Discovering Us 2: Redemption

VIOLET

“Zach, please. I don’t want us to fight today. Tyler is coming.”

He slumps down on the bed childishly.

We’ve fought every day since I came home a few weeks ago. At first, he wasn’t this determined to keep Tyler away. But as the days go by, Zach gets a little more standoffish with him.

“I don’t want to be around him,” he tells me petulantly.

“Well, tough. He deserves to say goodbye to Matthew too,” I tell him as I struggle to put my bra on. The pain in my ribs still smarts, even with the painkillers and tape.

“Let me help,” he says, taking the strap from my hands. He gently does it up, letting his fingers linger on my skin. My breath comes out raggedly at his touch.

He hasn’t touched me since we came home, not in that way at least. I’m not sure how much longer I will survive.

Even just looking at him I feel like I’m going to combust.

I stopped bleeding four days ago, and I was hoping to seduce him, but he hasn’t seemed at all interested.

And even though I’m dubious about going back into the playroom, he has kept that door and Tyler’s office firmly locked, giving me no choice but to stay out.

“Zach, you two need to talk. You don’t even know what he did.” Does he?

“He cheated. That’s enough knowledge.”

I turn to look up at him. I feel so sorry for him that he’s so single-minded. He hasn’t even asked why he went there or what he’s done.

It could have simply been a peck on the lips, and he’s willing to throw him away so easily for that.

I know there’s the previous hurt there. But they have such an open relationship, from the sounds of it, so I’m not completely sure why he’s so unhappy with Tyler playing with another person.

“He was hurting.”

“That’s not a good enough excuse, Violet. You were hurting. You didn’t sleep with someone else.”

“I was unconscious.”

He frowns as I pull the dress over my head painfully and he helps pull the material down my body. I gasp in pain as I bring my arms down again, making him look at me pityingly. I hate it.

“I’ve been here before, Violet. It’s the same person.”

“I don’t care!” I almost shout at him. My foot feels like stamping itself on the floor because he’s so exasperating. Why won’t he just talk at least?

We will never move forward if he doesn’t talk to him.

“I don’t want to hurt you, baby. I just… I… I can’t trust him. He’s hurt me.”

He has a small smile playing on his lips now. It makes me think he’s lying. In moments like this, I think he’s already forgiven him and that this elusive behavior is because he’s punishing Tyler.

Would he do that? Make us both suffer to punish Tyler?

He’s so frustrating.

“People make mistakes, Zach. If there was no room for mistakes in life, we would all be miserable.”

He looks at me as if I’ve slapped him in the face, making me swallow my anger. I open my eyes when I’m ready not to kill him.

“Please try. I love you both, and it’s killing me to be in the middle.”

Reaching up, I stroke his face and peck his lips before I walk out of the room, leaving him there to think about going in search of Tyler.

He promised he would be here today, and considering he hasn’t spent any time here since I’ve come home, I miss him.

Tyler and Callum are sitting in the kitchen when I enter. I ready myself for the same argument with Tyler as I stand in the doorway quietly.

They are both sitting silently at the kitchen table, and I could cut the animosity with a knife. I’m not sure why, but even Callum is hating on Tyler right now.

“Morning.” They both turn to look at me.

I haven’t seen Tyler for just over a week, and to say he looks terrible would be an understatement.

His eyes are dark with lack of sleep, and he hasn’t even styled his hair. It flops sexily over his face though.

Callum stares a warning at me. He keeps going on at me about how neither of the boys is good enough for me.

I would think he was being genuine, but I still remember what he told me when he thought I was asleep.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”

I shudder at the memory. I haven’t broached that conversation with him yet.

How do you tell someone that when you were unconscious you heard them declare their love for you? Especially when you are not even in a relationship.

“Morning, Violet.” Tyler finally finds his voice as I walk over to him and opt to sit on his lap. He is still at first, but he quickly accepts me into his embrace.

I bring my lips to him, and for just a moment I think I can taste the alcohol. But then the taste goes away, and all I can taste is Tyler, so I must have just imagined it.

The kiss starts innocently enough, but soon my hands are in his hair, and his are riding my dress up around my bottom. Then he runs small circles on the skin at the junction of my bottom and thigh.

His cock jerks at the contact.

Do we have enough time to fuck?

We could just go to bed and…

Callum clears his throat behind us, bringing me back to reality. Blushing, I pull back from Tyler.

Why, Callum? Why?

Tyler now has a sweet smile on his face, and he looks more alive. Mission complete. Well, part of it.

“I’ve missed you.”

“I can tell.” He brings my forehead to his lips, kissing me once more.

“Thank you for coming,” I tell him as I lay down in the crook of his neck.

My gaze lands on Callum, who looks thoroughly jealous. We need to have that talk, I guess.

“I’m only next door,” he tells me.

That he is. He’s moved in with Catherine, who incidentally lives in the only other apartment on this floor. That was quite a revelation, as I had always wondered where Catherine lived.

Apparently that’s where she and Dante station themselves. And when I found this out, I was a little confused as to why Callum always stations himself in here.

But then I realized that it must be because of his feelings for me, and I know he wanted to stay close.

Since I’ve come home, he’s been with us all the time. He’s even taken to sleeping in my old room.

“You should be here with us,” I sigh to Tyler.

“It would just cause too many problems, Violet.”

“It would force the two of you to communicate.”

“He doesn’t want to know.”

“Do you blame him?” Callum chimes in.

“Callum, keep out of it,” I warn him. But he doesn’t listen. Instead he goes on a rant about being faithful.

“It’s bad enough they are both sharing you. But then he goes—while you’re in the hospital, might I add—to fuck another girl.

“He was dipping his wick while you were experiencing God knows what and suffering. Zach’s done the right thing. You should do the same, Violet.”

“I didn’t fuck anyone,” Tyler mutters, as if this information isn’t of any importance.

I knew he didn’t. I just knew it.

“Don’t act all innocent now. You’re a fucking dog. You deserve to be out in the doghouse.” Callum stands angrily. I’ve never seen him like this before.

“This really is none of your business, Callum,” Tyler spits at him.

I wince as he tightens his hold around my waist, and it doesn’t escape either of their attentions, making him instantly loosen his grip.

“It is when you’re going to hurt her.”

Both of them stare at each other. If I weren’t on Tyler’s lap, he would probably be standing too. I can see the clocks turning in his head, and I realize they are both acting as if they love me.

I need to stop this before it spirals out of control, before he tells Tyler he loves me.

I need to talk this through with him before he tells them. Shit, I need time to think about it. To accept it.

“He hasn’t hurt me, Callum. Leave it,” I warn.

I hope my face conveys that I don’t want the truth to be told to Tyler and Zach yet. But when I turn to look right at him, all I see is pure frustration.

“You’re a fool for letting him back in,” he tells me before he storms out of the room.

I take a deep, steadying breath.

We don’t need this today. I don’t need this.

My head is still so confused with everything that has happened that I haven’t even made a dent in processing anything. I keep putting it off, because I don’t want to deal with anything.

After all, if I do, that means I have to think about Henry and Matthew. About everything.

I watch his back retreat from the room. My heart painfully squeezes as he gets further away from me.

I don’t quell the feelings, but I should not let them be there in the first place.

I’m in love with Zach and Tyler. I don’t need to develop feelings for Callum too.

Do I?

“He likes you,” Tyler sighs.

I want to tell him that I know. I want to tell him what he said when I was in the hospital bed. But I don’t want them to know how deeply Callum likes me.

Or that I think I have some feelings for him too. Even though I drew a line and wanted him to stay on the other side of it, my feet inch closer each day, and it’s getting harder to fight.

It’s only a matter of time until my feet break the line.

“You’re wrong,” I lie.

“Violet.” He pulls my face around to stare at him. “He likes you.”

I shake my head at him. No, I don’t want to deal with this right now. I can’t.

We’re supposed to be burying Matthew today, meaning now is not the time to dwell on Callum’s feelings or the weird pull I have toward him too.

“If you like him too, I won’t stand in the way. We’ll make it work.”

“He’s right. We’ll make it work,” Zach says from the doorway.

I close my eyes and swallow. Fuck no, I’m not dealing with this right now. I haven’t even processed the fact that Callum has feelings for me.

“I’ve not got a clue what you are talking about,” I lie.

“You do. You know exactly what we’re talking about. You just need to admit and accept it.”

I look over at Zach as he speaks. His arms are above his head, his hands holding on to the doorframe.

Anger courses through me at lightning speed. How can he speak so freely about me loving another man when he won’t even speak to Tyler?

Yeah, when he is the one splitting us apart at the moment.

“Don’t pretend I like someone else to distract yourselves from the issues neither of you will sort through,” I spit at the both of them.

I stand up from Tyler, not needing the proximity to him anymore. Then I look between the two of them. Shame marks Tyler’s features, but Zach’s just amused.

I’m not particularly angry with them. No, I’m angrier at myself that they can read me so well. That I can’t hide anything from them.

“We’re supposed to be burying our child today,” I tell them sadly.

“I’m sorry, Violet,” Tyler calls to me as I barge past Zach through the doorway.