Wrecking the Homewrecker (BOOK 2) EDITING

47

Adora

"Morning, star shine."

I looked up and smiled at Landon, his lips pulling up into a smile as he continued to scramble up some eggs.

"Morning," I greeted, plopping down on a stool.

My legs dangled a few feet above the ground, my arms folded on the bar in front of me as I watched him make breakfast.

"Did you sleep?" He asked, looking up at me.

I hesitated. "Yeah," I lied.

He just looked at me and smiled. "Good. I hope you like your eggs scrambled, I know you did five years ago."

He dumped a spoonful on the plate in front of me, making my lips pull up into a smile.

"I also made you toast."

He pulled two pieces of bread out of the toaster, plopping them on my plate.

"Thanks, Lan," I said, biting into the bread, "for you know, taking me in, pretty much?"

He braced his elbows on the counter. "You're my bestie. I'm basically forced to."

I smiled, sighing. He pursed his lips together and looked at me.

"I know you know," I said, not making eye contact with him as I picked up a few bites of eggs on my fork.

"I know you know I know," he said, making me look up at him with a smile.

"And you also know that I know you better than anyone in the world," he said, "I know it takes you a few days. That's fine."

I just looked down at my plate again, picking at my food.

"I feel like it's more self explanatory than anything," I said, looking up at him as I bit down on my bottom lip.

"If you're ready to talk about it," he said, rounding the corner of the counter, "I'm ready to listen."

I flexed my jaw muscle, clearing my throat. I looked away from him and out the window, my eyes narrowing.

"I love him," I whispered.

"Does he know that?"

I nodded, looking back at him. "Yeah, I told him."

He didn't say anything.

"It's just, he doesn't feel what I feel, I don't think."

"I bet he does," he whispered.

"See, Santiago is one of those people," I said, "he's really easy to fall for, and once you do, you can't stop. I guess that's what happened to me."

"What?" He asked, furrowed brows.

"He does so much to make you feel like you hung the moon and all the stars," I said, "that really got to me. He really made me feel like I was something, Lan."

"Well, you are," he said, "he'd be a dumbass if he didn't make you feel like that."

"I felt so much for him," I said, "I guess that's why I left. Because you can only feel so much without them feeling anything."

He sighed, moving our plates out of the way. "I would lay every bill I have up here on this counter and bet on him. That he feels the same thing. And that's the thing, Adds, love sucks. And sometimes, it's not easy to admit that you love someone."

I just looked over at him, pursing my lips together.

"If it's meant to be," he said, "nothing between heaven and hell can stop it from being. Not Brenna, not those three words, not anything."

And I watched as Landon walked back into the kitchen, realizing I'd never taken something into consideration so deeply.

~*~

Santiago

I threw a punch at the punching bag swinging towards me, my arms worn out completely.

I stopped it with my hands after a few more punches, leaning against it as I flexed my jaw muscle.

I unwrapped my hands and plopped down on the weight bench, rubbing my hands down my face.

I'd never felt so drained.

I heard a knock on the wall, making me look over at the staircase leading down to my basement, which was pretty much my gym.

"Hey, dad," Jo greeted, smiling as he leaned against the door.

"Hey, kiddo," I said, my elbows braced on my thighs.

He walked over to the weight bench and sat down beside me, sighing. "What's up?"

I just smiled down at him. "Just doing a little bit of boxing, nothing serious."

He nodded.

We sat in a silence for a few seconds before he piped up. "Fred's upstairs doing homework."

"Well, don't you have homework?" I asked, furrowing my brows together down at him.

He shook his head. "No, I stayed in during recess and did it."

I sighed. "Why don't you go to recess?"

He shrugged. "I don't know," he said, "I just, I don't want to, I don't know, get into another fight, or something."

"Hey," I said, looking down at him, "see that punching bag?"

He nodded.

"If you just let loose on that thing, a fight is going to seem like a play date. Seriously."

"Yeah?" He asked, looking up at me.

I nodded down at him. "Wanna give it a go?"

He nodded, standing up. I wrapped up his knuckles and we walked over to the punching bag, making his eyes light up.

"So I just punch it?"

"You just punch it," I answered, folding my arms over my chest.

He smiled and threw a punch at the bag, making me jut my bottom lip out and nod. "Not bad, kiddo, not bad."

He smiled. "Wow, this is fun."

I chuckled. "Yeah. It helps me think."

He threw another punch, just harder this time.

Soon enough his arms were flying, his fists hitting the bag at a fast rate.

"Dude! My arms are burning so bad!" He laughed out, still throwing punches.

I couldn't help but to laugh. "Yeah?"

"Yeah!" He yelled, "this is awesome!"

"Okay, okay," I said, laughing as I pulled him away from it.

"I hope I never get into a physical fight with you."

"The King is scared!" He yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

"Hey," I said, "watch your mouth."

He laughed and unwrapped his hands. "That was great. I hope you never get into a fight with me, either. Speaking of fighting, your eye is healed!"

"Yeah," I said, "it was just a bruise, nothing serious."

"Adds did a good job taking care of you," he said, smiling over at me.

Her name made my smile fade, but I plastered on another fake one.

"Yeah."

"She's on vacation?" He asked, looking over at me.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, she is."

"I wish she would've left today, so Fred and I could've seen her."

I looked over at him. "If you want me to be real, I wish she wouldn't have left at all."

He smiled up at me. "Yeah, she's a good addition to our family."

I sighed and nodded. "Yep."

"Okay, well, I'm going to go see if Fred needs help with homework," he said, "bye dad."

I smiled and watched as he walked upstairs, my mind on Adora Franklin, and my mission being getting her off of it.

~*~

Santiago

"Hey," Toni said, giving Fred's shoulder a shove, "don't touch the beer, kid."

Fred just smiled at me and I chuckled, swirling my beer around in my bottle.

"And I know you," Toni said, his focus on Jo, "you seem like the better kid, but I know what you're up to."

Jo just smiled and cocked an eyebrow up at him.

"So," Asad said, "any love interests?"

The boys shook their heads.

"If you take after your dad, she hasn't been born yet," he said, Toni nudging my elbow with a laugh.

I just flexed my jaw muscle, cracking a fake smile.

I stood up and walked into the kitchen, taking my beer with me. The boys always had a blast with Toni and Asad, and I fully trusted the guys with them.

I leaned against the counter and folded my arms over my chest. I knew at least Asad knew something was up, and that's why he'd brought Adora up- for the reaction.

I sighed as I looked outside at the rain. It had been raining ever since Adora left three days ago.

"Dumbass," I muttered to myself, dragging my hands down my face. Why did I feel like our relationship controlled the weather?

I'd been short with everyone. I'd felt drained every second of the day, and no one could fix it.

Except Adora, and she wasn't exactly an option.

I looked over at the doorway when I heard footsteps, which happened to be Asad's. He didn't say anything as he stood beside me, folding his arms over his chest as well.

"I've known you since high school, San."

I looked over at him. I flexed my jaw muscle and looked away from him, my eyes darting back to the window.

"It's her, yeah?"

I nodded slowly. I grabbed my beer and took a sip of it, placing it back down on the counter.

"What happened?"

I sighed, my eyebrows going into a deep furrow. "I couldn't tell I loved her."

He looked over at me. "So that ran her off?"

I nodded, once again.

"I know love," he said, "I know it's not easy. It's okay, man. Admitting it isn't fun."

I didn't say anything.

"But don't let your ego get in the way of you two."

I looked over at him. "What?"

"I know you," he said, "you want to act macho and manly, but in real life, you're a teddy bear. You don't want anyone to know that you have feelings."

"That's not true," I said, folding my arms over my chest.

"San, yes it is," he said.

"Need I remind you what happened last time I poured my heart out to someone?" I asked, "we got married, had twins, and then she cheated on me with my brother."

"Yeah, but that was Sandra," he said, "Adora isn't Sandra."

"I know, she told me the same thing," I said, pushing myself off of the counter.

"Listen man," he said, "don't keep your rep and lose her. Lose the rep and keep her."

And with that, I just looked back at him, flexing my jaw muscle.

~*~

hey guys! how did we like this chapter? I know I know, ur still heartbroken, don't worry, I am TOO

so not in next chapter but the NEXT is when the special guest comes in... I want to know who you guys think it is! I gave you a hint last chapter, and I'll give you a hint this chapter:

He's very vital to either Santiago or Adora's life 🤔

I rly am curious to know your guys' thoughts :)

Also how pitiful is santy already 😭 I mean, Adora isn't much better, but santy is never so glum chum

ok. I love u guys sm! Let me know who you'd like to see more of next chapter, Santiago or Adora?

I love u <3

Did u guys even fuckin like this

Ok I'm done