Page 17 of Cruel Promise
“Not long,” I say, hoping he’ll leave it at that.
His nostrils flare again, color warming his cheeks. “How long?” he demands.
I kick myself for not having a better answer. For not being here to make sure this shit didn’t happen. He’s been doing good. And I don’t know how he’ll handle a setback like this.
“An hour. Maybe two.” I consider lying but think better of it. Aaron lets me in when shit goes sideways, because we have that level of trust with one another. I won’t risk that just to soften one blow.
He nods, expression grim. “What time is it?”
“Just after four.”
Working his jaw, he shoves to his feet and I follow suit. It’s like Aaron to bolt when he has an episode and that is the one thing I do not want him to do right now. He clenches and unclenches his fists at his sides, expression hard.
Self-loathing and frustration flicker across his face.
“I was going to grab something to eat.” Really, I planned to hit the shower before tracking down Kasey, but no way am I leaving Aaron to wallow in self-pity like this. Nor can I risk him going off the rails because he had an episode. “Give me five minutes to change out of my practice clothes and we can swing by the Sun Valley station.”
He doesn’t respond, not that I expected him to. But he doesn’t move to leave either. Good. He’s processing shit, and with any luck, he’ll be here when I get out of the shower.
I’m inclined to hover. Make sure he’s okay. But Aaron doesn’t need that from me. He needs to know shit like this happens. That I won’t judge him for it. And that he’s going to be okay. This is a minor setback. Nothing more.
Ten minutes later, I’m freshly showered and changed and Aaron stands in the same spot I left him, though he doesn’t have that hollow and angry look on his face anymore.
Progress.
“All set?” I ask, grabbing my keys from the counter.
“Yeah,” he tells me, following me outside to my Escalade. “But I need to make a detour.”
“Cool. Where to?” He could ask me to drive him to timbuktu and I’d do it.
Turning on the ignition, I’m backing out of our shared driveway when he says, “Swing by Kasey’s. I’ve been a shit brother. I need to check in on my sister.”
Flexing my hands on the steering wheel, I head for her place. I’d like to check in on her too, only without an audience. Whatever. It is what it is. It’s not like Aaron will know I’m banging her just by looking at her, right?
He keeps his eyes trained out the window as we eat up the few blocks between our place and the Kappa Mu sorority house. Kasey’s room is near the side exit, so instead of parking out front, I swing around the back only to find an unfamiliar car parked in the usually empty space beside her Subaru WRX.
“What the hell?”
“What's wrong?”
Shit. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Killing the engine, I shake my head and get out of my SUV. “Nothing. Sorry, man. Just didn’t recognize the car.”
Aaron gets out, closing the door behind him as we both size up the ride. It’s a two-door Chevy Silverado.
“Could belong to one of the other girls,” Aaron says.
My lip curls. Unlikely. The truck is black on black. A glossy body finish with matte black wheels and a blackout grill. It’s an older body style. I’d put it somewhere around 2010-2015 if I had to guess, but whoever owns it took the time to do a few custom upgrades. Few chicks are going to pay that kind of attention to their ride.
“That shit belongs to a dude.” And given that only Kasey parks on this side of the house, the guy in question came to see her. Who?
“I wasn’t gone long.” True. He wasn’t. A little less than a week. “Is she dating someone now?” Aaron doesn’t seem bothered by the idea.
Working my jaw, I glare at him before shaking my head. “Not that I’m aware of.” It takes everything in me to keep my voice flat. Emotionless. It won’t do any good letting on to the fact that the very idea of Kasey dating anyone pisses me right the hell off.
We’re not in a relationship, but we agreed. This shit is exclusive, and I expect her to stick to that.
Aaron shrugs. “Maybe it’s new. I mean,” —he smirks, some of the light coming back in his eyes— “not like she’d tell you, anyway. Right, man? You two hate each other.”
