“That’s what I was thinking.” His hands propped on his hips. “Wanted to do as much as I could so I could free you up. You know, for the kid.”
Again, really considerate, and he was being modest. This would have taken him countless hours. I started to say that, but his phone buzzed.
He pulled it out, texting someone.
“That Dorian?” The words had vomited out of my mouth.
I couldn’t take them back.
They lingered in the air, and Ares dragged his head up slow.
He frowned. “Yeah,” he rushed, then quickly dashed his thumbs on his phone.
“So he’s officially back, then?” I asked. He had mentioned he’d see me at school. “He’s back, and you guys are a bro couple again.”
Ares’s fingers slowed. I didn’t know if he’d finished his text, but he pocketed his phone.
“We worked it out,” he said, his big shoulders lifting. “He made a mistake. He did, and he acknowledged it.”
Yet not one word to me.
As it turned out, the dark prince ended up being my biggest mistake.
“He told me what happened, little,” he said, my head shooting up. His nod was firm. “How he came over and stuff.”
I was sure it was a nice little bro talk for him. I smirked. “He bragged about his conquest, then?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Okay.”
“It wasn’t, and he didn’t go into specifics. At least, not about that.” He lounged back against his Hummer. “I assumed that bit. You looked like hell when I saw you at the hospital, and he didn’t look much better.”
“Then guilt, then?” I gritted, and Ares sighed.
“Nah, little. He looked fucked up.” His eyes narrowed. “Like you fucked him up. I’ve never seen him look that way and definitely not over a girl.”
“Well, he can get over it.” I swallowed. “He fucked and dashed, and that was after accusing me of messing around with you. Oh, the sprinkles on top were that he never acknowledged if he believed me or not.”
“He does,” he said, and I shrugged. So what if he believed me now?
It was too late.
I’d waited long enough, and I shouldn’t have had to…
I hadn’t done anything wrong.
My throat tightened. “Well, he’s too late, and even if he wasn’t, your friend could use a crash course in vulnerability. To be human and admit his faults.”
Ares’s head rose, and I threw my hands up.
“I want to paint,” I grumbled. “But if I do, no talking. I don’t want to fucking talk.”
I just wanted to do what I did best—calm down—and a paintbrush only did that for me. Now was a good time anyway since Bru was inside relaxing. I’d just let him know I’d be out here if he needed me.
Ares pushed off his ride. “I’ll get everything set up.” He lifted a palm. “And I promise no talking.”
I’d done that for him once.