Tempted

Chapter 26

Colt

The text from Reis says to meet him in the rec room. But when I pull the door open, Taylor sits alone on the couch. She looks up, confusion shadowing her face. Crap. This is a set up. Reis told us both to be here so we could work things out. She stands up. I raise my hands. “Don’t leave.”

She sighs, but sits back down.

“Reis did this to get us to talk, didn’t he?”

She nods.

“I didn’t put him up to it, just so you know.”

“I know,” she says.

I sit down on the other end of the sofa. “He’s a good kid.”

“He’s the best,” she says with a touch of defensiveness in her voice. What the fuck does that mean?

“You guys got pretty close, huh?”

“You weren’t here,” she says. Her voice is harsh. An accusation.

“I didn’t want to be away.”

She huffs. “But that didn’t stop you from enjoying yourself with Bria.”

I turn to her suddenly, my expression serious. “Enough with Bria. Nothing happened. I never cheated on you. I told you I’ve changed.”

Her eyes question mine, she bits into her lip, trying to decide if she should believe me.

“I need a girl who trusts me, not someone who’s always suspicious, who’s just waiting for me to fail.”

She hangs her head, looking down at the floor.

I lower my voice, trying to keep under control. Even if she doesn’t trust me, she doesn’t deserve to be yelled at. I take a deep breath, getting myself under control. “I may have kept things from you concerning Bria, and that was stupid – but it was only to protect you.”

Her eyes lift to mine, but they’re still shadow with doubt and suspicion.

“I’ve learned my lesson. One-hundred percent honesty from now on.”