Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Levi locks the door behind us when we walk into a back room. Bags of coffee are stacked on shelves next to several fridges. He leads us along a tower of cardboard boxes, to a small table with four chairs.
Levi shows me one of the seats and turns to a metal chest of drawers. “Remind me why exactly Cassian needs to be saved from this date, and why your leg needs to pay the price?”
Aaron stands in the farthest corner, biting his knuckle.
I hesitate but eventually sit down and extend my left leg. I don’t know why it feels like a better choice than the right, but I do. “All you need to know is that it needs to be stopped, and I can’t seem like I’m sabotaging him on purpose.” My teeth start to clatter.
“So you are sabotaging him?” Levi asks, pulling out a massive wrench from one of the drawers.
“Only for honest reasons!”
“Uh-huh,” he says, watching me from under those pale yet thick brows. He drops the wrench, and it hits the floor with a clang that makes me flinch, but Levi only does it to pull his thick blond waves into a short ponytail. Of course, no one likes hair in their face as they break bones. His Iron Maiden T-shirt doesn’t need to be tight to show off muscle, because Levi’s size is enough to communicate that he has the strength to break my leg. Would I prefer my knee shattered? Or would it be better if the bone itself ended up fractured? What would heal more easily? Can you swim with one leg?
“You have insurance, right?” Levi asks, picking up the big tool from the floor.
“Yes,” I choke out.
He sighs. “And there’s no other way?”
“No.”
Aaron lets out a soft whimper, but I’m set on this.
Am I though?
Levi nods at me. “Okay, if there’s no other way…”
I’m on the verge of throwing up when he raises the wrench, but every minute passing is Cassian potentially kissing the fake troll. I just can’t have that.
“Count,” Levi advises. His usually pleasant face is now serious, and with the wrench above his head, he looks like a modern day Thor.
“Three, Two…”
He brings the tool down.
I scream.
Aaron screeches.
“No! Please, no!” I yell at the last second, prepared to feel searing pain and hear a vomit-inducing crack.
Instead, the loudest sound in the room is Levi’s sigh. “Of course not. This is the stupidest plan I’ve heard in my entire life.”
I roll off the chair and grab the spared leg, curling up as shock settles in, making me feel hot.
“Matt, are you okay?” Aaron asks, crying on the other side of the room.
“He’ll live,” Levi concludes before dropping the wrench back in the drawer. He then picks up a bottle of water, unscrews the top and hands it to me. “Even though with this degree of stupidity, he might not last long.”
I’m wheezing, fighting bouts of nausea, but the water helps. Aaron turns around to wipe the tears off his face.
Levi sits at the table. “So. Now that we established you don’t actually want your leg broken, can I find out what this madness is really about?”
My heart is pounding like mad and I don’t think I’m able to stand up just yet. “I was the troll,” I utter. “I kissed him. So the guy he’s meeting is a fake.”
Levi hums as understanding passes over his face.
“So… hang on, weren’t you the token straight?”
Aaron laughs through his sobs. “Not anymore.”
My shoulders sag. “I think I like Cass.” I know I do, but it feels like such an enormous thing to admit.”
Levi’s face is stony. “Let me get this straight. You’re crushing on your gay friend, and know someone is trying to get into his pants under false pretenses, and you’d rather have your leg broken instead of telling him you like him? By the way, how would getting a fracture help your situation?”
Aaron has finally stopped crying, and sits next to Levi, pale as a sheet.
I’m trembling at this point. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. What else can I do?” I don’t even care how whiny I sound.
Levi watches me and pulls out his phone. Seconds later, there’s a ringing tone. It takes a few times, but eventually someone picks up the call.
“Hey, Cass. Listen, I’ve got a bit of a situation. Your friend Matt threw up all over the bathroom, and he’s not feeling so great. Would you mind picking him up? I’m worried he’s not making it home on foot in his state. Yeah? Okay. See you in a bit.” He ends the call and raises his eyebrows.
All I can think of is that I’m jealous he still has Cass’s number.
“Oh, my God! Why did you not think of that? Why go to the extremes right away?” Aaron cries and leaps at Levi, who grows stiff during the brief hug. Aaron is not a hugger, so he must have been seriously freaked out. He pulls away, blushing, and starts pacing while Levi meets my gaze. He is infuriatingly calm.