Page 145 of Secrets and Lies
I watch as he strides ahead of me, and my stomach drops when he disappears through the door to the stairs.
I know he’s busy and has a ton of stuff going on that’s none of my business, but I can’t shake the feeling that this is the beginning of the end of whatever has been going on between us.
He’s going to get bored with me just like everyone else, and I need to prepare myself for when it happens so I’m not left devastated when it does.
I’m just settling in on my couch when my phone pings with a text.
Pulling it out of my pocket, I check my notifications, then open my texts.
Damon: what are you doing right now?
West: nothing
Damon: what will you be doing in an hour?
West: probably still nothing
West: why?
Knock.Knock.Knock.
“It’s open,” I call and glance up from my phone.
My door swings open, and Damon strides into my room.
I look between the door and my phone, then toss my phone onto my coffee table next to my laptop.
“Hey,” I say as he closes the door behind him.
“Hey.” He crosses the room and drops onto the other side of my couch. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“No, I haven’t.”
He gives me a flat look. “I’ve barely seen you at all in the past few weeks.”
“To be fair, I’ve barely seen anyone in the past few weeks,” I point out. “Having your life implode and become the latest campus gossip puts a damper on your desire to be around people.”
He winces. “Yeah, I imagine it would. How are you doing?”
I shrug. “A lot better now that people have finally stopped talking about my broken dick and are just gossiping about my failed engagement.”
I’m still not exactly sure what happened, but the rumors about my lack of bedroom skills just died almost overnight about a week ago, right after Anthony made Derek shut down all the betting pools about me.
“That has to be a relief,” he says.
“Do I have Xave and his cousins to thank for that?” I ask.
The only theory that makes any sense is either a bigger story happened, or someone made a concerted effort to shut the rumors down.
Damon gives me a strange look. “No, not them.”
“What?” I ask. “Why did you make that face?”
“Because it wasn’t Xave and his cousins who were talking to people, it was the royalty.”
“What?” I splutter.
“Yeah. They let everyone know what would happen if they kept spreading rumors about you.” He studies my face. “You didn’t know?”
