I sit back into my seat, while he has a good point and is only looking out for my safety, I’ve never wanted to hate him more. I’d love to hate both of them for that matter. I don’t understand what’s happening. Lukas has been nothing but a gentleman. Sure, he likes to party and can get a little wild, but just because he’s a football player doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. I really like him, in fact, I’m pretty sure I could be falling for him. I would know. I would feel it down in my gut just like I did when Maxen started playing up on me. Besides, Jackson would have said something. He knows the guy; they play on the same team. If he felt he was a bad guy, he never would have let our relationship get this far.
It doesn’t make sense. Something has to be going on with Tora for her to be saying things like this.
“Brooke,” Tora says softly as my ice cream melts onto my hand. “I’m sorry, it’s just-”
“I don’t want to hear it,” I tell her, not ready to hear her excuses for why she’d lie to me like that. “Just…leave me alone.”
The car ride seems to take forever but when Jackson finally pulls up at our home, I’m out the door before he’s even had a chance to cut the engine.
I fly up the path to our home, not wanting Tora to see the tears staining my face. I’ve always done my best to appear strong and right now, I don’t want her to know just how much she’s hurt me.
I know Lukas. We’ve been by each other’s side day in and day out. He sleeps in my bed every single night. He calls whenever he gets a chance. He’s always making sure I’m doing alright. A guy like that is not a bad guy, a guy like that is loyal. There’s simply no way he’d be asking Tora for those things. I just can’t understand why she’d try to make me question my relationship with him.
This is the first time since Maxen when I’ve finally opened my heart to someone, I’ve allowed myself to feel something and in the blink of an eye, Tora is trying to tear that away. Is she just trying to protect me from getting hurt in her own screwed up way? Whatever it is, I’m going to have to deal with later as right now, I can barely deal with myself.
I get inside my home as I hear Tora and Jackson talking by his car. I close the door between us, not wanting to hear how Jackson comforts her and tells her it’s all going to be alright when I’m the one hurting.
I drop down onto my bed and as I wipe my tears on the back of my arm, my phone vibrates with an incoming text.
Lukas – Babe, what happened to you? Where’d you go?
Brooke – Sorry, I had to leave. I wasn’t feeling good.
Lukas – I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
I look down at his message and my mind instantly begins swirling. He didn’t offer to come and check on me or say that he’ll miss me. Didn’t let me know if he’ll come back here tonight or if he’ll go back home. He didn’t even ask if I was okay. Simply just said that he’ll talk to me tomorrow and for the first time in our relationship, I’m doubting him and it’s all thanks to Tora.
Chapter 8
Maxen
I stand with my boys, watching as the cars speed around the track, needing tonight to relax more than ever. Shit isn’t going well with Ryan, the depression that was coming on a few weeks ago is starting to hit hard and I don’t fucking know how to help him anymore.
I’ve tried everything. I’ve gotten his dropkick friends over to hang out, I’ve tried bringing him things to do, hell I’m getting ready to hire a fucking porn star to dance for him just to see if it’ll get some sort of reaction out of him. I’m running out of fucking ideas.
Courtney walks through our group, handing Tora a drink and snapping me out of my torturous thoughts. “Where’s Brooke?” she asks Tora, unintentionally gaining my undivided attention. “She told me she was going to come tonight.”
I can’t help but look over at the girls, listening intently, despite it being none of my goddamn business. “I don’t know,” Tora tells her with a disinterested shrug. “Brooke hasn’t exactly been speaking to me.”
My brows furrow in confusion. What the fuck is she talking about? Tora and Brooke haven’t gone a fucking day without talking to each other in years. “What?” Courtney questions, scrunching up her face, clearly just as confused as I am. “How is that even possible? You guys are tied at the hip, and not to mention, you live together.”