Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“Jeez, that’s… literal,” I laughed. “And disturbingly accurate. But please, just don’t, okay?” I glanced up at her from beneath my lashes.
“Don’t give me that look,” she said. “It ain’t gonna work here no more.”
“Please just be nice, Layla. I care about him, okay?”
She shrugged, but she didn’t respond. I knew her well enough to know what that meant. From now on, as far as Layla was concerned, Kage’s legal name was Culero.
We sat through a very long silence, trying to breathe in the heavy air, listening to the forlorn sounds of the night. Crickets and various insects, a bullfrog who piped up every now and then.
“Don’t judge Kage too harshly, Layla,” I beseeched quietly. “He’s been through a lot in his life. I’m not sure what kinds of skeletons he’s got in his closet, but I have a feeling it’s not pretty. And if you could see him the way he is normally, not all pissed off like that, you’d understand. He’s amazing.”
“Amazing? What I saw was not amazing. You sound like you’ve been brainwashed. He’s amazing, he’s had a hard life, blah blah blah.”
I glared at her. “And how is he any worse than Matt, who stole you from right under my nose and took you to a pickup bar on your first date? How is that such a great guy?”
“He wasn’t a great guy, and we’re not together. You were right about him being an asshole.”
“Well, I’m sorry you picked a bad guy. I lucked out and got a good one.”
She huffed. “If I’d known we were both trying to get a good guy, I never would have gone out with you in the first place, Jamie. What the fuck? Were you gay while we were together? Was I just a front for you?”
“No, of course not. I’m not gay.”
“Yeah? What do you call it, then? Cause I’m pretty sure you told me you’re sleeping with a guy. Not to mention what I just saw with my own eyes.”
“Look, I don’t know what I am, okay? I don’t even care at this point. I just know that I’ve had relationships before, and I was perfectly satisfied with them. Like with us. I cared about you, Layla. The sex was great, you’re a sweet girl, and I never thought about cheating on you with anyone, male or female. But… it’s different with him.”
“Different how?”
“It’s hard to explain. It’s like I can’t think of anything but him anymore. When I’m with him, I’m totally invested, you know? Like there’s nothing else in the world but the two of us. And when we’re not together, I’m thinking about when I’m going to see him again, going over our conversations in my mind, imagining… God, I can’t believe I’m telling you all of this.” I felt heat rise to my face, but it wasn’t enough to shut me up. “I fantasize about his body all the time. I know every inch of him by heart, Layla. I see him every time I close my eyes. How did this happen to me? How could I let this happen?”
“I don’t think I want to be hearing this,” Layla confessed.
“I know. I’m really sorry you’re the one who has to be here to see me fall apart. But I have to tell you how I feel. I just don’t want you to think this was some power play on his part, or some kind of sexual harassment or rape or whatever. It’s not like that. Everything that happened tonight was just as much my fault as his. Actually, it’s more my fault.”
“Did he get mad about me being here? Is that what it was?”
I shook my head. “No, that was just icing on the cake. I think what he was really upset about was that I tried to act like there was nothing going on between him and me. He said that my parents were staging an intervention, and that I didn’t think he was good enough to claim as my boyfriend. He felt like I was using him for sex.”
Layla cleared her throat. “Maybe you were, and you just don’t want to admit it.”
“Are you crazy? Anyone would kill to have Michael Kage as a boyfriend. For more reasons than just sex.”
“Then why were you trying to keep him a secret?”
“I wasn’t. Not exactly. I guess I just didn’t realize it was actually happening until it was too late. For the longest time, I tried to ignore the thoughts I was having about him. It seemed like he was flirting with me sometimes, and I was definitely getting confused. But I couldn’t wrap my head around him wanting me. Then all of a sudden we were kissing, and doing other stuff. My head was spinning, you know? It was like a really awesome dream you don’t want to wake up from. Then today happened, and all of a sudden it was over. I was alone before I even knew I had someone.”