You are unbelievable
Luther' POV
I slammed the door behind me the moment I stepped into the house. The silence felt heavier than usual. I headed straight to the bathroom, hoping a hot shower would clear my head, but the weight in my chest only grew stronger. Her eyes would not leave me. Even as I lay down in bed, staring at the ceiling, I kept seeing the way she looked at me, like I had broken something in her. Maybe I had. Why did I not say something? Why did I let her think she was the only one hurting?
I shifted onto my back and pressed the heel of my hand into my forehead. It did not help. Her voice, her face, her pain, it was all still there. She asked me if I enjoyed being with her. The truth is, I did. But the moment turned sour, and instead of owning up to my part in it, I told her to get the test results done by tomorrow. Coward!
“Damn it,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. The headache had moved behind my eyes. I shut them, hoping for sleep, but of course, that was not going to happen.
My phone buzzed on the bedside table. I reached for it lazily, barely lifting my head. Mateo. I sighed. If anyone could drag me out of this state, it was him, though not always in the best way.
“What is it, Mateo?” I answered without greeting.
“Good evening to you too,” he chuckled. “Judging by your tone, things did not go smoothly with Charlotte.”
I clenched my jaw. “If you have nothing useful to say, I am hanging up.”
“Alright, alright,” he said quickly. “The contract from Subried Inc. just came in. Needs urgent attention. I was going to handle it, but your signature is required on a few pages.”
“Then email it to me.,” I replied, shifting under the covers.
“Yeah, but listen,” he continued, “if we sign today, they can start by Monday. If we wait, we lose a day, and they might take another offer before then. You know how these firms work.”
I sighed again, dragging my hand down my face. He had a point, but I couldn't care less at that moment.
“They cannot pull out after signing, even if someone else comes along. That is the point of a contract,” I said with a yawn creeping into my voice.
“You really should lock your door, you know.” My eyes snapped open.
“What do you mean, Mateo?” Before he could answer, my bedroom door swung open. There he was, grinning, a bottle of Hennessy in one hand, two glasses in the other, and his phone tucked under his arm.
“Surprise!” he said, kicking the door shut with his heel.
“What the hell?” I sat up, legs over the edge of the bed. “You lied about the contract?”
“Not entirely,” he shrugged. “I brought the papers. But I figured you needed more than just my email.”
I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head.
“You are unbelievable.”
“All part of the charm,” he said, placing the glasses down. “Now, pour a drink, clear your head, and sign the bloody thing. Business first, therapy after.” I did not argue. For once, I was glad someone barged in.
“I already signed it,” Mateo said with a nervous laugh. “I only kept you on the line long enough for my location tracker to work.”
He walked over to my bedside table like he owned the place, grabbed the bottle and glasses, and headed for the balcony. No permission asked, none given.
He pushed open the door and called out, “Come on, mate.”
I sighed, dragging myself toward him. “Seriously, Mateo? How many times do I have to say I want to be left alone? I regret ever letting you move next door.”
He shrugged, already pouring drinks. “Last time you had a problem with a girl, you shut down completely. You skipped work, barely ate, and lived on water. Someone had to look after you.”
I dropped into the chair across from him and took the glass. Sometimes I wondered if being friends, coworkers, and neighbours with Mateo was a mistake. He never respected boundaries, but he was never wrong about me either. He leaned back and gave me a long look. “So, what happened?”
“I messed up,” I admitted. No point lying. The guilt was written all over my face.
“You slept with her, didn’t you?”
I nodded slowly. “I swear I didn't plan it. I was going to talk things through, keep it clean. But when I saw her at the lake, shorts, barely anything covering her top, I lost control. It was like my brain switched off.”
Mateo raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet.
“I slept with her… without protection,” I added, almost in a whisper.
His face dropped. “You are joking.”
“I wish I were. I only realised after it happened. I was too caught up. It was… intense.”
Mateo set his glass down. “Bloody hell, Luther. You are never this reckless.”
“I know. And what’s worse, I blamed her afterward. Told her it was her fault. Said she should have known better.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he snapped. “You are the grown man in this situation. You think she wants a baby while still in university?”
I looked down at my drink, unable to answer. Everything Mateo said was true.
“I told her to bring me STI results by tomorrow,” I said, ashamed. “She stood there crying, asking what she did wrong. And I just stood there, like a coward.”
“You could have comforted her. Said sorry. Something.”
“I know. But I froze. It hurt, seeing her cry like that. I do not know what is happening to me. Why can’t she be like the others? All those women I’ve been with, it was always simple. No feelings. Just sex. But with her...”
“You were already in too deep before it even got physical,” Mateo said. “That is the difference.”
I looked at him. “What are you trying to say?”
“I am saying this is not just about attraction anymore. I think you are falling in love with her.”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
