Page 23 of Back to You
“You sound like you don’t like him very much.“
“I probably sound like I’d hit him with my car without hesitation because I would.”
“What did he do?”
“He’s condescending and controlling.He doesn’t like that Peter and I are friends because he doesn’t want anyone to take away Peter’s attention.He wants to be at the center of it, and he’s ready to do anything to make that happen.You should hear the way he talks to Peter.The other day, we went out for Friday night dinner, but we didn’t stay because I’d just learned that my father had died.We went to Peter’s apartment, but that asshole was there, and he basically kicked me out.He even kept my food.”
Vincent sounded so outraged that in any other circumstance, Ronan would have smiled.He didn’t because he was worried about Peter.“That doesn’t sound like the kind of person Peter would be with.”
Vincent’s expression turned sad.“I think that losing you broke something in him, too.He used to look at us like an example, you know?He wanted what we had.When you vanished, he decided that mates weren’t worth it.Hell, I’m pretty sure he decided thatlovewasn’t worth it.Once, he told me that if even mates didn’t stay, what was the point?”
“I didn’t leave willingly, though.”
“We didn’t know it at the time.I don’t know what to do to help him, but I won’t let him do this for much longer.I can’t.”
“We’ll both help him.”
Vincent turned toward Ronan.“You’re sure?Because he had many things to say about you when you disappeared, and none of them were nice.”
“He was looking out for you, and from the sound of it, he never stopped.I can’t begrudge him that.”Ronan didn’t.If anything, he was happy that Vincent hadn’t been alone.He’d been fine with being on his own because he thought his mate was dead, but Vincent had believed he’d done something wrong.
As if he could ever do anything that would push Ronan to abandon him.
* * * *
IT WAS EASY TO TALKabout Peter.It was certainly easier than talking about all the things Vincent and Ronan were supposed to talk about.
Vincent didn’t want to think about the pain he’d felt for so long.He didn’t want to think about betrayal, about feeling like he wasn’t good enough and the nights wondering where things had gone wrong and how he could be better.
What use would it be to obsess over that, anyway?None of it had been his fault, and it definitely hadn’t been Ronan’s fault.The bitterness and anger were better left in the past, right along with Fulton.If Vincent wanted to be happy with Ronan again, he’d need to look to the future, and the future was walking next to him right now.
He loved that Ronan seemed genuinely worried about Peter.They’d been friends before, and Vincent hoped they could be friends again.He needed the most important people in his life to get along.
He hadn’t told his mother about Ronan yet, but he would.He just didn’t want her to rush home since she was having fun.She would.She’d want to be with him so she could support him, and she’d be so damn happy to see Ronan.It would add a layer of emotion to the situation that Vincent wasn’t ready to deal with, though, so it would have to wait.
Even though she would kill Vincent once she found out about all of it.
Ronan let Vincent rant about Lou for a while longer as they sipped on their coffees and walked.It felt good not to have expectations and not to worry about what he was saying, so Vincent took advantage of it.Usually, when he had a problem, he talked to Peter, but he couldn’t this time around.Peter wouldn’t listen to reason when it came to Lou, which didn’t make sense.
“Maybe he actually likes the guy,” Ronan suggested.
Vincent snorted.“Please.He looks like he’s going to the dentist every time he has a date with Lou.He doesn’t like the guy, which is why I don’t understand why he’s with him.If he doesn’t believe in love anymore, wouldn’t it make more sense for him to be alone?”
“I just think that this isn’t your relationship.I understand wanting to help Peter, but maybe you don’t need to understand why Peter is with Lou.Isn’t it enough for you to see how bad this relationship is for him?”
Vincent hummed as he thought.Maybe Ronan was right.Vincent had been trying to make sense of it, but how could he when there wasn’t any sense to it?He didn’t need to know what was going through Peter’s mind to get Peter out of there.He just needed Peter to say yes.
Which was a problem because no matter how many times he tried to convince Peter to dump Lou, Peter always pushed back.He wasn’t listening to Vincent.
Maybe he’d listen to Ronan.
Vincent stopped walking and turned toward his mate.“You could talk to him.”
Ronan blinked.“He’s never listened to me.”
“No, but he’s always respected your opinion.”
“He respects yours more.”
