“I’ll come back in the morning,” Griffin said as he opened the door. “And I’ll let you know the guards’ schedule.” He winked at me before leading Luna out the door and shutting it behind them.
The asshole winked at me as he was taking another girl to his house. What the hell? And why did it enrage me so much? He’d kissed me, and I told him no. If anything, that kind of made this partially my fault, but I’d made a promise to Killian.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Killian asked, and he touched my arm.
Like I would be answering that question. I couldn’t admit to him how I felt about his best friend for so many reasons, although, granted, he probably had an inkling based on the scents of our attraction earlier. But Griffin was a player, and I had to remember that.
“Dove?” He squeezed my arm comfortingly. “Are you okay?”
“No.” I wasn’t okay for so many reasons. “My whole life keeps falling apart. Right when I felt some semblance of normal, I find a painting of me near a dumpster. Then I confirm Rosemary’s suspicions while letting some random wolf overhear me admit to everything!” He already knew all this, but I couldn’t stop. “Then I try to leave and get caught by that ass-clown-” I pointed toward Griffin’s house “-and then his drunken girlfriend attacks me. There is no part of this that’s okay.” Not to mention the kiss, which I would have to tell Killian about.
“Look, I get that we’re more friends than lovers.” Killian placed his hands on my shoulders, making me look at him. “But Griffin isn’t good for you. This isn’t me being jealous-I’m telling you as a friend. He doesn’t want to settle down, and he makes a point to prove it at every opportunity. I don’t want to see you get hurt. He has a way of making a girl feel special, and he seems to be focusing that on you, which pisses me off because we’re best friends, and you’re supposed to be my girl.”
His words were like a slap in the face, even though I already knew that they were all true. And here it was. I had to tell Killian the truth. I’d made a promise to him, and I broke it. I had to take the blame and deal with the consequences. I didn’t want to ruin their friendship. “Killian, I need to tell you something.”
He tilted his head and inhaled sharply. “What?” “Griffin and I kissed.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
A
tense silence swallowed us whole.
His jaw twitched as he processed my words, and I braced myself for the inevitable blow.
“Who initiated it?” Killian huffed. “Was it him?” He started pacing.
That was the exact question I’d hoped he wouldn’t ask. There was already a ton of tension between them, and I didn’t want to cause more, but I’d broken my promise to Killian and had to tell him. “What matters is that it ended almost as soon as it began, and I’m so sorry that I betrayed your trust.” In reality, the kiss had lasted seconds, but I could still feel his lips on mine.
“So…he kissed you.” Killian stopped and stared at me. “Dove, he’s bad news.”
Something snapped inside me. “He brought four guards here to protect us. How is that bad news?”
His brows furrowed as he sighed. “No, I mean he’s bad news to girls. Look, apart from his dating habits, Griffin is a great guy and a good friend. Well, at least he was before he kissed you.” He laughed without humor. “Either way, he has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want to settle down, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
He was right. Somehow, I had opened myself up to getting hurt by Griffin, but I couldn’t help it. No matter how loud my head screamed, my heart and wolf wanted to be next to him. I was at war inside, and my brain was losing. “No, I get it. He did hit on me horribly my first day in the coffee shop.”
“I’m not trying to be ugly or mean.” Killian touched my arm. “But I’m afraid he did that because I claimed you first. And don’t forget that he left with Luna.”
That was like a punch to my gut, but sometimes the truth was hard to hear. Everything he said made sense, but it didn’t erase the crazy connection I had with Griffin. “I know.”
“Look, I know you’re helping me out with the pretend relationship thing, and if your fated mate or some other great guy came along, we’d end the ruse immediately. But Griffin is not the one.” He kissed my forehead. “And I don’t want to see you get hurt more than you already have, losing your family and pack.”
“Not to mention that I have some wacko threatening me.” I had to stop thinking about Griffin and what he and Luna were probably doing right at this moment.
The thought of them having sex, or God knew what else, kept trying to creep into my mind, making me want to march over there and kick Griffin in the nads. At least then, he’d be hurting and thinking of me.
Whoa. That was a violent thought. And why did I care if he wanted to be with Luna? I needed to keep my head level.
And that right there spoke volumes.
My reaction to Griffin wasn’t rational, which confirmed my nagging fear. “Look, I want to be honest with you. Griffin and I… we have a strange connection, and even though it’s probably a very bad idea, seeing as he left with Luna… I need to explore it.” “Dove-” His face pinched.
“I get it.” Boy did I ever, but after going two weeks without seeing Griffin, my heart hurt from wanting to be close to him. “But I’d rather have your blessing than do something behind your back.”
“All I’m saying is, you deserve someone who’s going to treat you with respect, loyalty, and kindness.” Killian hugged me. “And if this is something you need to explore…” He sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Then you have my blessing. But if he hurts you, I will kick his ass and not have anything to do with him anymore.”
I chuckled, but it sounded a little watery. “I’m so glad that I met you. You’re like a piece of my family I didn’t realize was missing.”
“And I kinda love you too.” He pulled back and arched an eyebrow. “But no more running away, or you will be sleeping with me in my bed. Got it?”
“Maybe I’ll misbehave then.” I winked, totally messing with him.
“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “But seriously. The fact that you were planning to run away hurts. We’re family. If you go, then you better take me.”