Page 162 of Deacon

‘Hey Deke,’ Bishop said, his tone shifting as he dropped the easy banter. ‘I didn’t just call to check on the mix. Ana rang me an hour ago. She asked me to talk to you because you won’t take her calls. You’re acting like a fool.’

I paused in the hallway facing the living area, my jaw ticking at the sound of her name.

‘The fuck you talking about?’

‘You’re icing her out over a misunderstanding, or so she says,’ he said.

‘I’ve good reason for my resentment; you know what she did.’

‘It’s avoidance, my friend. Have a freakin’ conversation. You’re ruining the beauty of what you worked so hard for while you brood.’

‘Mate, I can’t think of her without getting close to losing my shit. Hell, she’s my unfortunate cross to bear,’ I muttered into the phone, rubbing the stiff muscles in my neck. ‘Right now, I can’t stand to look at her. I’m even sick of spotting her in the distance when dealing with handovers if Christine isn’t available to facilitate the hand-off.’

A small, choked sound came from behind me.

I whirled around to find Ana standing on the porch, in the shade of the overhang.

Raff stood beside her, silent tears tracking down his flushed cheeks.

My stomach dropped into an abyss.

Raff stared at me, hurt, flung his backpack on the stone tiles, and threw his arms around Ana’s waist in a frantic hug.

He let go, bolted past me, and sprinted into the house.

‘I gotta go,’ I snapped to Bishop, killing the connection before dropping the phone onto the entry table.

I turned back to Ana, every muscle in my neck locking tight as our eyes met across the threshold.

The sight of her jolted me.

She was stunning in a mid-thigh sundress and sandals, standing in the sunlight with her dark waves falling over one shoulder.

The look in her eyes, however, seared me.

Hurt, pain, freakin’ agony.

Upstairs, Raff’s bedroom door slammed, the impact vibrating through the ceiling drywall.

The bang broke through my reverie, and the fury surging in my gut boiled over.

I jerked my chin at the stairs.

‘That, his anger and his tears, are all because of your damned betrayal!’ I grated. ‘Also, don’t ever call or use my mates to try and get their sympathy! It won’t work.’

‘Deacon, please listen to me for one minute,’ she whispered, her voice cracking as she stepped inside and held up her hands. ‘It wasn’t what you think.’

I backed away, refusing to let her get close, my jaw clenched so tight my molars ached.

‘I won’t hear it. See yourself out,’ I gritted out.

I turned my back on her, stalked down the corridor toward the studio, and slammed the reinforced door shut behind me.

Chapter 32

ANA

Rain drummed against my kitchen window, turning the streetlights outside into blurry yellow streaks.