Page 41 of Loverboy

I ruminated over how to coax the information out of him without seeming too overbearing when he had been so delicate lately, afraid anything I did might trigger him and only widen the distance between us that I’d been working so hard to close.

“Milo,” I said, a little too harshly.

He flinched.

“Sofia unblocked my number.”

“Okay.” My jaw ticked, and I folded my arms. “And?”

“She forgot some things here, I guess. She wants to come get them.”

My first instinct was to take control of the situation and tell him absolutely fucking not. The thought of her invading what was now our space threatened to unravel me, and I could feel myself grasping for straws to keep my composure.

Milo was the type to beg, scream, and cry. He’d never had a bone in his body that knew how to let go, and if he didn’t go no contact, he would drive himself into the dirt trying to keep someone in his life—even if they didn’t deserve him.

Sofia should have kept his number blocked and cut her fucking losses. If she showed up, it would undo all of Milo’s healing progress, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“I can take care of it,” I offered coolly, holding my hand out, palm up.

Milo didn’t budge, his phone clenched tightly in his hands. He looked between me and the phone, trying to decide whether or not to listen, and I hoped, for his sake, he’d choose right.

“I’ll be okay. I can do it myself.”

Of-fucking-course he’d choose wrong.

“No, you can’t,” I snapped.

I didn’t want him to feel incapable, but his latest flirtation with death had left me desperate, and every poor decision he made was a testimony to the way I kept failing him when he needed me most.

“I’m over it, really. I can handle this.”

“Don’t act like you won’t start begging her for another chance the moment she steps through the fucking door, Milo.” I crowded his space and wrapped my hand over his phone, trying and failing miserably to dial back the show of my unease.

“I wouldn’t,” he said so quietly that it almost went unheard.

My edge was justified by the defeated slump of his shoulders and the way he avoided my gaze, eyes darting around the room in search of an escape. But there was none. We both knew I was right.

“You’re not enough of an asshole to do this.”

He wasn’t, but I was.

“Tell her she can come, and I’ll meet her at the door with her things,” I ordered. “You will stay in your room.”

I needed him to let me have this more than he would ever know. I wanted redemption for the way I hadn’t been able to protect him when we were kids. Things were different now; I could shield him from something like this. I could make it right.

He just had to let me.

“Fuck—fine.” He sniffled, yanking his hand away from mine and going out onto the balcony with his phone. “You’re such a dick.”

I watched him light up a cigarette and tap away on his screen. I wouldn’t let myself feel bad for being the strong one when he couldn’t be, not when the stakes were so high. If I left him to deal with Sofia, there was a chance that they’d work things out, and I’d be left behind.

He couldn’t get swallowed up by someone else again, not when I was just getting him back.

I still hadn’t moved from my spot when Milo came back inside, too caught up in my thoughts. Knowing him, his texts probably weren’t as direct as I would’ve liked. It should have started and stopped at confirming she could come pick up her things, but that was wishful thinking.

“So?” I stuffed my hands into my pockets.

“She’s coming right now.” He radiated nervous energy.