Page 55 of All for Love

KODY

Later that night, Kaden and I went out for a drink. It’d been a long time since we’d done that, but Brooke was busy with some volunteering project and Kaden had suggested a beer to catch up.

The bar we met at was near both our places, a dark, quiet place with a small crowd of regulars and none of the after-work, yuppy crew. It was perfect for the mood I was in, which was pretty dark and quiet itself.

Kaden had gone home first, but I’d come straight from the office. I’d hung around for a while after everyone had left, foolishly hoping for a conversation—even an argument—with Mercedes. I’d never admit it to anyone ever, but I kind of missed her.

At least, I was pretty sure that was why I’d been having such a shitty go of it these last few days. Getting out of bed was a chore like it’d never been before, and even doing the work I loved was a drag.

As I walked to the bar, I placed an order for two beers and left a generous tip. Then I carried the drink back to our booth in the corner. Kaden took his with a slight dip of his chin, then took a deep swallow before he looked at me again.

“So, uh, I hate to bring this up, but I couldn’t not notice the tension between you and Mercedes earlier. You did end it, right?”

Well, I didn’t end it.I nodded. “It’s over and done with. There’s no tension because of that. We’re on the same page about the sleeping-together thing.”

“What’s with the tension then? Don’t try to tell me I was imagining things. Neither of you have been yourselves since Thanksgiving.”

“Yeah, we got into it a few days after. It’ll blow over.”

Kaden’s gaze remained firm and unwavering on mine as he rolled a finger of the hand not clutching his beer. “Well, what is it then? Something is off with you. If it’s not that, what’s going on?”

Fuck. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to hide this from him. This was the person who knew me best. The guy I’d shared a damn womb with once upon a time.

Sometimes, having someone who knew me inside out was amazing. We had a bond that was unbeatable and unbreakable, but at other times, like right now, it sucked not being able to keep anything to myself.

I shrugged. “It’s nothing, man. Just seasonal blues, I guess.”

He arched a brow at me and chuckled. “You don’t get seasonal blues. In fact, you love Christmas time. All women are giddy, happy, and filled with warmth and eggnog. You told me that just last year. So what’s wrong? For real this time, or at least think up a better excuse.”

“It’s really nothing.” I genuinely didn’t know what was bothering me. Kaden could press harder and harder, and I still wouldn’t know.

I suspected it had to do with Mercedes, but I also couldn’t seem to get rid of that heartburn feeling no matter how many antacids I took. It just felt like I had an itch I couldn’t scratch. Like I’d forgotten something important or I was walking around missing a limb.

It was weird, and unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

Kaden stared back at me, then suddenly, his features contorted and his jaw clenched. “Ah, piss off.”

“What?” I frowned, looking around and not seeing anything that would’ve brought on the unexpected change. “What’s happening?”

Kaden pointed a finger at me, his eyes firing accusations as he laid it out. “You have real feelings for her, don’t you? You went and fell in love with the one girl you can’t have.”

“What?” I scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. It’s definitely not that. I don’t fall, remember?”

He stared at me for another beat, his head shaking as he took a long sip of his beer. I watched his throat work as he swallowed it. He pointed at me again. “Wrong. You never used to fall, but you fell. That’s what’s bothering you. You’re in love and you’re not with her anymore. Do the math, Kody.”

“I’ve never been great at math,” I lied, and he rolled his eyes as he shook his head again.

“Can I go ask the bartender for a lighter so I can set your pants on fire?” he shot at me. “Stop fucking around. Out of all the beautiful women you’ve had in your bed, of which there have been many, you fell for the one who’s off-limits.”

“I didn’t fucking fall for her,” I objected emphatically. “That’s just not possible. We had a thing. It’s over now, and that’s that. The end of the story. And also, there haven’t been that many women in my bed. Don’t exaggerate when your number is just as high.”

“My number is not nearly as high,” he argued. “No one’s number is as high, but that set aside, you did. You fell for her. You developed actual, real human feelings for our stepsister and now you’re hurting because you can’t have her.”

“It’s. Not. That,” I ground out.

All the while, Kaden watched me closely, anger and disappointment brewing in his eyes as he shook his head. “It’s written all over your face, dude. You’re lying, and the worst part is that I don’t even know if you realize it because you’ve never been in love before. You’ve never felt anything real for anyone, and yet now, you’re in love with the only forbidden fruit in the whole wide fucking world.”

I wanted to retort, I really did, but he just might have a point. As I sat there, wondering if it could be true, he groaned. “That’s just so predictable, man. The one girl you can’t have, and that’s the one you wind up falling in love with. It’s predictable, and pathetic, and unfair.”