You're the Only One Read online

  She shook her head again before pulling away and wiping her face with her sleeve. She glanced at my bare chest and wiped that, too.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled. Then, she froze and stared at the top of my head, blinking. “What the fuck happened to your hair?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Come on. Come sit down.”

  Sky followed me to the couch and sat beside Kuma. Kuma put her head in Sky’s lap, and Sky began petting her. I went and got her some toilet paper from my bathroom to blow her nose.

  “Thanks.”

  I sat on my coffee table in front of her, my legs blocking her in, as I waited for her to tell me what was going on.

  She peered up at me, looking embarrassed. “I’m sorry to show up like this. I started walking, and this is where I ended up.”

  “Stop apologizing, Sky. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

  She looked behind her. “Is Natasha here?”

  “No.”

  Sky chewed on her bottom lip, glancing back down at Kuma as she rubbed behind her ears. “You were right about Logan.”

  My back straightened as my possessive instincts kicked in. “What did he do?”

  “Nothing really.” She shrugged. “Besides break my heart, but you know…whatevs.”

  She gave me a weak smile, but I didn’t return it.

  “I heard him on the phone with Sasha—you know, one of his other girlfriends.”

  I nodded.

  “They were arguing about something, and she gave him an ultimatum. He chose her.”

  I put my hand on her knee. “I’m sorry, Sky.”

  “Yeah, well, you tried to warn me, but I was too stupid to listen.”

  “Don’t do that. You aren’t stupid, Sky.”

  “I tied him up.”

  My eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

  “TJ and I came up with this plan.”

  “Oh, Jesus.”

  “We decided I shouldn’t tell him I knew. I wanted to see if he’d be honest with me. At least then I’d know he cared enough about me to tell me the truth, and maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad.”

  I was almost scared to ask what happened next. “Uh-huh.”

  “Well, he didn’t tell me. He acted like nothing had happened. He even came over to my apartment, trying to have sex with me.”

  I clenched my jaw. Logan hadn’t changed at all.

  “So”—Sky avoided my gaze, focusing on Kuma again—“I told him to meet me at my office tonight. I told him to get naked, and then I tied him to a clothing rack, blindfolded him, and left.”

  I dropped my head and shook it, trying not to laugh. Sky never ceased to amaze me.

  “Are you serious? You left him there?”

  Her eyes widened. “He deserves some kind of punishment for what he did! He’s a lying asshole!”

  “I don’t deny that, Sky, but you can’t go tying people up every time they hurt you. Are you planning on leaving him there all night?”

  She shrugged, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of her plan. I could almost guarantee, she and TJ had been drunk when they came up with it.

  “You have to go untie him, Sky.”

  She lowered her head. “I know. I just don’t want to go back there. I don’t want him to see how much he hurt me.”

  “Fuck him, Sky. Who cares if he sees you hurt? He deserves to see what he did. He should have to live with it.”

  “Will you go with me?”

  I rubbed my hands over my face. I knew I couldn’t send her out there alone, especially since Logan was probably pissed for having been left naked and tied to a clothing rack.

  “Yeah.”

  She smiled at me, and I wondered how I’d ever say no to her. Reaching up, she ran her hand over my short hair, and I watched her, wondering what she thought. I knew she’d always loved my messy hair. I hoped she liked it.

  “It looks good. It brings out your eyes.”

  I stood in the hallway outside of Frederico’s studio as Sky’s shaky hand retrieved the key from her purse. She glanced over at me and lifted the key toward the door. I nodded, and she blew out a breath before unlocking it. When she pushed it open, we found Logan sitting naked on the floor, the empty clothing rack tilted on its side behind him. His clothes were spread out across the floor, and papers had been knocked off of a nearby desk. It looked like he had retrieved his phone from his pants. He held it in one hand, while trying to push the blindfold off his eyes against his bent knees.

  When he heard the door open, he froze. “Hello?”

  I leaned against the doorframe and crossed my arms.

  “It’s me,” Sky said, walking closer to him.

  He struggled to stand and face the direction of her voice. “It’s about fucking time! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Untie me! Now.”

  Sky warily looked at me as I dropped my arms, and my hands balled into fists. It had been years since I was in a fight, but I would happily kick Logan’s ass. I quietly walked in, ready to defend her if I needed to.

  Logan was finally able to stand, and when he did, I reached out and pulled his blindfold off.

  He scowled and blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the light. “You fucking—” He paused when he realized who was standing in front of him.

  “What were you saying?”

  He swallowed, his eyes flicking to Sky’s. He must think she’d brought me there to kick his ass. It was definitely becoming a possibility.

  “Look, man, I don’t know what she told you, but—”

  Sky scoffed. “You’re pathetic, you know that? You’re a pathetic fucking loser. I hope your dick shrivels up and falls off.”

  I glanced down at his flaccid dick and smirked. Either he was suffering from some serious shrinkage, or Sky’s curse was already working.

  I cut my eyes to Sky.

  She shrugged. “What? He’s good with his tongue.”

  Logan’s jaw tightened, and his arms flexed as he fought against the knots at his wrists.

  “Before we untie you, I want to make one thing clear. You say one more disrespectful thing to Sky, and I’ll make sure you never use that tongue again.”

  Logan might have bigger arms than me, but that didn’t matter. He knew where I’d grown up, and he’d seen me fight. We both knew who’d win.

  He looked at Sky, his eyes softening. “I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry, okay? I never meant to hurt you.”

  Sky crossed her arms. “Fuck you.”

  “What’s going on? Tell me what I did.”

  “I heard you, Logan!”

  Logan seemed confused as I started untying one of his wrists. I was done. He needed to leave before I kicked his ass anyway.

  “I heard you talking to Sasha in your office. She gave you an ultimatum, and you chose her. I heard all of it. And then you showed up at my apartment, trying to have sex with me. What happened to being honest, huh? Lying bastard.”

  Logan dropped his gaze, pretending to be remorseful. He was such a fucking fake.

  Once his arm was free, I took a step back, prepared to react, while he started untying his other wrist. When both arms were free, he started collecting his clothes and pulling them on. Sky grabbed the ropes and blindfold, shoving them into her purse and cursing under her breath.

  He still hadn’t said anything.

  “Come on, let’s go,” I told her as Logan pulled his shirt over his head.

  Logan reached forward and put his hand on Sky’s arm, and I stepped closer, ready to stop him.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, looking past me and down at Sky.

  Stepping backward and away from his touch, Sky replied, “You’re right; you are.”

  He glared up at me and then ran his tongue over his teeth in frustration as he stared at Sky. My eyes narrowed, daring him to say something else, but he only nodded his head and walked out.

  The moment he was gone, Sky wrapped her arms around my waist and released a deep breath. I pulled her closer, her cheek rest
ing right above my heart. Sky had no idea how strong she was, but I was hoping she’d discovered some of that strength.

  “Thanks for being here,” she murmured.

  “Anytime.”

  SKY

  I woke the next morning on Dillon’s couch. I sucked in a deep breath through my nose, his scent and the smell of bacon filling my senses and putting me at ease. Rolling over and peeking my eyes open, I found Kuma sitting in front of me, panting, a string of drool hanging from her lip.

  I smiled and rubbed her chest. “That bacon smells yummy, doesn’t it?”

  She licked her chops, sending the drool to the floor.

  I scrunched up my nose and peeked down at it over the edge of the couch. “Gross, Kuma. That’s so unladylike.”

  “Good morning.” Dillon was coming over with a glass of water in his hand.

  I slowly sat up while feeling something shift inside me. It was like the world was moving in slow motion, but my heart was on fast-forward. Dillon wore nothing but a pair of jeans, his dark eyes on mine as he grinned and held the water out to me. His newly short hair only accentuated his features—the hard lines of his jaw, the fullness of his lips, the curl of his thick eyelashes. His mouth moved, but I was too dazed to hear what he was saying.

  I’m in love with Dillon.

  I blinked twice, and time went back to its normal speed.

  “Huh?” I asked.

  “I said, breakfast will be ready in a minute.”

  I took the water from him. “Oh. Okay, thanks.”

  I gulped down half of the glass while Dillon went back to the kitchen.

  Oh my God, his ass.

  I decided to finish the glass of water. Maybe I was dehydrated.

  My mother’s words replayed in my head.

  “I can’t imagine one of you without the other. Can you?”

  I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to escape the feeling. I couldn’t be in love with my best friend.

  This is wrong. He has a girlfriend.

  “You okay?” Dillon asked from behind me.

  I turned around to see he’d set two plates down on his small table. “Me? Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “Well, come eat.”

  I stood up, and Kuma watched me, her brown eyebrows rising suspiciously.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” I whispered.

  She licked her chops again.

  I sat down across from Dillon, trying to avoid his gaze by staring at my plate piled high with eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

  He’s perfect.

  Shut up.

  I cleared my throat. “It looks delicious. Thanks.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  We ate in silence for a few minutes before there was a knock at Dillon’s front door. He questioningly glanced at me, and I shrugged, taking a bite of bacon. Wiping his hands on a napkin, he looked at Kuma, who was too busy begging me for my bacon to bother barking, before he got up to answer it.

  I kept eating until I heard Natasha’s voice a few seconds later.

  “What’s she doing here?”

  My chewing slowed when I turned and found her standing in the apartment with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes glaring at me.

  “We’re having breakfast,” Dillon said, gesturing toward the table. “You hungry?”

  Natasha faced Dillon, taking in his bare chest and feet. “Did she sleep here?”

  I swallowed my bite and glanced at Kuma, who was still staring at me. I gave the rest of my bacon to her, suddenly losing my appetite.

  “Yeah, she did, but—”

  “I can’t believe this,” Natasha snapped, turning back toward the door.

  “Natasha, wait!” I stood up from the table.

  Natasha stopped long enough to hear me out.

  “This is all a misunderstanding. Logan and I broke up, and I was upset. I didn’t know where else to go.”

  I could see her shoulders relax a little as she peered up at Dillon and then back at me.

  “I should have respected your boundaries, and I’m sorry. Please don’t let me be the cause of any problems between you guys. Dillon was just being a good friend.”

  Dillon and I looked at each other, and he seemed surprised that I’d intervened. In the past, when a woman got jealous of our relationship, he’d simply write her off. He’d put me first every time without question. But I wouldn’t let him do it with Natasha. I’d seen the way they were together. She loved him, and that was all that mattered to me.

  “I’m going to go. I’ll take Kuma for her walk and give you guys some time alone.” Grabbing my coat from the couch, I slipped it on and slid my feet into the heels I’d worn the night before. It wasn’t the most comfortable outfit for walking, but I’d make it work.

  When I picked up Kuma’s leash, she ran over to me, her short nub of a tail wagging furiously. Leaning over, I clipped the leash to her collar.

  “Thanks, Sky.”

  I peered up at Dillon and felt a sinking sensation in my gut, but I smiled anyway. “You’re welcome.”

  As I walked out his front door, I realized I might have given up my only chance at real love. Turning around to close it behind me, I looked at Dillon one more time.

  I could only hope Natasha would love him enough for the both of us.

  DILLON

  I was grateful to Sky for clearing things up with Natasha. I wasn’t sure I would have chased after her if she’d left, but we needed to talk.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have overreacted,” Natasha said.

  “What did Sky mean by respecting your boundaries?”

  She glanced at the floor. “Nothing. I just asked that she respect our relationship and not come over here when I wasn’t around.”

  Rubbing my hands over my head, I walked toward my couch as I tried not to get angry. No wonder Sky had been staying away.

  I contemplated my next words, but before I could get them out, Natasha spoke, “I want to be with you, Dillon.”

  I turned around to face her. “Are you sure about that? Even if I make less money than you? Even if my best friend is a woman?”

  Her eyes broke contact, and the moment she hesitated, I knew the answer.

  Walking over to my windows, she peered down at the busy street below. “I tried. I really did. I guess I’m too conventional. I don’t think I can change. I wanted to though…for you. I really do love you, Dillon, but I guess that’s not enough.” Her voice broke.

  I went to her, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. I pressed my cheek against the side of her head, feeling her body tremble as she cried. I closed my eyes as every doubt and insecurity I had intensified into shame. I couldn’t give her what she needed.

  Turning around, Natasha held tightly to my arms and looked up at me with her golden eyes. “I can’t ask you to give up who you are, Dillon. Your music…it’s everything. I know that.”

  I stroked her cheek with my thumb, wiping away a tear, and she leaned into my touch.

  “I’ll miss you,” I told her.

  She sucked in a shaky breath. “I’ll miss you, too.”

  She kissed my lips one last time, and just as quickly as she’d walked into my life, Natasha walked out.

  I woke up at five o’clock the next morning with words playing in my mind so fast, I barely had time to write them down. I sat in my bed for hours, writing lyrics and purging my life onto the pages of my notebook. There was nothing quite like heartbreak to fuel an artist’s soul.

  Before I knew it, I’d written three new songs, and half of the day was gone. I knew exactly who I needed to call. Grabbing my phone, I dialed his number.

  “Dillon. What’s up?”

  “Matteo, we need to talk. Can you meet me at Blakely’s in an hour?”

  He hesitated, and I couldn’t say I blamed him. He had every right to be mad at me.

  “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

  “Okay. See you soon.”

  About an hour later, Matteo walked into Blakely�
�s, wearing his favorite New York Giants hoodie. I lifted my chin when he spotted me at the bar, and I ordered him a beer. He came and sat down next to me, the cold air from outside still lingering on him. I took a sip from my beer, and when the bartender brought Matteo’s, he did the same.

  “So, what do you need to talk about?”

  “I wanted to apologize.”

  He gave me a sidelong glance and took another sip.

  “I’m not ready to give up, and I need you in my corner. I can’t do this without your help.”

  He dropped his head and tried to hide his grin but failed. “What changed your mind?”

  “I went to that interview, and it was so fucking depressing, man. Even if I never make it big, I’d rather live broke, chasing my dreams, than be rich and give up on them.”

  Matteo smiled. “Damn straight.”

  “Natasha and I broke up, too.”

  “Why? Did she hate your haircut?” he teased, glancing up at my head.

  I rubbed my hand over my hair. “Nah, this was her idea.”

  “Figures. What happened then?”

  I shrugged. “We wanted different things. She likes my music but wants financial security more. I couldn’t give it to her.”

  For some reason, admitting that didn’t hurt as much as it had yesterday. Am I over her already?

  Matteo shook his head. “She’s gonna regret that when she sees your ass singing at the Grammys.”

  I chuckled and swallowed another swig of beer. No one could ever accuse Matteo of lacking confidence. He was exactly the kind of friend I needed.

  Licking my lips, I thought of Sky and rubbed my hand over the stubble growing on my jaw. I needed to talk to her, let her know what had happened with Natasha. I had been in the shower when she brought Kuma back yesterday, so she’d dropped her off and left. I was sure Sky presumed Natasha and I had made up, especially since she still didn’t know the whole story. We were both single now, and that created a whole new set of questions I wasn’t sure I could answer.

  My thoughts wandered as memories of Sky flashed in my mind like a slide show—the way she’d smile when I sang for her, the warmth of her skin as I’d cried against it, the way my problems would seem to fade away when she told me she loved me.

  Fuck. Is this really happening? Do I love Sky?