Hooked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 3)

Is he being real? “Please, I’m not covering for you ever again.”

He rolls his eyes. “Such a fucking drama queen.”

“And you’re a dick.”

“I don’t know why you can’t do what you’re told.”

“’Cause you aren’t my dad. You’re nothing to me. So, bye, Felicia.”

He glares, and for the first time in my whole life, I’m scared. What the hell is wrong with him? “You’ve always been so jealous of me. Get over it. You can’t be me.”

Confused, I shake my head. “I don’t want to be you, and I never wanted to be. I only wanted you to love me. I’ve tried to love you, even when you don’t deserve my love, but you’re so cruel to me.”

“I don’t want it,” he yells at me. “I don’t want anything from you but for you to disappear. You know what?” he sneers, coming into my room, stopping in front of my bed. “I wish you had died. I wish you were never born. You ruin everything. You’re nothing but a waste of space.”

My heart just hurts as I go up on my knees, holding his gaze. “What did I do to you, Matty? Why on earth do you feel all this animosity toward me? You’re supposed to love me.”

“I don’t, and I never will. You stole something from me that I can’t ever get back, and I’ll never forgive you for that!”

Confused, I search my brain for any basis for his accusation, but nothing comes to mind. “What the hell? What?”

He shakes his head. “Just fucking disappear. Don’t come back. No one loves you anyway.”

Whoa. Wait.

That was one of the last texts Caleb sent to me. Word for word.

But before I can stop him, though I really don’t know why I would, he stomps out of my room, slamming my door hard, and rattling the pictures on the wall. Falling back on my haunches, I just shake my head. What was he talking about? And why would he say those things? Those exact things? I just don’t get it, but I have no problem doing what he said. He doesn’t want me in his life, fine. There is someone out there who does.

Someone I love.

And I can’t let this go on any longer.

Opening my texts, I hit Jace’s name.

Me: Can you talk?

He answers within seconds.

Jace: Yeah.

After touching his number, I don’t have to wait long before his voice comes over the line. “Hey.” His voice holds so much promise it hurts, and my eyes fall shut.

“Hey,” I say shyly, chewing on my nails as silence stretches between us. Clearing my throat, I look up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears as I whisper, “I love the video.”

I can hear the smile in his voice. “Jayden is a dick.”

I smile. “Yeah, but then you gotta thank him, ’cause I want to talk.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he says softly. “But I don’t want to do it over the phone, Avery. This isn’t something that can be solved with words. I need to feel you against me. I need to look into your eyes, wipe away your tears.”

Swallowing hard, I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek. I miss him so much. “Yeah, I agree.”

“Did you drive to the airport?”

“No, I had a car pick me up.”

“Can I pick you up?”