Love's Delusion || ✓

Chapter Twenty Nine

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Instead of going through to Ellie's house, she insisted that we go and have dinner saying that I needed to get good food in my system. I mean hospital food wasn't the greatest but give them props, they had great jello!

When I suggested a nice restaurant that was near the hospital Ellie almost gagged, saying that I needed good food in my system and not a small portion of bland rice and a leg of unseasoned chicken. 

Instead, Ellie had driven us to a nearby burger joint. At first, I was quite hesitant to go into the building-- I hadn't had a burger in so long, what if I no longer liked it, but Ellie insisted that burgers still taste like heaven and just like a remember when I was a teenager. 

When Ellie had gone to order our food, I sat in the booth and felt the need to send Gage a text. He had come to the hospital every single day I was in there, but he was nowhere to be seen today which was most likely because he knew my sister was picking me up and wanted both of us to have some quality time together. 

I let a faint smile appear on my face.

I adored how protected I felt around Gage, but obviously, I was still caution of being so close with someone again after everything with Aaron-- especially considering I was cozying up with his older brother. 

There was a slight part of me that was terrified of falling into something too deep too fast. What if Gage was the same as Aaron, the fact that there are indeed blood brothers made me feel worried about what I was leading myself into. However, the way Gage speaks warmed my heart. 

I knew I shouldn't be falling hard for Gage, but the way he speaks to me and the way he treats me makes me feel so much more comfortable than I had once been with Aaron. 

One thing that Aaron had never done with me, not once, was break down in tears. When Gage was telling me Aaron's past with Daryl, he couldn't help but break down while he spoke. It was clear he was affected by everything that had happened, despite nothing happening to him he was the one to find Daryl in her state-- just like he did with me-- and he had to watch his brother change in front of his eyes. 

If I had watched Ellie change into a monster in front of my eyes, I would be a mess too. 

Aaron never cried to me, he believed crying was for the weak which was why he punished me so much harder when I wept. 

Gage and Aaron were completely different people, and I saw that the first day I met him. Despite the similar looks between them, Gage and Aaron were almost strangers when it came to the man inside. 

Gage is a man while Aaron is a little boy that can't hold his tantrums. 

I felt safe with Gage, while when I was with Aaron I wouldn't know what would be happening next. It was one thing after another, I would go home afraid that I had done something that would have upset him-- but not anymore. Not ever. 

"Here, I got you a chicken burger with chips and a strawberry soda." I glanced up to see Ellie with a tray filled with food, causing me to gulp in nervousness. I could definitely not finish all of this, it's almost impossible. "Eat up." She gave me a wide grin before opening her drink. 

Just by looking at it, I was full, how is that possible? 

I gripped the burger slowly and lifted it up to my face. I mean, it really did look tasty. I glanced to the side to see Ellie looking at me with a toothy grin as she waited for me to take the first bite out of the burger. 

I swear to God, if this goes to my hips I will be furious. 

I bit into the burger, the flavour of the sauce and chicken in my mouth. It was definitely a mouth full, causing me to chew my food for multiple minutes as Ellie happily munched her chips. 

"Good?" She asked when I had finally finished my first bite. I looked up at her with the burger in my hand. 

"Fucking delicious." I gave her one of my own toothy grins before taking another bite out of my burger. Ellie quietly cheered in her seat as she ate took a bite of her chicken wrap. 

God, the chicken here was amazing. 

*** 

'Gage: Are you free?' I looked at the text in front of me, biting my lip as I considered calling Gage. It was only noon and Ellie was at her birthing lesson with Carter-- for happens to be her fiance. You definitely miss a lot when you're living with a pathological liar.

I threw logic out of the window as I press dial on Gage's name. It took him one ring to answer.

"Hey V." I couldn't help but smile at the nickname he had given me from the very first day he entered my studio. It was such a silly nickname, simply the first letter of my name, but continued to warm my heart every time he uses it. 

Not like I'd ever tell him. 

"Hey G." I chirped up, laughing slightly when I heard him sigh through the phone.

"I told you, find a better nickname." 

"But I like G." I didn't at first, the only reason I started to call him that was to irritate him for my own amusement-- something I wouldn't dare to think about when it came to Aaron, even before everything happened between us. Aaron and I never had that kind of humour, it was something I didn't know I was missing until I met Gage. 

"Well, I don't exactly appreciate your creativity."

I gave a deadpanned look to the wall as if I was facing Gage myself. "What, so 'V' is creative to you?" 

"Hey, it took me hours to come up with that nickname!" I let out a chuckle, shaking my head at his silliness. 

"What are you doing?" I asked, changing the subject as I played with the hem of my t-shirt. 

"Thinking of you."

"Ha, ha." I deadpanned, raising an eyebrow despite the fact that he still can't see me.

"I just came back from the police station, they wanted me to fill in some more forms about Aaron." I heard Gage hear his throat after his sentence, clearly feeling uncomfortable talking about his brother with me. I didn't blame him one bit, I still felt a pang of fear every time his name was mentioned despite the thought of him evading my mind constantly. 

It was like he was never going to go away.

"Uh-- Do you know anything about his disappearance?" I heard Gage sigh from the other side of the phone.

"We don't need to talk about it if you don't want to." I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I didn't want to be treated like weak-- not anymore. 

"I want to talk about it, I shouldn't be afraid of mentioning or even hearing his name." Despite the fact that I thought that, I did indeed like afraid when hearing his name. As if it would summon him or something.

Get a grip, Veronica. 

Another sigh escaped Gage. "They found a transaction of  £300,000 out of his account that was approved by the bank." I raised a brow at Gage's words. I didn't even know that Aaron had that kind of money, I guess he hid more things than I thought. "The police believe he is planning on leaving the country."

"If that means he never comes near me again, good." I cringed to speak so harshly about his brother but by the way, I was treated I almost feel like I have the right-- plus Gage constantly states that Aaron is nothing to him anymore. 

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. 

"What are you doing?" Gage brought me back to the question at hand, which I was thankful for. Despite saying that I was affected by the mention of Aaron, I was. 

"Just sitting in this empty house all on my mine, bored to death." I forged a sigh of boredom.

"Need company?" I could almost hear his signature smile. 

"I mean, if you aren't busy or anything..." I trailed off, a smile of my mine creeping up on my face.

"I'm on my way."