TOO GOOD ━ SUGG. ✓

chapter forty-four

"Alyssa, talk to me," Marcus pleaded as he set down two cups on the table and pulled out his seat. I looked around the coffee shop and sighed before looking back at him. Once he saw the look on my face, he frowned. "I mean it couldn't have been that bad, could it?"

"It's not that it was bad. It was going good, until-" I stopped and looked down at the plastic Starbucks cup in front of me that contained my frappé.

"Until?"

"Emma brought up Joe," I whispered before taking a sip of the drink in front of me.

"She what?" He asked, clearly thrown off by what I had said just a few moments ago.

"She brought up Joe," I repeated once again, unsure if he heard me properly the first time.

"No, no, I heard you the first time round," he waved his hand in dismissal as he sipped his drink. "I just don't understand why."

"She wanted to know if my past relationship with him was going to be the reason why I don't go through with the deal."

"I thought that you already said yes?"

"I did, but she wants me to leave when she's leaving which is exactly a week from now."

"How convenient."

"That's what I said, and then she questioned me."

"But what would possible get her to think like th-" he stopped mid-sentence and I swore that I saw the colour drain from his face. "Oh shit."

It took him a second to compose himself and before I do anything, he looked up at me, guilt evident in his expression. "I should've been the one to tell you, not her. I should've told you as soon as you got on the car but when you didn't know what was going on, I didn't want to be the one to ruin your day."

"I'm glad that you weren't the one to tell me, Marcus," I whispered before reaching across the table to squeeze his hand in reassurance. He smiled softly and started to talk again but I was completely distracted because of the two people that walked through the door. Marcus seemed to notice that I wasn't paying attention because I heard him stop and turn to look in the direction that I was fixated on.

"Joe and Caspar just happen to come to the same exact Starbucks that we're at. What a coincidence," he said sarcastically, but I had a strange feeling that he set it up all along. Caspar and I made eye contact and I saw him shove Joe slightly. Before I knew it, the two boys were walking towards our table.

"Alyssa, Marcus," Joe muttered softly as he approached our table with Caspar behind him.

"Joe," I found myself hissing out as I gritted my teeth and looked down at my drink. "What are you doing here?"

"Do you really have to ask that question?"

"You're wasting your time."

"Ten minutes, that's all I'm asking," he practically pleaded. I looked at him once and as our eyes made contact, I could see the desperation in them. I hesitated and then looked at Marcus, who seemed to get my message. He silently stood up, looked at Caspar and the two boys walked away.

"I'm sorry," Joe suddenly said he slid into the seat in front of me.

"It's not your fault."

"They're trying to protect me, and by doing that they're hurting you."

"Do I look hurt?" I asked and let out a soft sickening laugh.