Too Complicated

Chapter 78.

I swallow hard, my hand clenching the spoon in my palm for dear life. Even Gavin is stiff behind me, his body solid for a different reason than all the muscle.

My heart rate is picking up by the seconds that go by without anyone talking. With the tension in the air so thick that I feel like I'm choking to breathe. What's going to happen? Fuck, I knew I should've told Gavin about this sooner, now he's going to be pissed.

"I didn't think you guys would be here," Richard clears his throat, his eyes  on mine. There's something swirling around in his green iris's something that scares me with Gavin in the room.

"Well we are," Gavin answers in a clipped tone.

"I see that," his brother nods, and I look down to not be fed into his glances. "How are you today, Bella?"

My head snaps up so fast I hear a crack in my neck. My heart is pounding in my chest, even more so when I see that look that I know all to well - jealousy. Both the Johnson brothers are similar with that emotion, tight fists, clenched jaws, dark eyes.

He can't be jealous for what I think it is. It's not possible.

I'm proven wrong when his eyes dart down to the shirt of Gavin's I'm wearing and his eyes darken even more. What the hell?

"I'm good," I squeak, licking my lips. His gaze follows the action. Goddamnit, Bella. "You?"

"Just peachy," he gives a tight lip smile.

Gavin steps out from behind me, and I nearly stumble to stand in front of him. Anger; I feel it piercing between the two brooding men.

"Gavin," I warn.

"I don't see why you care how my girlfriend is doing," he about growls. Oh god.

"Just curious," Richard shrugs. "She is my friend after all."

Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

I can feel the anger doubling from Gavin as he speaks to his brother.

"Do you really think she would still be your friend after what you did?" Gavin demands, moving me slightly so he can walk even closer to Richard.

"We've already resolved this-" Richard stops mid-sentence looking over at me with a shocked expression. I stand there, panic setting in when I start to figure out how bad this is. "You didn't tell him?"

I swallow hard, my throat clogging. My face must be as pale as a ghost by now, my once flaming cheeks are reduced to no feeling at all. It's my fault, too, if I would've just told Gavin what happened...

"Tell me what?" Gavin asks, his voice stern yet unsure. The guilt floods my entire body at this point, the fact that I potentially screwed up everything we've worked for hitting me like a sack of bricks.

"Gavin-" I'm about to soothe him, but he's not having it.

"No," he growls, looking between the two of us. "What the fuck is going on?"

I feel tears prick my eyes at the distraught, lost look on his face. All the insecurities he's had are coming to hit him in the face and I can see that. I can see how badly I messed up, and I regret it more than anything.

"I - I -" Get it together, Bella, own up to your mistakes. You did this. Take it.

"Bella and I met up a couple days ago," Richard says, and in that moment I can see the realization cross Gavin's face. The realization of the look that Richard gives me for a split second before it's gone, Gavin's fist wiping it away.