifting out one of the boxes of tampons. “Eww, what is this for?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, there is awomanliving in this house,” I snap, stealing the box back from him and dropping it in the bag.
“She made you go out and get hermonthliesfor her?” he teases, laughing his head off.
I refuse to answer him, knowing he’ll find the reality even more pathetic. However, the asshole can read me like an open book.
“Oh, shit, man. She didn’t even have to ask, did she? Fuck, you are so whipped.”
“Shut up, asshole.” I shove at his shoulder.
“Grayson is going to murder you.”
“I’d like to see him fucking try.”
“Dude,” he says, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “You gotta get over this girl. You can’t go falling for her.”
Yeah, he’s about four months too late with that advice.
“What if Grayson’s got it wrong and she’s not the girl he thinks she is?” I hedge, unwilling to outrightly spill Riley’s secret.
Royce’s lips pinch, his eyes lowering to the breakfast bar situated between us. “You can’t think like that, man. Grayson is our brother.”
“Yeah, but we are all capable of making mistakes. What if this is his?”
Shaking his head, he refuses to answer me. “Don’t go falling for her, Logan. It won’t end well.”
“So you haven’t developed any feelings for her?”
His head rears back, and he stares at me, looking stunned. “Fuck no!”
I quirk a brow. “How long have you been visiting her at the club?”
“I was only doing that to keep an eye on her. Mess with her a little.”
“Right. You still didn’t answer my question, though.” Leaning across the breakfast bar, I tilt my head, “But maybe you’ll answer this one. How did you know about the scars on her legs?”
“I told you. I was messing with her. Trying to get in her head.”
I scoff, not believing a word out of his mouth. “Sure you were, Royce. Keep telling yourself that bullshit. You know what I think?”
He waves his arm at me. “No doubt you’re going to fill me in any way.”
“I think you’re starting to see what I see. You’re starting to have your doubts and question things. But more than that, you’re starting to feel something for her, which scares you. So, instead of tackling it head-on, you’re hiding behind Grayson. Behind his truth. Like a little fucking bitch.”
“What the fuck did you just call me?” Royce snarls, surging forward to grab my T-shirt in his fist and haul me further over the breakfast bar.
“You heard me. Stop being a goddamn pussy.”
He snarls in my face, looking more animal than human, before he shoves me away. “Fuck off, Logan. We’re not all so happy to be led around by our dicks like you are. You know better than anyone why I might be having some fucking reservations about this entire situation. Just because you’ve decided you’re Team Riley and are willing to throw four years of friendship with Grayson under the bus doesn’t mean I’m in the same boat.”
