Wrecking the Homewrecker (BOOK 2) EDITING

49

Santiago

I woke up and rubbed my head, my eyebrows in a deep furrow.

"What the hell?" I yelled, looking over at Toni, who was on the other couch.

He looked over at me with raised brows.

"What the hell did you do to my goddamn head," I groaned out, falling back on the couch again.

"What I had to do," he answered, never making eye contact with me as he continued to type on his laptop.

"Okay," I said, "well, what exactly did you have to do?"

"Knock you out with a beer bottle," he answered, his eyebrows scrunching together at his screen.

I just furrowed my brows together, shaking my head. "You had to knock me out with a beer bottle?"

"Yeah," he said, "you were being a dick, and you were convinced that you were driving yourself home. Needless to say, you didn't."

He shot me a charming smile and I stood up with a sigh.

I grabbed my phone, walking into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and an Advil. My head was pounding.

I looked down at my phone. Alessandra hadn't blown up my phone, as I expected she would.

I got drunk last night, and I expected that I wouldn't.

She probably knew it. She knew Adora was what was wrong, and drinking was the only thing that could even decently try to fix it.

I flexed my jaw muscle and cautiously dialed Adora's number.

I paced around the kitchen as it rang, my free hand in my pocket.

Hey, I'm sorry I ran you off, come back.

Hey, I'm sorry I can't fucking tell you how I feel.

I sighed and it continued to ring until it just stopped. My jaw muscle went taut, and I just pulled my phone away from my ear.

I went to our messages. The last one was from a few days ago, when she was still okay with me.

[From: Adora]
Hurry. Home. I'm impatient

I sighed and decided to man up, as the man I was, and text her.

[To: Adora]
I just want to make sure you're okay

I placed my phone back on the counter and realized getting an answer back from her was most definitely a lost cause.

I'd fucked up. I'd lost the woman I knew damn well that I felt something for, and that something was love, even if I couldn't say it to her.

Only a dumbass like me would manage to lose such a perfect woman twice.

I shoved everything off of the counters and raked my hands through my hair, my breathing uneasy.

I looked up and saw Toni standing in the doorway. "You good?"

I flexed my jaw muscle and nodded. "I'm fine."

"You know," he said, standing on the other side of the counter, "you fucked up."

"I wouldn't have known if you wouldn't have told me, thanks for the consideration," I said, folding my arms over my chest.

He smiled. "I heard what Asad said. He's right, you know?"

I just looked at him.

"Lose the rep and keep her, if you have to choose. Sometimes, you've just got to give in, Santiago."

I nodded with a sigh, looking down at the ground. "Yeah, I already have."

~*~

Adora

I rummaged through the cabinets of Landon's apartment, trying to find something to occupy me.

He'd gone to work and I was left here to sit alone and wallow in my self pity.

I'd officially declined four calls from Santiago, and ignored a text.

I was on the road to trying to forget about him and give him time, and if I just gave in, just like that, I'd make myself look weak.

Even though I was positive I already looked as weak as I could.

I finally found a bottle of champagne, slamming the mini fridge shut.

I sighed and leaned against the counter, popping open the champagne bottle that was already open. I took a huge drink, swirling the liquid around in the bottle.

I looked at the radio sitting on his counter and I walked over to it, turning it on.

A song I wasn't familiar with was playing, but it sounded good, so I began dancing around the kitchen to it.

I tipped the champagne bottle back again, closing my eyes as the liquid ran down my throat.

I began to dance around the kitchen like an idiot, but I didn't care. I wasn't just going to sit around and feel sorry for myself.

Actually, that's exactly what I was doing.

I knew good and well I was a lightweight and this much champagne would get me drunk for the second night in a row, and I wasn't interested in that.

I sighed and placed the bottle of champagne on the counter, changing the radio station.

I froze when I heard the song, the last song I wanted to hear, definitely right now.

When A Man Loves A Woman.

I stood in front of the radio, frozen, for a solid minute and a half, listening to it play. Flashbacks of Santiago and I flashed through my mind.

I couldn't help my eyes from welling up with tears.

Had I seriously left the man because he couldn't admit his feelings for me? Had I seriously been so selfish?

I turned off the radio and leaned against the counter, watching as a single tear dripped off of the tip of my nose.

That single tear turned into more tears and soon enough I sunk down to the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest as I leaned my head against the drawers.

So many questions flashed through my mind.

Why was Santiago King so easy to fall for? Why had I been so selfish? Why hadn't I just accepted it? Why had I rushed him into feeling something?

I sighed and stood up, wiping off my backside. I cleared my throat and grabbed a bottle of water, walking into the living room. I plopped down on the couch, trying to rid my system of all the alcohol I'd ingested last night.

I let out a loud sigh as I pulled the bottle of water away from my lips, my jaw muscle flexing as I realized no amount of liquor could make me even begin to forget about Santiago King.

~*~

Santiago

I was drained.

I was upset.

I was tired.

Any words with a negative connotation described me right now. I was fed up with being without Adora.

I realized that nothing could help me forget about her. No amount of liquor, no amount of anything could take Adora Franklin off of my mind.

I rubbed my tired eyes. I'd been thinking all day.

Why hadn't I just said it?

I had my own way of telling her I loved her.

Even if she didn't understand it.

All those sentences I'd spat off to her every night- those were my I love you's.

I did love her.

But me, being the dumbass I was, was still hung up on the past. Hung up on thinking that Adora could stoop as low as Alessandra.

When I knew Adora only wanted to be happy, and she wanted to be happy with me.

And I wanted to be happy with her.

I'd run out of options. Everyone had made me face the music, everyone let me know I was wrong, even when I knew.

"Hey, dad?"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Fred's voice, and I looked over at my double doors of my home office.

"Hey, kiddo."

He pushed himself off of the doors and walked over to my desk, smiling.

He plopped down in the chair next to mine, making me look down at him.

"I know she's not on vacation," he said, spinning around in the chair.

I just flexed my jaw muscle and looked down, never making eye contact with him. "Yeah, I know you know."

"It's because you won't tell her you love her, isn't it?"

I just looked over at him, my jaw muscle still taut as I smiled. "You said the exact same thing to me five years ago."

He smiled. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yep."

He just shrugged. "I guess I'm just better at women than you."

I just looked over at him, raised eyebrows with a smile. "Yeah? Is that so?"

He just laughed, giving my arm a good punch.

"That had a little heat to it," I said, rubbing my bicep jokingly.

"Yeah, I'm pretty strong."

I just chuckled.

"Tell her you love her?" He said, standing up, "please?"

I smiled up at him. "Night, bud."

"Night, dad," he said, running out of my office.

I looked down at my phone again, my hand on my jawline as I contemplated picking it up.

Don't do it.

I was running out of options. My list of people to go to was running thin.

I looked at my phone again, my leg bouncing up and down.

I gave in. I grabbed it and dialed the one number I hadn't gone to, the one number I hadn't gone to in a long time.

I let out a shaky sigh as I held my phone up to my ear, listening to it ring.

"Hello?"

I traced circles on my desk with my pointer finger, my jaw muscle flexing as I furrowed my brows together.

"Hey, dad?"

~*~

oMfG

I wasn't LYING WHEN I SAID THE SPECIAL GUEST WAS VITAL TO SANTY/ADORA'S LIFE WTF SANTY WOULDNT BE HERE W OUT THE BIG KING, THE OG, ETC

I'm deceased I've been waiting on this for so long

EBSJAKOAJJWKA I am so excited I finally got to reveal who the damn guest was my stomach was hurting waiting on telling y'all I mean damn

anyways

How did you guys like this chapter?? I loved it tbh.....

and we only have

One chapter left 😭😭

I have no fucking clue how to even begin to thank you guys.. thank you guys so much for this amazing journey that started as a far off dream... thank you for making this book #83 in romance, thank you for the constant support, thank you for EVERYTHING. ❤️

I can't wait to continue this journey with you guys. I couldn't ask for better, more amazing people to call my soldiers :)

One chapter left. I'm so freaking excited for you guys to ride along with me on this adventure. I love you guys so much. 😊😊

Ps, santy & his dad's convo will continue on in the next chapter, so just stay tuned...

ARE WE EXCITED BC I AM. We will hear a lot more of his dad in the third book.

Which may I shamelessly self plug and say mark ur calendars for February 14.... 🙂

Ok. I love u guys so much!

Also did u even fuckin like this

Haha. Ok I'm done now heheh :)

Love u.