Unbreakable: A Salvation Society Novel

by Georgia Coffman

  “It’s not how it sounds.”

  “Then how is it exactly?” Raven puts her hands on her hips, her glare becoming murderous.

  “He’s a client.” I turn my frown toward him, my eyes watering with unshed sadness.

  “You work together?” she screeches and places her hand on her stomach like this piece of news sickens her.

  “You didn’t even tell her we have a working relationship?” I hiss, staring at him in disbelief.

  “I knew you’d get worked up about it,” he says to Raven.

  “And why’s that? If there’s nothing between you and this woman, why would I get worked up?” She shakes her head like she doesn’t want to know the answer. “You’re a real asshole, aren’t you?”

  “I should go.” I slump against the wall and brush past Raven, not allowing either of them the satisfaction of seeing me break.

  No more.

  “Jersey, wait,” Aiden calls after me, echoing in this alleyway and the walls of my heart, and Raven scoffs.

  My heart sinks further.

  The name he used to call me. Our friendship. Our night together—it’s all ruined.

  This is what I was afraid of. That I’d attempt to get closure, and it would blow up in my face.

  But it turned out worse. So much worse.

  He told his girlfriend he barely knew me, like I was a smudge on his life that he easily wiped away.

  I hail a cab with little effort, and I’d like to celebrate. To turn around and smile at Aiden because the small victories used to give us life.

  Picnics with cheap burgers.

  Cheese fries at poetry readings.

  Riding in the car with no destination in mind.

  Now, it’s the monumental disappointments that take it away and drive a wedge between us.

  I give the driver the address to the train station, forcing myself not to look back. Not to see them making up.

  Not to cry anymore.

  I lean against the headrest as we hit traffic and close my eyes.

  “What about this one?” I come out of the fitting room wearing a navy and white striped dress that’s short and flirty—perfect for summer. I walk down the hall to where Aiden sits cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the wall. “What do you think?”

  He sits up straighter, raking his gaze over me. He’s silent for a few seconds, making me shift from one foot to the other, nervous.

  “The mannequin wore it better, didn’t it?” I frown.

  “No, that’s not it at all.” He stands, wiping his palms down his jeans. “You look great. Much better than the mannequin.” His expression softens as a smile spreads. “You look like you’re ready to go sailing.”

  “Good. I want to fit in with the yacht clubs of New York City someday, so I need to look the part now.” I cover my laugh with one hand as we stare at each other.

  “You’ll fit right in.”

  I shrug, taking a deep breath, my smile faltering. “Dave’s right. It’s only a fantasy.”

  He moves toward me. “Sage, you’ve talked about this fantasy, as you call it, a lot since I met you. It’s more than a fleeting thought.” He puts his hands in his pocket like he’s afraid to continue but does so, anyway. “And why shouldn’t you want more? Why shouldn’t you move to New York instead of back to your hometown? You can do whatever you want.”

  I bite my lip to keep myself from telling him how badly I want that more than moving back home. More than what a small town has to offer.

  “It’s good to dream. To want something seemingly impossible. It makes it that much more special and satisfying when you make it come true.”

  There’s something in his eyes—a spark.

  He gets it.

  And I like it.

  His phone dings, and he fishes it out of his pocket, his expression falling. “Dave’s class let out early, and he needs a ride.”

  “Okay, let me change real fast, and we’ll go.”

  “Toss me the dress, and I’ll check out while you get ready.”

  My cheeks blush at his thoughtful gesture. “Thank you.”

  He gives me a tight-lipped smile, and I walk to the fitting room in a daze.

  Why did my stomach flutter?

  “We’re here.”

  I open my eyes, and in the rearview mirror, I notice the driver watching me with concern, a crease between his thick brows. Thanking him, I swipe my card on his machine to pay and step onto the sidewalk in front of the train station.

  I stare at my phone the entire way home, willing it to ring.

  Willing Aiden’s name to pop up.

  But when I reach my apartment building, I still don’t have any calls or texts from Aiden. No apologies. No explanation.

  I shouldn’t have expected any, but I hoped he would call. That he would say it was all a misunderstanding.

  I hoped he’d follow me here.

  The whole way home—and ever since I saw him a few weeks ago—I hoped.

  Because even after all these years, no matter how badly I don’t want to let him affect me, he still makes my heart flutter.

  The same heart he constantly crushes.

  He didn’t even tell his girlfriend about me.

  I meant nothing to him back then, and it’s the same now.

  It’s time I give up, right? Take the hint? Move on?

  I have to.

  Chapter Twelve

  AIDEN

  I step inside my apartment with Raven on my heel. She slams the door behind her, and I steel myself for a fight.

  I’m surprised when she doesn’t immediately yell or throw everything she can find. The ride on the subway must’ve calmed her down. As I head to the refrigerator for a beer, Raven remains silent, and it might actually be worse than her hurling my toaster at me.

  Bottle in hand, I lean my hip against the kitchen counter, waiting.

  “I thought you were working late.” She crosses her arms, and the hurt is more obvious than if she painted it across her forehead. She’s more upset than furious.

  My gut twists. “I was working, but Westin asked me to take the night off, so I could—”

  “So you could hang out with your other girlfriend?”

  Even though I know she’s in pain, her calling Sage my girlfriend makes me see red. “She’s not my girlfriend. She never was,” I grind out, then take a sip of beer to wash down the angry distaste bubbling inside.

  “You two sure were cozy in the alleyway.”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Raven.”

  “Probably because you won’t tell me the truth about her. It’s obvious you two don’t just work together. You call her Jersey. I mean, you have a nickname for her, for fuck’s sake!”

  She cringes when she says Jersey as if it repulses her.

  And it makes me tense all over again.

  We’re at a standstill, watching each other as the silence stretches between us, and uncertainty surrounds us like a coffin.

  I should apologize. Grovel. Get on my knees and beg her to stay.

  But I don’t move or say anything. My tongue feels like lead, tamping down the words.

  “She’s the one, isn’t she?”

  I meet her defeated gaze with my own confused one. “What do you mean?”

  All disdain disappears from her voice and demeanor, leaving a sad and vulnerable woman in front of me. One I barely recognize, and it fucking kills me to know I’m doing this to her.

  “She’s what’s been holding you back. Why I haven’t moved in here with you. Why we aren’t taking the next step. It’s her you’ve been waiting for.”

  “You basically live here.” I shake my head, my chest heavy and sullen.

  “Basically. Not officially. My name isn’t on the lease or the bills. I’ve been staying at my place more the last few weeks, ever since karaoke night at the bar with Sage,” she bites out. “And you haven’t even noticed.”

  “Raven, I’ve been busy with the company. You know I’ve had a
lot—”

  “Stop with the excuses, A. Be fucking straight with me like an adult.”

  I sip my beer, and it’s hard to swallow. “I am an adult. It’s you who keeps treating me like I’m not.”

  “Excuse me?” She scoffs.

  “Come on, Raven. You want to take me shopping, you check up on me whenever I’m working late as if I’ve missed curfew—you baby me.”

  “You’re mad because I’m nurturing? Because I care so much about you that I take time out of my schedule to make sure you eat?” She throws her hands up. “Unbelievable,” she mutters more to herself than me.

  “You know how much I appreciate it, but every now and then, it’d be nice to make my own decisions about the rug I use in my den.” I pause, sighing with exasperation.

  She drops her arms to her side.

  I set my beer on the coffee table and pace.

  This is it. The end. Even if I wasn’t confused right now and wanted her to, Raven’s not going to stick around after this. I’ve been unfair to her.

  And even though what I’ve said about her is true, it’s not the entire story. When I look at her, I sense she knows it too—I’m grasping at straws to avoid facing the real problem.

  But I can’t keep lying to her.

  “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” I grip the back of my neck with both hands. “I thought it was behind me. I wasn’t supposed to see her again.”

  “You can stop pretending you’re not glad you did now.” She shifts, staring at me like she doesn’t know me anymore. As if I’m someone else entirely.

  Part of me knows she’s telling the truth, but I can’t admit it—to her or to myself.

  “That’s it, then? You have nothing else to say?”

  I can’t look at her. If I do, I’ll see the hurt I’ve caused her. The hurt I never intended.

  No words can take that away, but I offer her one thing. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, and I mean it.

  “Don’t.” She shakes her head, backing toward the door. “I’ve wasted enough time here.”

  She leaves me standing in my loft with only the echo of the door slamming.

  The coat rack she bought for the loft seems ten times bigger, towering over me.

  The room feels small.

  “She’s what’s been holding you back… It’s her you’ve been waiting for.”

  My head is heavy as the truth of her statement weighs on me—I hate it. I hate that she’s right. That I’m not over Sage.

  I hate that I’ve loved her for far longer than two years in college.

  And for the second time in my life, I’ve let Sage Matthews turn my world upside down.

  Fuck.

  “What’re you doing here?” I blink.

  Jersey’s standing at my door, chest heaving, cheeks flushed, and I can’t move. Not after what I said to her outside the bar earlier tonight.

  “You said you like me.” She pants like she ran here. “Did you mean what you said, or was it the beer talking?”

  “I meant every word.” I clench my jaw, and my gaze bores into hers so there’s no room for misunderstanding or doubt. “But it doesn’t matter, does it? Because you don’t feel the same, so spare me.”

  “That’s not fair. You didn’t even give me a chance to think about this. I broke up with Dave two weeks ago, and you’re his best friend. You’re my friend. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

  “There’s no avoiding that.”

  “I needed time,” she whispers, her bottom lip trembling like she knows what she wants but is afraid to say it. “I thought I did, anyway, but now…”

  “What? What do you need now?” I hold my breath as I wait for her answer, steeling myself for the worst, but hoping for the best.

  “You. I need you.”

  She steps over the threshold, into my arms, and crushes her lips to mine. They’re sweet and full and eager.

  I can finally breathe.

  With Sage in my arms, melting against me, everything feels right.

  I exit the train station and find a taxi.

  “Where to, boss?” the driver asks once I close the door behind me.

  I rattle off her address and run my palms down my jeans, nausea rolling through me as I remember the best feeling Sage had ever given me—and the worst.

  “Don’t go to him,” I plead, tugging her sleeve so she’ll come back to bed. “Stay with me.”

  But she answers his call, moving to the next room, talking in hushed tones like she’s trying to hide it from me.

  In my gut, I know, though. The sun has risen, a new day, but the old feelings remain. It’s hard to compete with her history with Dave.

  A small part of me hangs on to hope, though. She came to my apartment last night. Spent the night in my bed. Made love to me.

  It was perfect.

  “I need to go.” She returns, her gaze traveling from my bare chest to my eyes, and I’m crushed.

  The small hope I was holding on to vanishes like a ghost in the night, questioning if it was ever here to begin with—if any of this was ever real.

  She licks her lips. “Aiden, Dave’s grandpa died. He’s really upset and needs someone.” She rushes around my room for her clothes, then leans over to kiss my cheek. “We’ll talk soon, okay?”

  Her lips say one thing, but her eyes say another.

  And when I catch her kissing Dave two days later, I know I was right.

  As the cab pulls to a stop in front of her building, I’m tempted to ask him to turn around. This is a mistake.

  Sage and I are a natural disaster ready to take down everything around us—it already did that to Raven.

  But I get out, anyway, because I know I won’t be able to stay away from her. We’ll always find each other, because someone out there in the universe likes to fuck with me.

  I practically run to the elevator.

  Down the hall.

  My heart and rage ball in my throat as I knock.

  Once Sage opens the door, her eyes wide and questioning, I step inside without an invitation and pace the small living room. “I broke up with Raven.”

  “Are you okay?”

  I whirl around to her. “No,” I seethe. “I’m not okay, and it’s your fault.”

  She pushes off the door toward me, scoffing. “How is it my fault that you didn’t tell your girlfriend the truth about me? Please, enlighten me.”

  I grind my teeth so hard I could crack a tooth. “Why would I tell her about the gut-wrenching pain you caused me? How I’m still not over it, even though I thought I was? That I can’t stop thinking about why you said it was because of me that you and your husband divorced.”

  She stands back, crossing her arms.

  “My God, Sage, why did you marry him in the first place?” My anger seeps out of the cracks in my voice as I unleash the questions I’ve been holding in. “I loved you. I would’ve given you everything.”

  “But you didn’t.” She starts to turn toward the kitchen, and I grab her arm to stop her. When she lifts her devastating brown eyes—eyes filled with ghosts that mirror my own—I suddenly want to hold her. To make her feel better, even though she’s the cause of my pain.

  “Why?” I whisper.

  “I waited for you for weeks, which turned into months. I was alone and—” She sucks in a sharp breath like she wants to say something else. She’s hiding something. Wiggling out of my grasp, she says, “You disappeared to fucking Europe, and I never saw you again. So maybe you should be explaining why to me, because from where I was sitting, watching your social media week after week, you didn’t seem to care at all.”

  I cringe.

  “You posted picture after picture with a new girl every week, so please, don’t bullshit me. You weren’t upset about me, and you definitely didn’t love me, Aiden.” She glares.

  “I didn’t—” I wince, my heart still racing. “I just needed to get away. After I saw you with Dave, I couldn’t fucking see straight. I mean, you said it yourself that you and Dave
had a history.”

  “And I wanted a future.” She softens her expression a fraction as the lump in my throat grows. “A future with you.”

  “I didn’t think I had that option, Jersey. I was stupid, but I loved you.” I curse under my breath.

  “If you loved me, you would’ve let me explain,” she whispers. “I could’ve told you that I didn’t kiss him back. That I told him it was over, even though that made me a bitch since his grandfather had died. But I wanted you, Aiden. I wanted to be with you.”

  The way she talks. The agony in her voice… This thing between us has haunted her as long as it has me.

  But it doesn’t make my anger dissipate.

  My head spins with all the emotions coursing through me.

  If what she’s saying is true, that she loved me, then why? She didn’t just go back to him—she fucking married him. It’s why I’ve been so angry at her. Why—

  “I was pregnant.”

  My heart stops—I freeze.

  The sounds of the city, the hum of her refrigerator, her pants—everything is muffled.

  What the…

  Chapter Thirteen

  SAGE

  I gulp, fearing what he’ll say. What he’ll think.

  What I’ll see when he stops spinning in place and faces me again.

  This is it.

  “I found out I was pregnant after your graduation. I was about to start my senior year of college,” I continue, my voice shaky. “I didn’t have a job. My meager scholarships weren’t going to support a baby. My relationship with my mom had already become nonexistent, but I went to her for help, anyway. She freaked and refused. Said I got myself into that mess and had to deal with it myself. I was alone, Aiden. Scared. No plan. Nothing.”

  He slowly turns, his throat bobbing as he swallows.

  “Jersey…” He frowns, the lines in his forehead prominent. His eyes dart from me to the floor to the window, as he seemingly tries to fill in the blanks.

  I fidget with my hands in front of me as his lips twist.

  Finally, he meets my gaze head-on. “Was it…”

  “She was yours.” My voice cracks.

  He stumbles backward as I deliver the final blow. The one secret I’ve only ever uttered once before in a drunken haze to a close friend. The man I’ve been running from now knows.