Page 130 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

“I’m not your amigo. I don’t remember allowing you to walk in,” he replies coldly. He snatches his phone and cigarettes on his way and pushes past me to go outside. He strolls through the garden to the driveway, where his car already awaits him.

“You’re still my friend. Where are you going?” I ask, unfazed by his words, as I march next to him, matching him step for step.

He could invite me anywhere, and I’d follow. I would have taken bigger offense if he’d become friends with anyone else or even stayed in touch with the guys.

However, he ignores them too, although they are calmer about it, of fucking course.

They have each other; it’s me who is the loner in this equation.

“No es asunto tuyo.”

I clack my tongue at his rude reply. “It’s my business, because—”

Anger crosses his face, and bitterness fills his voice when he spits out, “Why? Because my father ordered you?”

This statement comes so out of the blue I’m taken aback, and my brows furrow. “No, he didn't say anything. I just want to make sure you don't plan to do anything stupid like the last time.” By last time, I mean when he burned his car and announced it proudly to his dad, expecting him to blow up or something. Uncle Lucian, though, took it all silently and just bought him another one.

He deals with a lot of shit from his son, but I guess we all know why he behaves the way he does.

I still see traces of the boy he once was when he is respectful to the staff or controls his anger enough not to shout in front of Jimena, who loves him very much.

He can’t stand to be hugged and yet allows his mom to do it. His face during these moments though… it pains me, and I really want to shake him so he can fucking tell me the truth and not live in his nightmare all alone.

“Wait.” He’s about to step on the asphalt when I grab him by the elbow and spin him around to face me, rage filling me as realization hits me. “Is this why we aren’t friends anymore? You’re fucking jealous?”

Does he think his family loves me more than him or something? Or worse, resents me for being here with them while he couldn’t?

Then he should talk to me, and I’ll tell him the agony they all experienced awaiting his return, living and breathing just to find him.

Pulling his arm back, he pushes at my chest. “Don’t touch me, and fuck you. Who are you to question me anyway? I don’t want to be your friend. Stop fucking trying. When will you finally get it? You are nothing but a gardener’s son in this house. Know your place.” The hideous words spill from his mouth. This is the same boy who kicked our classmate in first grade for making fun of me for never riding in a plane before?

He knows better than anyone how much stuff like this used to hurt me until I learned not to give a fuck.

I step back, disbelief crossing my face, and then shake my head before laughing, although it lacks any humor. “Seriously? You’re ready to go this low to push me away? It won’t work.” Mainly because remorse flashed in his eyes the minute he said it, so I know he regrets it.

Tough luck for him, because his jabs won’t push me away.

And just like that, his anger is back, and he smiles at me, although his eyes stay dead. “Careful, Remi. Your clingy ex-girlfriend act is starting to get on my nerves!” He shouts the last part, and I grin.

Emotions are good; at least it shows me he cares rather than always giving me cold indifference. Deep down, he misses me too. “Good. And let’s keep the statements accurate. My clingy friend act.” I bump into his shoulder.

A voice a few feet away interrupts our conversation, instantly zipping annoyance through me. “Ah, the lovebirds are fighting again.”

Florian stands near Santiago’s car while his is parked in the distance. He winks at us, wearing a suit.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Hello to you too, Cortez.” He glances briefly at me. “Hey, man.” I don't bother to reply.

In fact, we haven't spoken at all after I beat his ass when I found him fucking my girlfriend. While I indulge in sex more frequently now, especially at the club where there’s always a wide choice of women who know forever is not promised to them, my heart is never in it.

Besides, I never slept with her, so at least there is that. I actually planned to treat someone as my girl for once, because a stable girlfriend works better for image than being a manwhore.

With the years, Florian’s behavior has gotten worse, and none of us knows why, which makes it almost impossible to deal with him.

“I’m here to finish the assignment, so then I can proceed with my plans to have a threesome tonight,” he says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Another threesome?

---