Free Destroy You (Destroy #3) by K. D. Carrillo Page A

take you home,” Trent whispered in my ear.
    I looked around and realized the reception was winding down. Then I saw Cameron and Jeremy arguing in the corner. Nothing Jeremy said was getting through to Cameron. I knew the moment their truce ended. As soon as Miguel spewed his hateful words at Jer, Cameron took a step back. I knew since I was standing behind him.
    Cameron hadn’t come to terms with his sexuality. He still pursued women, but he never looked at them the way he looked at Jeremy. It was possible he was bisexual, but I didn’t believe for a second he wasn’t in love with Jeremy. I couldn’t understand why he felt the need to hurt both of them to prevent the possibility of future pain.
    Slowly, I turned back to face Trent. That’s exactly what I had been doing. I was hurting, and I could see he was too because of the distance I forced between us. Doing that took effort, because the most natural thing for me was to be next to him. I was an idiot.
    “Trent,” I whispered.
    He closed his eyes tight. “Please don’t. Don’t push me away again.”
    “Okay.”
    His eyes shot open, gracing me with their smoky depths. I could get lost in those stormy eyes. “Toni? Are you saying you’re going to stop fighting us?”
    I nodded. “I still want to take it slow.”
    “I can do slow—with some conditions,” he said cautiously.
    I motioned for him to continue, and he nodded. “Really, it’s only two conditions. No more running from me. If you get scared, pissed, whatever, you tell me. We fight, make up, and get over it, together.”
    “The other condition?” I asked.
    “I know I’ve already said this a while back, but I want to be clear. If we do this, then we have to be exclusive. We might be just starting to date, but we’ve known each other for a while now. I don’t need the time to decide if I only want to see you. I know, and I don’t like to share. I didn’t like seeing you talking to Miguel.”
    “So that means you won’t take any women from the bar upstairs?” I pushed.
    “Toni.” He gazed at me with an intense expression. “I haven’t touched anyone but you since the night we met. Actually, I hadn’t been with anyone for a few weeks before that. I meant what I said a few months ago. No one else.”
    My knees almost buckled hearing him say that. Here I was worried about him cheating if we were together and he had temptation thrust upon him, and he was faithful to me the entire time, even though we weren’t officially anything.
    “Me either,” I admitted. “But I can’t go home with you tonight,” I said quickly.
    Cameron stormed away from Jeremy, and I watched my best friend deflate. I wasn’t sure how long he could continue to hold on to his feelings for Cameron. I loved Cameron too, but I was ready for Jeremy to let go and move on. It would be easier for him to do that now since Cam was back at his apartment.
    Trent followed my line of sight, then took my hand and led me over to Jeremy. I wasn’t sure how Jeremy would feel having his private pain shared with a stranger, but I went along. When we got there, Jeremy looked at our hands and smiled. It was a great effort, but he still looked sad.
    Trent tipped his head toward the van he brought the bar supplies in. “Let’s all get out of here. Come over and watch a movie with Toni and me tonight.”
    Jeremy shook his head before Trent finished speaking. “Thanks, but I don’t want to be in the way.”
    “You won’t be. I’ll call Melody and have her come over, too,” Trent offered.
    Jeremy laughed humorlessly. “She really isn’t my type, but thanks.”
    “No offense, but the two of you look way too much alike for me to suggest that, even if I thought you’d be interested. Like way too much. It’s super weird. Just come over. Toni and I need the best-friend buffer.”
    I gave him a dirty look. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. “Are you afraid I’m going to jump you the second we’re behind closed