“But you wanted to kiss him, didn’t you?”
“You know what, Nate, that’s none of your goddamn business.” She jumps to her feet and stalks outside. I hear the apartment door open and then slam closed.
I wince.
West groans and rakes his hand through his short hair. “Dammit, man. Today was supposed to be fun.” He gets up. “I should go after her.”
“Why? I’m the one who was an ass to her.”
“Yeah, you were. And you’re the one who invited Kash here today.”
“She asked me to.” I watch as he absorbs this little tidbit. “I wasn’t kidding. She wants the guy.”
“And what do you care if she wants to kiss Kash or not?”
I roll my eyes at him. “Seriously? Like you don’t care?”
“I have no fucking clue what you mean.”
“Really, West.” I’m suddenly exhausted. “Must be nice to be in such denial. Cozy.”
He gets up so fast his chair crashes back. His eyes flash beneath his drawn brows. “Fuck you, man.”
“Don’t really swing that way, sorry.” What is he…?
“Enough.” Then he’s grabbing my arm and dragging me out of my chair and across the kitchen. “Get out.”
“You’re kicking me out?” I’m more stunned by this turn of events than Syd noticing the bruises on my arm and then her walking out. “Wait, wait... Did she kiss you, is that what this is all about? When she went after you earlier?
“Pull your head out of your goddamn ass. It’s none of your fucking business.” He lets go of my arm at the kitchen door. “But I’ll answer you because you deserve to know what a moron you are: we talked, that’s all.”
“Yeah, right. You think I’m stupid.”
So I’m on a roll. Sometimes rage gets the better of me, and after the week I’ve had, there’s no way to control it.
“You are stupid. Really fucking stupid. She calmed me down, because I was upset with you.”
“With me. Whatever, man.”
“You had no business discussing my sis and grandpa at the table, in front of them.”
“I didn’t discuss— What the hell, West?”
He grabs me again, dragging me into the living room, his grip on my arm a perfect fit over the bruises, and it hurts so fucking much because this is West. My best buddy, my brother.
He’s really gonna kick me out.
“West, wait—”
“I would never go behind your back,” he says, his voice kinda choked. “And if I’d known you want Sydney that way… Fuck, why didn’t you ever say anything?”
I shake my head. “As if she’d want that with me.”
“Why wouldn’t she?”
“Because I’m so fucked up you don’t even wanna know.” Turning around, I head to the door. “Or maybe you do, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’ll stay out of your hair.”
I think he calls my name, but I’m already gone, walk