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“Stop lying! God, I hate that no one will tell me the truth. I just want the truth!” I shouted. Hot tears burned my eyes before they slipped down my cheeks. “Please, just tell me why you did it.”
Ford’s Adam’s apple bobbed nervously. “I can’t.”
“Why? What is so horrible that...” I stared at him, the guilt in his face and the fear in his hazel eyes. No, but maybe... Was it possible? “You wanted Andy for yourself.”
He shook his head, but the guilt was written all over his face. “What? No, that’s not true.”
“You did. You thought if you got me out of the way that Andy would notice you. That’s it, isn’t it? Oh my God! Did he?”
I felt sick at the thought, and then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Andy pressing his mouth against Ford’s. Ford on his knees, his mouth wrapped around—
“I can’t believe I didn’t see this before. You were lying to me the whole time, weren’t you? Just trying to get me out of the picture so you could pounce.”
Ford held up his hands, palms out. “Andy and I never did anything. We were friends.Justfriends. I might have wanted something more, but he didn’t want me. He only wanted you.” He rolled his eyes but ignored my comment about using me. “It was alwaysI miss Leo, andI shouldn’t have broken up with Leo. Leo was so beautiful. I don’t want anyone else but Leo.It was disgusting the way he pined for you.”
“Pined for me? Is that what you think it was? Andy loved me! You took him away from me and ruined my life.” My voice trembled with emotion. “How could you be so cruel?” I poked him in the chest with my finger. “We were going to get married. He gave me a ring.”
Ford’s face was flushed with embarrassment. “Leo, I... I didn’t think he would listen to me,” he insisted. “I just... I justthought he would laugh it off. I didn’t think he would actually break up with you.”
“You must have been so proud of yourself. Taking your shot like that. Tell me, Ford, was it worth it? Did Andy fall into bed with you? Kiss you and tell you how beautiful you were?”
He dropped his gaze to his feet.
“Look at me. Don’t you dare hide from me,” I hissed.
“I’m sorry.” His eyes shimmered with tears.
I was getting sick and tired of people in my life saying those words to me. People who claimed to love me and be my friend. They meant nothing. Empty lies and promises.
“I thought what I felt for Andy was love. That maybe he could learn to love me back. But that wasn’t what it was. It was just an infatuation,” he said quietly.
“Well, that makes it so much better.” I scoffed as something occurred to me. “Does Andy know?”
Ford shook his head. “No, I never told—”
“Does Andy know what?” The man in question was casually leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest, a faint pink mark on his cheek where I had hit him. I hated that I’d done that to him, but then again, he’d left me. Because hisbrotherhad told him to.
Ford’s eyes went wide as he looked at me. Fear flashed across his face while he silently pleaded with me not to say anything. I wanted to blurt it all out, but it wasn’t my decision. This was Ford’s secret, even if I was angry and hurt.
“Is this about RJ again? I know how Felix feels about him, but it’s cool if you want to bang him, too. No judgment.” Andy took a step into the room.
Ford nodded in agreement. “Yep, that’s it. I’m totally into him. RJ, I mean. So hot.”
“Bet he’d love to know about you having no gag reflex.” Andy snorted, then grew serious. “Not thatIwould know or anything.”
I gritted my teeth as I pushed past him. “I can’t stay here.” I headed back to his bedroom, grabbed my bag from where I had dropped it on the floor, and spun to find Andy blocking the door. “Move out of the way. You can’t force me to stay.”
“I don’t want you to go,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. God, I know I keep saying that, but it’s the truth. I messed up. I shouldn’t... I wanted... I need... Please.” I watched in horror as Andy dropped to his knees before me. “Leo, baby, please. I need you.”
When I moved closer, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pressed his face against my stomach, and let out a loud sob. My fingers found their way into his hair, his entire body shaking as he cried. As he slowly calmed himself down, Andy looked up at me with red-rimmed hazel eyes, tears smeared across his cheeks. He looked so broken.
“Hon.” I brushed my thumbs over his cheeks and watched the way his chin trembled. “I’m right here.”
“Stay,” Andy whispered. I nodded, and he buried his face against my belly again.
I somehow managed to convince him to get up and lie down on the bed. He wrapped himself around me like he was afraid I was going to disappear. We stayed like that for a while without speaking, as I occasionally rubbed his back or touched his hair, hoping to ease his pain.
“I’m scared, Ricky,” Andy finally confessed, his breath warm against my skin, and I ached to kiss him. If things were different, I would make him forget everything.
