Chasing Heartbreak (Dark Love 6)

“Don’t do this, Noah,” she whispers, barely audible. “Don’t go ruining what we have.”

“Because you love him? Are you thinking about taking Allegra up on her offer? Be the mistress on the side? Chances are, there’s more than one of you. Why not make it a gangbang? Then he’ll start charging people to come watch.”

“No, Noah. I don’t love him,” she says, calmly and not feeding into my anger. “That’s all you need to know.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better? You don’t love him, but you’re still willing to fuck him?”

“I understand you have a lot of things—”

“No, don’t do that,” I yell, berating her for her ability to fuck with my mind. “Don’t try to tell me I don’t feel the way I feel.”

“Noah…” she trails off. “Please don’t say how you feel.”

“And why shouldn’t I?”

“Because if you say how you feel, it’ll all change. Me, you, us…”

The silence falls upon us, and I close my eyes because it’s now or never.

“It should’ve been you, Kate,” I whisper, shaking my head with my eyes closed. “All along, it should have been you.”

Her breathing is loud enough to be heard over the speaker. “You don’t know what you’re asking of me. I need to go.”

“Kate, stop. I’m sorry. I’m angry, okay, but I mean what I said.”

“I heard you, Noah,” she announces, then pausing. “I promise I heard you.”

The call ends abruptly, leaving the line completely dead. I’ve pushed Kate, throwing caution to the wind and giving her all of me, only for her to walk away.

No sentiment in return, no admission.

I give myself ten minutes to compose myself before entering Charlie and Lex’s place to see Eric at the table talking animatedly with Charlie.

“Is everything okay?” Charlie asks, concerned. “You look…”

“Like my asshole after rough penetration,” Eric says bluntly.

“Thank you,” I answer sarcastically, then walk toward the fridge, grabbing a beer. “I’m sure Morgan’s lawyer will be calling you on Monday to seek full custody of Jessa.”

“Jesus Christ, Noah. What happened?”

“Tomorrow,” is all I say. “I really don’t want to talk about this now. Talk about anything else, even Eric’s asshole for all I care.”

Eric pulls his face back in shock until he’s distracted by his phone. “Like seriously, what’s up with the universe?”

“Now, what’s wrong?” Charlie moans.

“It’s weird, just my brother texting me all of a sudden. Well, not all of a sudden but like the past week. He’s nice, and I don’t know… he’s opening up about shit, which is weird as fuck because we never ever talk.”

Charlie glances my way, forcing me to drink more to control my anger toward his brother.

“What do I possibly have that he wants?”

“I don’t know,” Charlie mumbles. “Did I tell you we saw him in Versailles?”

“Yes, after he told me. And check this out, you’ll love this, Noah. He asked me what the situation is between you and Kate? It’s just bizarre.”

Suddenly, my curiosity piques. “What did you tell him?”