Page 114 of Indulge
And right now, we all need to cool off.
52
BELLA
I can’t sleep because I can’t stop crying. I haven’t been this bad since Dad died. I didn’t even stop to look at Reggie when I got home. Although, I figured he needs time to lick his wounds.
My mind is swirling. The mess I’m creating. And there’s one person who this impacts.
Theo.
This alliance is important to him. I grab my phone; the light in the darkness makes my eyes burn, and I call him.
“Bella,” he says cautiously.
I sniffle. “Theo.”
“Tell me who I need to kill.”
I can’t help but giggle. As annoying as my brothers are, I fucking love them to death.
“No. It’s not that. I just need to speak to you, I miss being at home.”
“Bella… You never were home, don’t bullshit me.”
“How important is this alliance? Like, if, let’s say, hypothetically, Reggie refuses to marry me.”
“Jesus fuck. Bella. What’s happened?”
I roll onto my side with a huff.
“He upset me. I upset him worse, I think. And then his brother too.”
There’s a pause.
“Bella… I don’t do riddles. The whole story, please.”
“I kinda fell for him and his brother.”
“Fuck,” he hisses.
“That actually isn’t the bad part.”
“Sorry, what? Reggie doesn’t mind you, um.”
“Yeah, let’s not get descriptive and weird. No. He was okay.”
“So?”
“Would the alliance still stand if I married Rowan?”
I close my eyes. I don’t want to pick. I don’t want to give up on Reggie. But that look in his eye earlier told me he’d given up.
“I can speak to Declan. I’m sure it would be fine. Is that what you want?”
A sob escapes me.
“I-I don’t know what I want, Theo,” I whisper.
