Page 173 of Camp Bliss
This time Zach does flinch. “What did you say, asshole?”
Josh’s mouth curls in a vicious smile, and he aims it at me. “Seemed like she woulda told me if it was serious.”
Zach glances at me from the corners of his eyes. His jaw is locked. He doesn’t give Josh the satisfaction, but I can tell he’s wondering why I kept our relationship from Josh.
All of a sudden, it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.
My gaze cuts from Zach back to Josh, and I scowl. “It’s none of your damn business.”
Josh just shakes his head, chuckling bitterly. “You two donnn even lllike eachuther… Iss not serious… Juss convenien—”
“Man, shut the fuck up!” Zach roars. But when his eyes come back to mine, I see a flash of something in those hazel depths.
Is it doubt?
“Zach—” He can’t think that. He can’t think we’re just—
I reach for him. He deserves so much better than this. I pull him into my arms and hug him so tight. He holds me like we’d both evaporate if he let go.
Maybe I should tell him now. Maybe I should just spill my heart and tell him how much I love him, but dammit, I want that to be a moment for just us. Not now. Not in this gross, tainted space full of scars and sickness.
I bring my lips to his ear and whisper. “Don’t listen to him. Just don’t.”
Zach shakes head. “He can’t stay here,” he whispers back into my ear. “He can’t.”
I won’t argue. Regret. Guilt. Failure. I’ll sort through all of it later, but as soon as I walked out of my bathroom and saw Josh in my bed, I knew. He needs help, but I can’t be the one to help him. I can’t be near him anymore.
“I know—” But before I can ask what we should do, Zach is pulling away. Still he keeps one arm around me as he turns to face Josh.
“Let’s go, Bassett.”
Josh flinches, looking from Zach back to me. “Greta?”
“Nope,” Zach clips, stepping in front of me. “You don’t get to talk to her anymore. It’s just you and me now.”
I peer around Zach’s shoulder to see Josh’s eyes widen. “But—”
“Grab whatever is yours now. You won’t be coming back.” And it’s not hard at all to picture Zach as an attorney. The man knows how to lay down the law.
Josh staggers to his feet, but he’s not looking at Zach. He’s still locked on me.
“Greta, I nnneeed you,” he pleads, his voice pitching higher. “Cannnt do this withou—”
“Babe, go into your room and shut the door,” Zach says, his voice low but clear as sunlight.
I’m not going to lie and say it’s easy. It’s not. But not for the reasons I might have felt before. Yes, I still feel sorry for Josh—the way you feel sorry for a rat that has eaten poison.
But I feel worse leaving Zach to deal with him.
“Go on,” Zach prompts, and I go without a word because I don’t want to make this harder for him.
Before I close the door behind me, Zach looks at me over his shoulder. “I’ll be in touch, and we’ll talk in the morning.”
A jolt runs through me at the dead-eyed look he gives me.
“I-In the morning?” I ask in a choked voice.
He just nods, his brows low and grim.
