The Hidden (The Hidden Trilogy) (49 page)

She crossed her arms and leaned back. “You need to learn that who I date is none of your business. You don’t hear me saying anything about
your
girlfriends.” 

Girlfriends
, pffft. I twisted my empty glass around, scowling as I watched it turn. “I don’t have girlfriends, I have sex.”

“Whatever.” She cleared her throat. “My point is, I don’t get involved in your affairs, so stay out of mine.”

I was just looking out for her.
Excuse me
for being concerned that her boyfriend’s a douche. And
excuse me
for thinking she deserved better. “You’re right,” I said, meeting her eyes. “It’s none of my business who you fuck.” She didn’t care, so why should I?

Her jaw clenched. “I know what you’re doing. Stop it.”

I dropped my challenging stare, groaning as I lowered my head. “That was a dick move… I’m sorry.” She was the first person to call me out on my shit in a
looong
 fucking time. I kind of had to respect her for it.

Her voice came out softer. “I was wrong about him, okay? He’s not an asshole.” 

Oh, really? So he was a dick on
accident
?

Emily sighed. “Do you really think I’d be with someone who didn’t treat me well?”

Well, when she said it like that… “No…” I shook my head. Something was off here. How could she have misjudged him that bad? It didn’t make sense. “I still don’t like it, Em.”

She laughed and shrugged. “Too bad.” Picking up the menu, she opened it and glanced at me over the top. “So what’s good here?”

Chapter Seventy-Three

Thursday, October 8
th

Draped across my couch, I flipped through the channels as the phone rang in my ear. And rang, and rang. Why wasn’t Em answering?

I dropped the remote and sat up as the line finally clicked. “Hey,” she said.

It’d taken me two missed calls and an unanswered text to get ahold of her. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was avoiding me. “Are you ignoring me?”

“What?
No
.”

Oh my god, she
is.

“Then why haven’t you returned any of my texts or calls?” Even to me, it sounded desperate.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Well, let’s meet for coffee. We can catch up.” I was grasping at straws, and I knew it.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

My teeth clenched so hard I thought they might break. After a beat of stony silence, I said, “Why not?”

Her voice came out quiet. “You
know
why.”

Goddamn it, I fucking
knew
it. I grabbed my car keys off the glass coffee table and got up, heading for the front door. “Where are you?”

“Why?” she asked, sounding mildly panicked.

“Because I need to see you.” Exiting my house, I stalked down the stone pathway to my car.

“Gabriel–”

“At the very least, don’t you think I deserve to have this conversation in person?” I opened my car door and slid in, slamming it closed as I started the car.

She sounded resigned as she said, “I’m at the diner on third.”

“Be there in five.” I hung up and peeled out of my driveway. She could try all she wanted to get rid of me, but I wasn’t going without a fight.

Emily sat on the bench outside the diner’s entrance. I pulled up to the curb in front of her, fuming as I got out and slammed my door. Em watched me with a worried crease between her brows as I walked around my car and sat next to her.

Leaning forward, I rested my forearms on my knees as I collected my thoughts. I stared into the street, because I couldn’t look at her right now. I was too mad.

My teeth ground together. “So you get a boyfriend and we’re not allowed to be friends anymore.” This was unacceptable. I was here first, damn it. I wasn’t going to let her push me aside for some human.

“I didn’t say that,” she murmured. “I just don’t think we should hang out alone.”

Alone?
Was she fucking serious? I turned to her and muttered, “Last time I checked, a crowded café was not
alone
.”

She rolled her eyes, but her voice came out soft. “You know what I mean.”

“No, I really don’t.”

Glancing down, she toyed with a hole in her jeans. “It’d be okay if we hung out in a group… Maybe next time I go out with some friends, you could come too?”

“I don’t see how that’s different than meeting someplace public. You’re arguing between a group of strangers and a group of friends.” I threw my hands up, exasperated. “A group is a group, Em.”

She sighed and picked at the pieces of frayed denim. “It just
is
.”

Oh, what-the-fuck-ever.

She looked up at me as I stood. “I want to meet him.”

“What?” She got on her feet quickly. “No.”

My eyes narrowed on her. “Why not?”

“Because, it’d be…awkward.”

I smirked. “Why? We’re just friends, aren’t we?”

She crossed her arms. “It’s not gonna happen, so just forget about it.”

I matched her stance. “Fine, I’ll drop it–
for now
. But I still want to see you.”

Em held her hands up in surrender. “I said you could, it’s just gotta be–”

“With your friends. Right. Got it.”

Her face brightened. “How ’bout you come over to my place sometime? You, me, and Beth can watch a movie or something.”

A chaperone. Fucking perfect. “Super.”

“Whatever,” she huffed. “If you’re gonna be a baby about it, then I’m done talking to you.”

She turned and stepped down into the street, looking both ways. A red sedan approached the stop sign at the end of the block, but it wasn’t slowing. The driver, busy with his phone, wasn’t paying attention.

Em started across the street as the car flew past the stop sign. What the hell was she doing? Didn’t she see he wasn’t stopping?

Shit.

I broke into a dead sprint and snatched her hand, yanking her to me. She spun around and smashed into me, face to chest, as the car zoomed past us, barely missing her.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with panic as her body pressed into mine. Her heart raced. I felt its frantic beating against my lower chest. How had our fingers gotten laced together?

My free hand went up to cradle her neck, just under her ear. “Are you okay?” I asked, taking mental stock of any injuries.

I didn’t see any.

She nodded as her breath escaped her parted lips. Her face was so close to mine, and I felt her breath on my face. My eyes lingered on her mouth, watching her close it. She had such nice lips. Full and pink. I bet they were soft.

My thumb moved from the side of her face to her lower lip, grazing it. I was right. They
were
–

Emily turned her face away, snapping me back to the present.

What the fuck did I just do?
Oh, God.

Horrified, I released her and straightened, backing up several feet. I smoothed out my wrinkled shirt. “I’ll concede to your rules. Just let me know when and where.”

She tightened the lapels of her jacket. “Okay.”

I nodded, refusing to look at her as I walked to my car. I didn’t want to see the pity on her face. I’d heard enough of it in her voice.

Chapter Seventy-Four

Thursday, October 22
nd

“Why do I have to sit bitch?” I mumbled, frowning as I sat between Emily and Beth.

Beth grabbed the remote and started the movie. “You just do, okay?” She leaned back against the armrest and draped her legs across my lap.

I sighed. “So I’m your leg rest now?”

“Yep.” She handed me the popcorn bowl. “
And
you’re the popcorn holder.” She gave me a big ol’ “fuck you” grin before refocusing on the movie.

I held the bowl above Beth’s shins, muttering, “Lovely.”

I can’t kill the best friend, I can’t kill the best friend…

Emily gave me an apologetic smile and mouthed, “Sorry,” then reached over and grabbed a handful of popcorn.

All this just to hang out with her? Have I lost my fucking mind?

As much as I wanted to gripe, deep down, I actually liked spending time with her. I never knew how our conversations would turn out, ’cause she never took any shit from me. If we hung out and got into an argument, it was the highlight of my day.

Beth’s cell phone went off in her room. She jumped up to get it, nearly kicking the bowl of popcorn out of my hands. “Pause the movie!”

I set the bowl on the simple black coffee table and grabbed the remote, hitting the pause button. “Hey,” Beth said into her phone, closing her bedroom door most of the way.

I turned to Em, expressing my displeasure.

She pulled her knees up, quietly exclaiming, “I know! I’m sorry.” Blush spread across her face, and my ire died a little.

I glanced at Beth’s door, hearing her inane chatter about some boy. Fucking teenage girls… Thank God Em wasn’t like that. “I just don’t see why we need a chaperone. We’re not twelve. It’s not like I’m gonna feel you up on the couch if there’s no one looking.” Saying that made me imagine feeling her up on the couch, and my eyes darted to her chest. Her tits were kinda big for her body frame, and the way they pushed against her light blue top… My cock twitched, like it had awoken from a deep sleep. I crossed my arms, trying to hide the situation brewing in my pants.

“This is how is has to be.” Was that a hint of sadness in her voice, or did I imagine that?

“Yeah, yeah, yeah… I know.” This was stupid. We were both adults and could behave as such.

I sighed and pulled Emily’s feet across my lap, freezing when I realized what I’d done. We weren’t the kind of friends that…
did
stuff like that.
Affectionate
stuff. And here I’d just crossed that line without even realizing it.
Again
.

What the fuck?

Her brow lifted, and I tried to play it off. “Didn’t you get the memo? I’m the official leg rest during the movie. Might as well make good use of me.”

Her mouth opened, then closed as Beth came out. She sat down on the other side of me, leaning forward to grab the remote. “I didn’t miss anything, did I?”

I think you did, Beth… I think you did.

Chapter Seventy-Five

Sunday, November 1
st

After hooking up with a sorority girl, I figured I’d swing by Frederick Hall and see what Emily was up to. It’d been a while since I’d seen her, though I wouldn’t have admitted that to Michael. He’d say I was “shirking my duties.” 
I’d
say I was knee-deep in pussy.

There was a big difference.

After I texted Em, I waited in her building’s empty lobby, plopping down on the couch. The elevator doors slid open a few minutes later, revealing a weary-looking Emily. I patted the seat next to me, draping her legs over me when she sat down. It was second nature now. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation. In fact, I actually kind of
liked
it. It was…comforting, though I couldn’t have explained why.

I smirked when I saw a hole in the knee of her gray sweatpants. Sticking my finger in it, I poked her knee. “Glad to see you dressed up for me.”

She managed a small smile. “Sorry. I just didn’t feel like changing.”

I frowned. Something was wrong with her, and I didn’t like it. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say something’s bothering you.”

She shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Emily. What’s wrong?”

She bit the inside of her cheek, looking thoughtful. “Thomas and I are having…problems.”

Trouble in paradise?

Knowing full well that she’d get pissy, I said, “You should just break up with him.”

She scowled at me. “Don’t be an asshole.”

I laughed. “I’m sorry.” Oh man, the look on her face… “I just love to see your face make that expression, the one where you get all indignant. It’s cute.”

Her jaw clenched as she glared at me.

“That’s the one.” I smiled.

She rolled her eyes and stood.

My hand wrapped around her forearm and pulled her back down. “That was the last one, I swear.” I held up my right hand, like I was testifying. “Now tell me what happened.”

She pulled her knees up to her chest. “Thomas is…not who I thought he was.” She sighed, getting a faraway look. “I don’t know, maybe we’re just too different.”

“You know what they say… ‘Enjoy it while it lasts, because it never does.’ ”

She frowned and mumbled, “That’s awfully pessimistic.”

“It’s not pessimistic, it’s realistic. There’s a difference.” What did she know? She was all of what, eighteen? Nineteen? I’d been around for over five-hundred goddamn years. I’d know better than anyone that nothing lasts forever.

Em’s features relaxed as she looked me over. “What was her name?”

My chest tightened in that achy way I didn’t like. “Whose name?”

“The girl that broke your heart.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And neither did she.

She nodded. “Uh-huh.
Sure
.”

“I
don’t
.” My tone and glare brokered no further discussion.

“Then why are you so bitter?”

Or so I thought. “I’m not bitter. Jaded, maybe, but not bitter.”

“And apparently in denial, as well. It’s okay that you got your heart broken, Gabriel. It only makes you human.”

No, it didn’t. No amount of heartache could humanize me, because I wasn’t human. I sighed and said, “We’re not talking about
my
feelings, we’re talking about
yours
.”

“
No
, we’re not. All you and your defeatist attitude said was that it wasn’t going to work, so I might as well give up.”

I rolled my eyes. “I never said you should
give up
.”

“You sure as hell implied it.”

“Whatever. Quit bitching and
do
something about it. Try to work it out.”