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“Fuck you!” he roars, shoving me back by my shoulders, causing me to let out a painful hiss. “It was a mistake, and youknowI almost lost him because of that. You know that shit, Cassius!”
I shake my head as he pushes me again. “Knox?—”
“And I learned from my mistake! That you shouldn’t fucking lie to the people you love!” He continues, more and more worked up by the second. “Here you are! Lying to the supposed love of your life! For what? Just so you can pretend you’re somebig, powerful man, when you’re really scared as shit, Skylar will never love you back!”
“Enough,” Rhys spits, dragging Knox back by his shirt. “It’s not worth it.”
Knox spins on his heels toward Rhys, grabbing onto his arm, and I wonder what his game plan is until he speaks again. “I made a mistake, man. That’s it. It wasonefucking mistake. I didn’t mean to hurt Elton. I fucking love him.”
Rhys’s eyebrows pinch together in concerned curiosity as he nods slowly. “I know that, Knox.”
“I— Fuck!” Knox screams. He paces back and forth while snagging a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. Lighting up quickly, he mumbles to himself as he tries to calm down. He turns and glares at me as he takes a drag. “Keep my husband’s name out of your fucking mouth and find your own ride home, asshole.” Flipping me off, he turns to Rhys. “You coming, man?”
Rhys looks between us before giving him a clipped nod. “Yeah.”
“Rhys,” I say, reaching out to stop him, but he shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”
“What’s going on with you, Cass?” he asks gently as Knox hops into his car. When I don’t answer, he hangs his head and sighs. “Fine. You do what you want. Just don’t drag us into your shit. Knox didn’t—” He curses under his breath, like he’s in disbelief of himself. “Knox didn’t deserve that.”
I nod solemnly, feeling like an absolute jerk. “I know. I don’t know why I said that.”
“Figure it out soon, okay?”
When Knox honks, Rhys doesn’t turn to look at him as he flips him off.
“Anyways, I’ll see you at work. You’ll get home okay?”
“Got my phone,” I say weakly as I gulp. “Can you tell him I’m sorry?”
“Rhys Conway! Get your fucking ass in here, or I’m leaving you too!”
Rhys chews the inside of his cheek. “Yeah…maybe not. Sorry, man.”
As he jogs toward Knox’s car, telling him to wait a fucking second, I let out a deep breath I hadn’t known I was holding.Wow, I was a major dick. I don’t know what possessed me to rub Knox’s past mistakes in his face like that. I just didn’t want to talk about why I’m still?—
I run a bruised hand down my face and curse. Pulling out my phone, I call up a rideshare app instead of calling Skylar. Everything is fine. There’s nothing wrong with what I’m doing. I’m saving money for Skylar and me. I’m building a little cushion for our future, the future we’ll havetogether. And, so what that I like it? I’m just… I don’t know. Having fun? Embracing this new side of myself? Finally doing something forme?
But even those thoughts aren’t comforting as a new sinister feeling creeps in.
Guilt.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Skylar
It’slate by the time Cassius comes home.
I jump from the couch the second I hear all the bolts unlocking. After getting home an hour ago, I showered and made myself cozy on the couch. I knew that Cassius was at the boxing gym tonight, but I hadn’t realized just how late he would be. I’m not proud enough to admit that I can’t sleep when he’s not here, and if I do, it’s plagued with fear and discomfort that my favorite person isn’t close by.
Racing to the door, I throw myself at him the second he’s across the threshold. He smells like sweat, and it’s delicious—pure Cassius—and I resist the urge to lick his neck as he walks us back into the apartment.
“Hey, sunshine,” he mumbles against the top of my head, his hands wandering down to my ass. “Someone’s happy to see me.”
“I’m always happy to see you,” I hum as I get cozy against his chest. “I missed you.”
Unbearably so. It’s gotten worse in the last few weeks. It’s like I need him by my side constantly.
When I try to lead him to the couch, he chuckles and digs his feet in. “I have to shower.”
