Page 134 of My Dark Prince
Briar
You know I’m your safe place.
Obviously, in addition to getting shitfaced, Oliver had also gotten high.
How could he think I came back because I thought he could protect me from anything?
I kicked off my slippers and perched on the edge of the king-size bed, hugging my knees to my chest. I’d returned to help Sebastian. That’s all. Well, and because, logistically, it made more sense to find a place and car in Los Angeles before I got there.
This had nothing to do with Oliver.
Oliver was dead to me.
The phone on my nightstand pinged. I frowned. Nobody had my number other than Sebastian and Oliver, who programmed his number in the day he’d given it to me. I palmed it, peering at the screen.
Ollie vB:We should do a movie night.
Ollie vB:A SLUMBER PARTY.
Briar Auer:What part of I HATE YOUR GUTS didn’t you understand?
Ollie vB:All of it? You chose to stay here. This is huge. We’re going to become best friends.
Briar Auer:No, we’re not.
Ollie vB:Best friends who occasionally have sex with each other.
Briar Auer:I hadn’t realized you, Romeo, and Zach were so close …
Ollie vB:You do realize Dallas and Farrow will relentlessly try to befriend you, right? They love you.
Briar Auer:The feeling is not mutual.
Ollie vB:Yes, it is. They are slightly deranged, but fun and harmless. And they have good hearts. You’re just scared to knock down those walls and give people a chance.
I hated that he spoke as if he still knew me.
I hated even more that he was right.
I’d reached my early thirties, and still, I’d never allowed myself to truly let go. Sure, I had friends and boyfriends along the years (including Grant, who wasnotthe dreamboat I’d made him out to be), but I always kept it at surface level.
I was scared to get attached, scared to get hurt, and more than anything – scared to be proven, once again, that I wasn’t worthy of love.
Briar Auer:Speaking of walls, it doesn’t look like you’ve ever had a steady girlfriend …
Ollie vB:I actually did.
My heart dropped as he began typing again, the three dots dancing on my screen.
Ollie vB:You.
Briar Auer:And since me?
Ollie vB:No one else compared.
Briar Auer:Don’t blow smoke up my ass.
Ollie vB:Okay. Anything else you want me to do to it? I’m open to suggestions …
