“You want to tell me what’s going on with you and Glenna?”
“Nothing,” she mumbles.
“Now who is lying?”
“She told me on the way down here tonight that she doesn’t want to be in a committed relationship with me anymore.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. What really sucks, is that what she really means is she wants to start dating guys again. I mean I get it, she likes both men and women. She’s always been upfront with me about that. But, she promised me when we started seeing each other that I was enough. She swore she was happy. Now, barely two months in…”
“I’m sorry, Dawn.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll handle it.”
“Have you tried talking to her and letting her know that—”
“Save it, Sis. I’ve had this conversation. Her compromise is she wants to have a threesome partner.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’ll talk to you in the morning,” she grumbles, shutting down the conversation.
“Okay.”
“Will you do me one favor?”
“What’s that?”
“Be careful with that asshole. He fucked you over. If someone does that shit, you don’t give them a chance to do it twice, Ellie. No matter what.”
I swallow, memories of what I went through and the pain of losing…everything, threaten to crash in on me. I shake it off and do my best to give her a reassuring smile.
“I promise, I’m being careful.”
She nods once. “Does he know?”
“Not everything, no.”
“Are you going to tell him?” she asks, studying me closely.
“I’m not sure. There’s nothing either of us can do to change the past now,” I tell her and she gives me a sad smile.
“Tread carefully, Ellie. Liam isn’t exactly the most forgiving of men.”
My stomach clenches at her words, but I do my best to act like I’m not worried. I’m not sure she buys it. I didn’t tell Dawn everything, but I told her enough.
She goes upstairs to face her own problems, though, leaving me alone with mine. Suddenly, a night that had so much promise has fallen flat.Ellie“You get shit lined out?” Liam asks, when I make it upstairs. I stop at the door and look at him lying on my bed. He doesn’t have a shirt on, and I’d lay odds that he’s naked under those covers. His dark hair is ruffled and stands out against my white pillow cases and sheets. The ice blue comforter is pulled up to his hip and lazily hides all of his goodies. That thought makes me grin. “Ellie?” he prompts, and I can hear the worry in his voice. He’s worried about me.
That feels nice.
“They went to bed. I think they’re still arguing, I could hear traces of it as I passed their door, but at least they’re not screaming.”
“Your sister is a fucking mess, Ice.”
I’m wearing Liam’s shirt he had on earlier and I decide it’s perfect to sleep in. I just want to lie in bed and cuddle up to my man. I walk over to him, slide under the covers and immediately he pulls me into his warm body, his arm going around me, my head resting on his chest.
“She’s hurting, Liam.”
“I get that, Ice, which shocks the fuck out of me. I didn’t think the bitch had a heart.”
“Liam—”
This shit won’t get any better the way she’s going at it.”
“You don’t like her,” I mutter, they’ve always fought with each other and it’s definitely made it hard in the past. I don’t know why I thought it would have changed after all of this time. When I left Liam and he didn’t come and find me, Dawn’s anger toward him grew, so I should have known better.
“I’ve always told you there’s something about her I don’t trust. Still, she cares about you. She’s got grit and she doesn’t take shit—at least in life. I can respect her for that.”
I look up at him, surprised. “You mean that?”
“Yeah, baby. We butt heads, yet we both care about you. I can live with that. She wants you cared for and respected. The problem is with her. Right now, she’s not demanding that same respect from the people she’s trying to let into her life. That is a fucking recipe for disaster.
Liam is not wrong. My sister goes through relationships like water. She’s never really treated any of them that great. Things were different with Glenna, however. She seems to really care for her. She seemed really happy for once, so to see them fighting now makes me hurt for her.
“She’s going to agree to bring another person into their relationship.”
“Dawn’s okay with that?” Liam asks, his fingers rubbing against my temple, stroking my hair.
“I don’t think so. I think she’s doing it so she doesn’t lose Glenna.”
“She’ll definitely lose her then,” Liam predicts and it makes me sad, because I’m afraid he’s right.
“Maybe not? Maybe bringing a man into the bedroom will—”
“Ice, it’s hard enough being a couple in this world. You bring a third party into the bedroom, then you better be solidly committed to each other, because feelings and emotions can trip a motherfucker up.”