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record book and she knows it. Selena raises her hands, flashing me her palms in defeat. “Okay, okay, but if you do, you better tell me.”
    I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”
     
    ***
     
    After the steakhouse Selena and I stay at my house for the rest of the day. We didn’t do much. She helped me clean and prepare dinner then we went down to the store to buy snacks for our movie night. When we were back at home I strangely couldn’t stop thinking about Blade. I scroll to his name on my contact list and stare at it.
    “Maybe I should call him...” I tell Selena as she puts the chicken on the portable grill.
    “Call who?”
    “Blade.”
    She stops what she’s doing and faces me. Without warning, her hand firmly slaps my cheek, tossing my head to the side. My skin burns and anger prickles across my flesh.
    “What the hell, Selena?”
    She pulls my phone from my hands and tosses it into the lounge room. It bounces off a fluffy, blue cushion and then onto my turquoise shaggy rug. “You cannot call him. He’ll use whatever sneaky shit he can to weasel his way back into your life. He cheated on you—a million times. You deserve someone better than him.”
    “I know, but I should call him and see if he’s okay.”
    She shook her head as she tied her curls into a bun on the top of her head. “He’s fine. Don’t convince yourself that he’s sitting at home staring at the phone waiting for you to call because he isn’t. He’ll be out somewhere hitting on girls and drinking until he passes out. Fuck that noise.”
    I turn from her to pour Caesar sauce onto the salad mix. I know I’m not the one who did the wrong thing, but am I supposed to let six years go down the drain like it meant nothing? Is that how it works? Six years of your life is a long time to give to someone. I should at least clear the air between us so it makes me feel better about wasting so much time.
    Selena finishes mixing the chicken with the salad and leaves it to cool.
    “I need to pee.” She announces, leaving the kitchen in pursuit of the toilet.
    As soon as I hear the bathroom door close I run for my phone and step outside. I dial Blade’s number and for the first time ever, he answers immediately.
    “Are you fucking a guy named Seth Marc?” There’s no warmth to his voice and it startles me.
    “Hello to you too...”
    “Answer me.”
    “Who told you that? And how do you even know who he is? He’s new to town.”
    “A friend saw you with him at the steakhouse and everyone who follows amateur MMA knows who he is. I don’t want you seeing him.”
    The demand in his voice instantly pisses me off. How dare he tell me what to do?
    “I can see whoever I want to see. We aren’t together anymore, remember? I broke up with you.”
    I don’t deny whether or not I’m seeing Seth. Blade thinks I’m boring and plain so I want him to see that other men—sexy men—want me. I want him to see that he messed up.
    “Olly,” Blade breathes into the phone. “This guy beats people for a living. I don’t want you anywhere near him.” His tone takes a softer edge and it almost gets to me until I hear a girl in the background telling him to get back into the shower. I’m not going to lie, it hurt. Why did I even call him in the first place? I like the air between us just as it is—dirty—like him.
    “I’ll continue to see Seth if I want to.” I’m sure he can hear the tremor in my voice, but I’m thankful he can’t see my hands shaking. “You don’t own me, no one does!” I hang up as the bathroom door opens.
    Selena narrows her green eyes at me, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “Please tell me you did not just call Blade.”
    I push past her. “Yep and you’ll be glad to know it’s still over between us.”
    I throw my phone onto the couch and drop into a chair at the kitchen table. The look of the grilled chicken salad makes my mouth water. Regardless of how pissed off I am, a girl’s gotta eat. My stomach growls