Everything Has Changed: Book Two

Chapter Twenty: River Street

Chapter Twenty: River Street

I push myself to my feet but my arms are sore and my knees hurt from being tackled. He walks to his bedroom without a backwards glance. I follow him, looking at the mess I made on his floor.

"I loved that lamp." He grumbles.

"You could have just told me the truth." I mutter.

"You should have trusted me. Given me the benefit of the doubt. I would do the same for you."

"No you wouldn't have." I say. "There would be part of you that would wonder, and you would he hurt because you know I'm lying to you. You would be hurt that I wasn't being honest. How can you think I'm going to trust you when you flat out told me to my face that you lied?" I pause. "And the fact that you knew I was pissed at you and you didn't come after me?"

"You told me not to!" He throws his hands up, turning to face me. "You said, and I quote 'don't come over tonight. I don't want you around me until you're ready to explain who you've been stuffing your dick into.'"

"You knew I was pissed off. You knew I thought you were cheating on me and you didn't come after me." I say, frustrated. "What if I left you? I could have left you."

"Did you think about leaving me?" He asks.

I look away.

"Grace? Did you think about leaving me?"

My nightmare flickers in my mind and my eyes flood with tears and I bounce slightly on my feet.

"I thought about how much it was going to hurt if you were cheating." I whisper. "I had nightmares about you cheating. I had to watch you cheat in my head. I thought about if we would work it out and I decided we probably wouldn't. I thought about what I was going to do if you were cheating, and I got scared, and I wanted answers."

"So you came over." He whispers.

"When they tell you love makes you do crazy things, they're not kidding." I whisper weakly.

He sinks onto his mattress and buries his head in his hands.

"I'm not cheating on you, Gracie. I would never do that."

"Then who is Alyssa?" I sniffle. "And why was your shirt inside out?"

"Sweetheart, my shirt was inside out because I was hot." He says. "Which is what I told you. I took it off and when you knocked, I put it on in a hurry."

"But why did you put it on?" I press.

"Because I don't want some stranger seeing me shirtless unless I'm at the pool or something."

Okay, fine, I can believe that. Danny doesn't usually wear a shirt when he's home.

"But who is Alyssa?" I press.

"Grace," he begins. "I really don't want to tell you."

I hang my head and I just feel exhausted.

"I don't get why." I whisper, walking over to him.

"I'm not cheating on you." He mumbles.

"I know that." I say. "I believe you."

"So why do I have to tell you who she is? I'm not cheating. You know I'm not cheating."

If he doesn't tell me, it's going to keep bothering me.

"How did you meet her?" I ask.

"Online." He says carefully.