A Slip of the Hand

Chapter 56

Another sharp knock rattles the door, and my heart leaps into my throat. Daniel's eyes widen as his hands grip my hips. A cold panic washes over me as I hear the unmistakable metallic scraping of a key in a lock.

"Hide," he hisses, nudging me off of his lap.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I scramble to my feet, diving behind the nearest door and into the relative safety of Daniel's bedroom. As I look back, I glimpse Daniel pulling on his shirt and snatching my panties from the floor, shoving them in his pocket.

My heart hammers. It has to be Oliver. I'm not ready to face him again, even though I know this is my mess to clean up.

Daniel's strained, almost winded voice confronts the intruder: "That key is for emergencies!"

"Never in a million years did I think you were capable of something so low!" To my surprise, it's Johnny's voice that fills the condo, brash and demanding.

"Johnny, this isn't—" Ellie's softer timbre joins in, and anxiety constricts me like a serpent squeezing my ribs.

"It isn't okay what he did!" Johnny interrupts, eliciting a frustrated sigh from Ellie. "How could you do this to him after everything?"

"This isn't about him," Daniel replies.

"Yeah, well, it should be, you selfish dick!" Johnny retorts, his voice rising in volume and pitch.

Blood pounds in my ears. I should've told Oliver about Daniel sooner. I should've been honest with him, with myself, from the beginning. But even now, all I can seem to do is cower, hiding from the chaos I instigated.

"Okay. Sure. I admit I'm being selfish," Daniel says.

"You took what wasn't yours!" Johnny continues.

"Jesus, Johnny, Madison isn't a possession," Daniel says, trying to hide his steel-edged tone with a chuckle.

"Doesn't matter. You know how he feels. Felt."

"I'm sorry I hurt him." Daniel's voice is soft and sincere. "But I know how I feel. And I feel like this could be something big."

Their argument spirals, words clashing like swords in a duel, and my mind races as conflicting urges war within me. Should I go out there? Or would that make it worse?

"Look," Ellie says, her voice cutting through the tension. "Madison's never been one to play games, and I know how much she worships Oliver. If she's with Daniel, it's because she feels something real."

I can almost picture her, my fierce defender, fiery red hair swinging as she gestures emphatically. Ellie's always ready to stand in my corner, even when she doesn't understand me.

"Real?" Johnny scoffs, and I flinch at the scorn in his voice. "What about Oliver? He thought that was real."

A surge of determination courses through me. They're both risking so much for me—for us. The door handle feels cold and oddly solid in my grip as I take a final calming breath.

"Johnny, you have to understand..." Ellie trails off as the door opens with a quiet squeak and I step out into the living room.

Johnny's head whips around, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Well, look who's here," he sneers, his voice like ice.

Daniel's beside me in an instant. "Don't talk to her like that." His tone is calm but holds a command that leaves no room for argument.

Johnny's eyes, bright blue and usually dancing with mischief, mirror the storm of emotions raging inside of him as they remain locked on me. I watch as his jaw clenches, the muscles in his neck taut with fury. "Leave... my friends... the fuck alone."

"J, you need to leave," Daniel says, every word measured and calm. "We can talk another time, when heads are cooler."

For a suspended moment, Johnny's gaze flickers among us. His eyes settle on me again, searching. With a scoff, he finally whirls around and strides toward the exit. The door slams shut behind him with a resounding finality that echoes off the walls.

A heavy, suffocating silence falls around us. I glance at Daniel, and his posture relaxes. His hand reaches out and brushes against my shoulder before pulling me into him. My breath hitches as I sink into his embrace, warm and grounding.

"You okay?" His voice is a low hum against my ear.

"I'll survive. You?"

I feel him nod. "Mmm hmm."

Lifting my head from the comfort of his chest, my gaze finds Ellie slouched against a wall, quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. I slip from Daniel's arms and rush over to her side. "I'm so sorry, El."

She lifts her tear-glazed eyes to mine, and the anguish in them guts me. "I've never seen him like that before," she chokes out, capturing a sob with her hand. "So... angry."

I pull her into a gentle hug, feeling her tremble. "It'll be okay."

"Will it, though?" Her words are muffled against my shoulder. "What if I've been so caught up in Johnny Robinson, rockstar, that I've ignored the real person underneath?"

"Johnny can be hot-headed," Daniel admits. "But he has a good heart. And he's fiercely loyal. To a fault, maybe."

Her phone buzzes, and I watch the conflict play across her features as she reads a message. "He wants to know if I'm coming."

"Are you?"

"No." The word is solid, final, as she taps out a response. "I need space. He needs it, too."

Guilt gnaws at me again, sharp as broken glass, knowing that my mess has spilled over into her life.

Daniel watches us, his molten eyes filled with concern.

"I'm gonna take Ellie home," I say, returning to his side. "It's been a day."

He nods, and his arms are a temporary sanctuary as they wrap around me once more. His lips press against mine in a chaste kiss, mindful of Ellie's presence.

"Call you later?" he asks. "We can plan something for your birthday."

"I'd love that." The words come out with an eagerness I can't quite contain, although it doesn't feel fair to be excited while Ellie's world tilts off its axis and Daniel's lifelong friendships hang by a thread.

"Take care of each other," he says softly, giving me another quick peck on the cheek before releasing me.

"Will do," I assure him.

"Thank you for being there for Madison and me," Daniel says to Ellie. "I know it's complicated, and I'm sorry you got caught up in this."

"I'm not on board with how things played out, but I'll always be there for my girl," she says, her face softening. "Besides, I can't deny whatever's going on between you two."

After giving Johnny a good thirty-minute head start, we exit into the hallway. However, halfway down the corridor, I realize things feel a little too "breezy."

"Shit, I forgot something! I'll be back in a sec, okay?"

"Sure," Ellie nods.

I turn on my heel, the carpeted hallway muffling my footsteps as I hurry back. The door swings open almost immediately as I knock, and I step inside, closing the door behind me.

"Looking for these?" Daniel asks, a teasing glint in his eyes as he retrieves my panties from his pocket. "Thought maybe they were mine now."

"I'll get you a special pair," I quip playfully as I snatch the delicate fabric from his outstretched hand and slip them on.

"Promise?" His voice is a husky whisper, drawing me closer.

Our lips meet in a kiss that's anything but chaste this time. My taste lingers on his tongue, a reminder of the passion that overwhelmed us just a short time ago. When I pull away, I'm breathless and slightly dizzy.

"You better go," he urges.

With one last look, I head back into the hallway and return to Ellie's side.