“Fine, I’ll just pee here. That’s fine too.”
Dylan doesn’t answer.
“I’m sure you’d like fresh, yellow urine all over your nice clean clothes, wouldn’t you, Dylan?”He shoots up, grabbing one of my pillows to hug instead of me, and shutting his eyes again. I laugh.
“This is what you get for staying up until two am,” I singsong as I make my way to the bathroom.
“Ha ha, fuck you.”
I shut the door to the bathroom and take this time to refresh myself. I shower and blow dry my hair, running the straightening iron through it quickly. I dress myself in a floral top and dark jeans, swiping mascara on my eyelashes.
When I emerge from the bathroom, Dylan’s still out. I fold my clothes neatly and go about my apartment, straightening the place up. I cook eggs and toast for breakfast, wrinkling my nose at the low supply of food in my place. I should go shopping soon.
I’m in the middle of checking my email on my laptop around noon when Dylan finally stumbles out of my room, rubbing his eyes.
“Well, well, look who decided to show up,” I say, smirking.
“I know, I bring the party.” He shrugs, smirking sleepily as I hand him a plate of breakfast.
“Yeah, sure. Party.”
“You know you love it, Katie.”
Love.
I swallow.
I turn my attention back to the computer as Dylan eats, watching TV as he does so. Afternoon news is on, talking about the weather.
I look up from my laptop, watching Dylan.
For a moment, I pretend that we’re together. That I’m his girlfriend, and he’s my boyfriend. That he takes me on romantic dates, and buys me flowers. That we spend passionate nights together, and spend the entire next day with each other, laughing and kissing and being in love.
I snap out of my stupid, pointless daydream and look back at my computer.
“Fuck, it’s going to snow this weekend.”
Dylan’s voice brings my attention back to the TV.
“Snow?”
“Yeah, the fat ass with the ugly tie just said.”
A silly smile spreads across my face.
Dylan catches it. “Why are you smiling? Snow makes everything worse.”“No, it doesn’t. I love the snow.”
“The highways are going to be jam packed.”
“So don’t take the highways. Obviously.”
“Ugh. Snow is so...cold.”
I stare at him. “Really, I had no idea.”
Dylan rolls his eyes at me and gets up to put his dish away. “And all the kids are going to be out of school, so that means they’ll prank the office.”“Prank the office?”
“Yeah, every year on snow days these little middle school shits play some dumb ass trick at Crane, like making someone trip on ice, or something.” Dylan returns to the couch.
I stifle a laugh.
“It’s not funny.”
“I bet you’ve tripped before, haven’t you?”
“That’s beside the point.”
“Oh, I would have paid money to see that. Do you know if anyone got it on tape?”Dylan rolls his eyes at me as I continue to laugh.
Suddenly, my phone blares from the coffee table and I pick it up quickly.
“Hello?”
“I hope you saw what we did to dear Dylan.”
I stiffen at James’s voice.
“I-I did.”
“Good. I should hope you wouldn’t want to see him in worse condition.”“That’s correct.” I try to keep my voice steady under Dylan’s confused gaze.
“Thought so. Meet me tomorrow, in the alley ten blocks down and around the corner of your apartment. Alone.”“And if I don’t?”
“If you don’t...well, I think you know exactly what will happen if you don’t.”“I don’t believe I do.”
“Then I’ll explain it to you.” There’s a brief pause. “I will notify my uncle of Dylan, Oliver, and Ethan’s betrayal. And...I think I’ll add your name in there, too.”So he hasn’t told.
And he’s using it as blackmail.
“Fine,” I snap.
“Good. See you soon, Katie.”
Click.
“Who was that?” Dylan asks.
I can’t tell him. Somehow James will find out.
“Just...uh, my father. He was talking about the divorce.”“Oh.” Dylan nods, seeming to buy into my lie.
I feel queasy and sickened by James’s threats. What could he possibly want?
I have a feeling I don’t want to find out.
Chapter Fifty Five
I pull my jacket tighter around me as I walk down the street, the wind whipping at my hair. My cheeks are rosy red from the cool air and my shoes click on the pavement.
I am going to meet James.
I feel horribly guilty for lying to Dylan, but I don’t need to tell him everywhere I go. As far as I know, Dylan’s in his apartment watching TV, and as far as Dylan knows, I’m going grocery shopping.
If it weren’t for my sudden protectiveness over Dylan, I wouldn’t be doing this. But something about seeing him so injured on Friday broke my heart, and I don’t want him getting hurt anymore by James.
Dylan’s wounds have mostly healed, his lip almost back to normal and the cut on his cheek is scabbed over. His black eye has turned yellow, and it will soon be gone.
I recall the directions James texted me twice and told me over the phone yesterday.
The alley ten blocks down and around the corner of your apartment.
I round the corner, fear sparking inside of me. I literally have no idea what to expect from this meeting, but I brought pepper spray just in case.
As I enter the narrow alley, I see James leaning against the brick wall of one of the buildings. He smirks when I approach.
“How nice of you to show, Katie,” he says tauntingly. “I trust you came alone?”I nod.
“Fortunately for you, so did I.” James stands up straight.
“What do you want?” I snap.
“Let’s just chat for a minute, shall we?”
I exhale slowly.
“How have you been?” He asks.
“Fine.”
“Work’s good?”
“Yes.”
“And how about Dylan?”
“Dylan is fine.”
“Good, good. And your feelings for him?”
I furrow my brow, swallowing. “Nonexistent.”
“Nonexistent?”
“I have no feelings for him.”
“I have a hard time believing that.”
“We’re friends, that’s it.” Am I convincing James, or myself?
“I see.” James laughs venomously.
“Why did you make me come here?” I ask, quick to change the subject away from Dylan.
“My uncle has requested I ask a favor of you,” James says.
“A favor?”
“Yes. A favor.”
My heart rate quickens. “What kind of favor?”
“You’re a smart girl, Katie. You’re quite observant, and that’s a valuable skill. A desirable skill.” James steps forward and I step back. “We’d like for you to come work for Lyone Enterprises.”I am taken completely by surprise at this. “Work for you?”
“Yes. You wouldn’t work with the finances, but you’d be an extra pair of eyes and ears that could be quite beneficial to the company.”“What if I refuse?”
“I’ll tell Alec what I know. Simple.”
I shake my head. “No. You won’t tell Alec what you know.” I lock my jaw, taking a step toward him. “You won’t tell him because if you hadn’t had ten men to back you up, Dylan and Oliver would have whipped your sorry ass. And you know it, too. I see it in your face.”James looks mortified for a moment before regaining his composure. “You’re wrong, Katie.”“No, I’m not. So if you make any move to tell Alec about Dylan, Oliver and Ethan, they’ll come after you. And they’ll get you alone.” I don’t know where this threatening side is comi
ng from, but I like it.
“That’s bullshit.”
“Are you really willing to take that chance?” I take another step forward, my eyes flashing. “Doctor Boy?”James clenches his jaw.
I stare at him, making my gaze as fiery as I can.
“You’re pushing your limits, Katie.”
“The limits you assign me are not my true limits, James. I think we both know that.”James looks completely and utterly defeated.
Maybe some of Dylan’s sarcastic comeback qualities have rubbed off on me.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”
James looks away. “Fine.”
I begin to walk away, before turning around, a thought striking me. “Oh, James?”“What?” He snaps.
“What were you doing that day? When you drunk dialed me?”
He blinks. “My uncle threw a party for one of his clients.”I smirk disdainfully. “Thought so. Good bye, James.”
I think I hear him call me a “fucking bitch,” under his breath as I round the corner out of the alleyway.
The walk home is cold, and I curse myself for not wearing gloves—my fingers feel like they’re just about to freeze off.
Thanksgiving is next week, and Crane gives us the whole week off. It’s odd for a company to do so, but the income has been so high this quarter, they’re giving everyone the whole week off, according to Dylan. I’m glad snow is predicted this week when I don’t have work to drive to.
I exhale a deep breath as I enter the warm lobby, running a hand through my hair. I call the elevator and take it up to the fifth floor, getting out and pulling out my keys.
I let myself in and scream a bit when I see Dylan sitting on the couch.
“You scared me,” I breathe, pressing a palm to my chest as I shut the door behind me. I had forgotten I have Dylan a spare key.
“Did I.” His tone is cold, and I put my guard up immediately.
“Why, uh...why are you here?” I ask.
“Where are your groceries?” He ignores my question.
Shit.
I part my lips. “Groceries.”
“You told me you had to go grocery shopping, did you not?” Dylan stands slowly, his gaze hard.
“I...I ended up going to the hair salon instead.”
Dylan shakes his head. “Katie, you are a shitty liar.”
I step back as he nears me, swallowing hard.
“Do you really view me as a complete moron?” He shouts, his eyes flashing. “Did you honestly think I didn’t see the fucking caller ID on your phone yesterday?”My breathing accelerates as he stands a mere foot from me.
“And then you lied to me, you lied. Why you would feel the need to lie, I don’t know.” Dylan clenches his jaw.
"I thought you trusted me, Katie, you even said it yourself. You said you trusted me--"
“So I went to see James! It doesn’t matter. I’m fine, I’m not hurt.”“What did he say to you?”
“Nothing, he—”
“What did he say to you?” Dylan’s fist pounds the door behind me in anger and I flinch.
For the first time ever, I feel fear towards Dylan. I’ve never seen him so angry—and I’ve seen him angry a fair amount of times. His eyes blaze and his muscles tense with fury, his fist still clenched against the door.
“You’re scaring me,” I breathe.
His eyes shift and he steps away from me, turning and running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly.
I nod.
He turns back around.
“Katie, I...I have this sense of...belonging when I’m with you. I don’t know why, but I can’t lose you. Alright?”His words tug at my heart strings. “Why?” I ask. “Why do I matter?” I repeat to him words he once said to me, when he caught me looking through his file at Crane.
And although I had no answer for him, he has an answer for me.
“You matter because you listen, Katie, you really listen to me. You ask me questions no one has cared to ask before, and you...” He trails off, blinking his eyes as if searching for more words to say.
“What? I what?”
“You make me feel like I did when I was younger...before...my mother died.” He looks down. “You bring back this sense of happiness that I haven’t felt for years.”It’s odd for me to see him so open, so vulnerable. His cheeks are flushed and his brow is furrowed, a frown on his lips.
At that moment, I see how much Dylan and I are truly alike. Although I don’t know his entire story, I know he’s had a tough past, and so have I.
But somehow, Dylan makes me feel so alive, and I can tell I do the same to him. And I understand why we can’t lose each other—because if we don’t have each other to restore that addictive feeling of liveliness, we might as well not have anyone.
I find myself crying, then, little tears falling down my face one at a time.
Because I know what I feel for Dylan is a lot stronger than friendship, and lust.
Dylan stares at me still, eyes intense.
“What are you thinking?” He asks me, his voice slow and rough.
I shake my head faintly.
“I’m sorry I lied,” I finally say quietly. “I shouldn’t have done that, it was a bitch move.”“I’m sorry I lost my temper.”
I shut my eyes.
“Do you want to go somewhere?”
I snap my eyes open. “What?”
“Do you want to come with me...somewhere?”
“Where?”
Dylan scratches the back of his neck. “Outside the city.”
“Why would we go there? Plus, it’s freezing out.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Then come with me.”
“But—”
“You’ll love it, I promise.”
Love.
I swallow. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Fifteen minutes later and we’re in the car, Dylan cursing at all the bad drivers. I’ve filled him in on what happened between James and I, and Dylan shot me a satisfied smirk when I told him what I said.
He Looked Back Page 28
