Page 86 of Point Proven
“Well… I think it’s time I quit the military, too. Stay here in the States.”
An ache cinched around my heart. “You’re leaving the ranks? For… For him?”
It wasn’t… jealousy, but I didn’t know how to label the emotion that rolled forward with his admittance.
Rubbing his neck, he nodded. “Not… Not necessarily just for him. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I miss it here. I miss… this.” He gestured to the bar, then to me. “The only reason I didn’t leave was that I didn’t have the funds to.”
Clenching my jaw, I turned my attention forward once more, fixating on the game as I took another swig. “Well, that’s exciting.”
“You know you can be upset, right? You’ve asked me before to leave, and I’ve always said no. But now I do it for someone I’vejust met?” His fingers drummed against the sticky surface. “I’ve always wanted to leave. Well, the moment you left, so did I, but I stayed because it was the only thing I knew how to do well.”
I intentionally swept my tongue across my canine with force, drawing blood. “And I told you we would figure it out.”
“You did… I just… I didn’t want to be a burden.”
Scratching at my stubble, I tapped my finger against the glass. “I already told you that you wouldn’t be. Countless times. But it’s alright. I’m glad you’re happy.”
“I know you did, but I let that thought outweigh the benefits. I am happy, but mostly because I have you back. I’ve missed this, missedus. There’s… There’s been a lot of wrong, and I know that scar still runs deep.”
Even deeper now that you’ve elected to prioritize a man you just met over me.
“How is this any different?” I asked, finally turning to look at him again. “You sit here and say you didn’t want to be a burden, but then you take the same offer I gave you from Levander? What? Is it because he’s a Mafia head and has loads of cash? Because, as far as I’m aware, Matthew, I’m more than just well off.”
Staring at me, he chewed on his bottom lip. “No… No, I see your point. You offered it multiple times, and I didn’t take it. But I do it for him? I-I would be pissed too. And no, it’s not the cash at all.”
“Then what the fuck is it?”
“I really like him,” he blurted, squeezing his glass. “And I want to stay here for him and you. I’m tired of missing opportunities to hang out. I’m tired of catching up every couple of months. I want to be hereforyou, and I know it took me a damn long time to figure it out, but that’s why. It’s not an excuse, and fuck, you have every right to be mad at me, but… but thatloneliness ate me alive. Loneliness that I pushed on myself, and you got hurt.”
Scoffing under my breath, I rested my forearms on the bar top. “You wanted to stay here for himand thenme. The importance speaks for itself, Matt.” My throat bobbed as I slammed the rest of my whiskey, waving toward the bartender for another. “I got it loud and clear,buddy.”
Running a hand through his hair, he pushed his drink away. “I didn’t mean it like that, but I understand. It… It makes it feel like I didn’t value our friendship, or that you weren’t enough. That’s never the case, Thorne.”
“No, because thatisthe case.” Not bothering to grant him any more of my attentiveness, I stared at the display of colored bottles on the back wall. “It takes one offer from a man youjustmet to get you to stay here versus easily over ten offers from the one you supposedly claim is your best friend? Great, you like him. I’m happy for you. But it’s also nice to learn that our connection was merely surface-level in your eyes.”
He swallowed. “No, you’re right. It took one instance before I agreed?—”
“Are you just going to keep fucking repeating what I’ve said as if it will negate anything? Or are you going to address it? Because this conversation has become a waste of my goddamn time.”
“I don’t know, okay? I don’t have an excuse. I don’t view our friendship as surface-level. You mean a lot to me, because you’ve always been there, but I haven’t!” His fingers splayed against the counter. “I don’t have any excuses because I fucked up. I think part of me kept that distance so I wouldn’t hurt you again. But it was the total opposite of what you needed, and yeah. I don’t have any excuses, because there are none.”
The bartender swung by, offering me the liquor I’d requested. Taking it from her, my question came withdetermined ease. “Can you close my tab?” With her nod serving as an answer, I slid my credit card across the bar, which she promptly snagged before slipping away.
Foot bouncing against the stool, I brought the glass to my lips, chugging its contents before slamming it back against the wood. “Our friendship isn’t surface-level, yet when I offer you reprieve, when Ibegyou to stay, you refuse. But as soon as a red-headed Mafia leader crawls into your life, there’s no rebuttal, not an ounce of fucking hesitation.” Reaching for my helmet, I shook my head. “And yeah, Thorne Graves, the man who gives everything to everyone just to be taken for granted time and time again. Believe me, I’m more than familiar.”
Tossing his card onto the counter, he turned to me. “You give everything to everyone, over and over. I want the opportunity to fix this, fix us, and the few days you stayed at my place solidified it further?—”
“Yeah? You want to fix this?” I watched as the bartender made her way back toward us with my card, Matt’s still resting on the bar; his delay in payment would serve as my opportunity to escape. “Then maybe you should’ve considered that before you, yet again, chose someone else over your best friend.”
“I’m not choosing him over you?—”
My knuckles slammed against the wood. “Yes,you fucking are, Matthew. Just like that day in the hospital room with Oren when you refused to chase me. You are doing the same fucking shit here. Every offer,everythingI did for you was overlooked themomentyou accepted Levander’s kindness. Youchoseto stay here becausehewanted you to. Not me. Not your best friend. Buthim.”
“I didn’t chase you that day, but I am now. I want to, and I will. I… I know because you’ve always offered me so much. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, even when I didn’t deserve it. And I know you’re pissed. You have every right to be because,yet again, I’ve disregarded you, but I’m not leaving this time. If you walk out, I’m following. I’m not doing a repeat of that day in the hospital, because it’s my biggest fucking regret.”
Opening my mouth, the bartender cut me off. “Here’s your card, hon. You’re good to go.”
I took it from her fingers, sliding it back into my wallet as I tucked my helmet under my arm. Pushing myself off the stool, I pivoted on my heel as I stepped around him and toward the exit. “Well, since you’re more than willing to suck Levander’s cock over giving a damn about your friends, maybe ask your boyfriend if he can supply us men. We have shit to do.”
