London Falling (Falling #2)(58)

“It’s for you.” I handed her the phone, unable to conceal the contempt in my voice. Her eyes narrowed as she gripped the towel around her body and reached for the phone.

Water ran in rivulets from her hair into the sexy crease between her breasts. Christ, she was wet and slick like Amphitrite, the Greek water goddess, and the mate of Poseidon in Greek mythology. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to be her mate. To rage the seas and cross oceans with her by my side for all of eternity. Instead, I had to listen to her take a call from her best friend, otherwise known as ’dick in a glass case’: Break in case of emergency.

“Hello?” Her face instantly tightened as she slumped down on the edge of the bed. “Tripp honey, what’s the matter. What do you mean?” She listened a couple moments. “Don’t you dare. I mean it. You will ruin everything. Fucking everything you’ve worked for.” Anger made her spring into action. She immediately rifled through her suitcase and shoved on a pair of jeans, sans underwear.

That did not make me happy. I had to grit my teeth while watching her. She grabbed my t-shirt from the back of the chair and threw it over her head and screamed into the phone. At least it was my shirt. Again, she didn’t take the time to encase her perfect breasts in an undergarment.

“What the f*ck is going on?” I grabbed a clean pair of jeans, sliding them on. Whatever she was doing, she was most certainly preparing to go somewhere. Wherever she was going, I was going too. Non-negotiable. She threw up a hand to cut me off.

Rage fired through my entire body as I watched the woman I lo…what? The woman I what? Loved? I couldn’t even think about that right now.

“I’ll be right there. Don’t you do it, Tripp. Don’t. No. Yes, God, yes. I love you. More than anyone.” Those three words put me at a screeching halt. All the air left my chest and I slumped onto the bed. I put my head in my hands. She loves him. More than anyone. Fuck!

She hung up the phone and slipped on some shoes. “I have to go. I’m sorry. I need to pick up Tripp.”

“What do you mean? If he’s drunk or whatever, he can take a cab for crying out loud!” I roared.

She swung her head back. “It’s not like that. He’s about to use. I have to go get him. Right now. I’m sorry. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“You’re f*cking kidding, right? Tripp calls and you run off? London, stay. Just stay,” I pleaded, wanting her to understand.

“I can’t.” She shook her head; there were tears in her beautiful blue eyes.

“Yes, you can. He can take care of himself. He’s a big man. But this, me and you, right now…this is our time.” I struggled to get the words out. I wanted and needed her to understand how serious I was about her not leaving right now. For him.

“You don’t understand, Collier. He needs me. I have to go.” She turned and walked through the flat to the door.

“This is bloody insane! We’ve just had a night of incredible shagging. I thought it meant something this time.”

Tears welled in her eyes once more and she walked over to me to cup both my cheeks in her small chilled hands. For a second I thought I might actually convince her to stay. To not leave me for him. Just like Claire left me for that rich f*cker.

“It has meant more than anything to me in a very long time.” She kissed me hard and pulled away. “But I can’t let my best friend down. He’s in a world of hurt, and about to use drugs again. It’s my job to pull him out. Do you understand?” Her gaze searched mine, pleading.

I shook my head. “No. No, I don’t f*cking understand. I’m exhausted and am being denied sleeping next to the one woman in the entire world I want to be with. Who I know, I can feel, wants to be with me. Yet, she’s leaving me for another man.”

“It’s not like that--.”

“Isn’t it?” I cut her off.

Her hands trembled as she pulled her hair over her shoulder and twirled a fat lock of black hair. “I have to go.”

“Stay.” I tried one more time. It was now or nothing.

She shook her head.

“Then I’m coming with you.” I gritted my teeth and grabbed my keys off the counter. I stood in jeans, bare feet, no shirt and I was ready to drop everything for her. To help another man.

“I’m sorry.” A tear slipped down her cheek and she rushed to the door. “You can’t be a part of this. It’s not fair to Tripp.”

“Tripp?” I grabbed her arm. “Are you f*cking kidding me? I’m making a compromise here. Help pull his ass out of whatever shite he’s pulling you into and you’re telling me I can’t go?”

“I can’t do that to him. He’s already hurting.”

“He’s hurting? You’re hurting me, London!” I roared.

She looked at me, tears spilled down her cheek. Even now I wanted to comfort her, pull her into my arms and make her feel warm and safe. Loved. She wanted no part of it.

“I’m sorry,” she said and I let her go.

When she left, the air in the flat stifled me with staleness, loss, and despair.

I ran to the balcony, took in a huge gulp of air and looked down just as she looked up, then stepped into a taxi. The first woman I’ve had feelings for in years and she walked out. Maybe forever. I didn’t know. I wasn’t sure I’d ever know.