Misery Loves Company

Track 49: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

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Misery Loves Company

By: theinkslingerr

Track 49: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

"Uh..."

That was all I managed to get out before Rocco stood and strolled over with purpose. He slid his hand in mine and pulled me behind him up the stairs. I looked over my shoulder as we ascended and caught a glimpse of everyone's shocked faces.

Ackerman's was the best by far. He looked like the lead angry bird. The red one with the bushy eyebrows and the scowl.

We ran into Paula in the living room. You could tell she'd been busy in the kitchen because it smelled delicious.

"Are you done already?" Her forehead wrinkled in confusion, eyes traveling down to take in our clasped hands.

"No. I just wanted to talk to Miz." Rocco's grip tightened. "Sorry, this is your house and all, but do you think we could have the room?"

Paula glanced at me and whatever she saw in my face allowed her to say yes. "Just let me check on the food and I'll be out of your hair." She exited quickly. We heard shuffling in the kitchen then seconds later the sound of a door shutting. Rocco and I stood in the middle of the paisley explosion that was the Diaz's living room holding hands. Eventually, he led me to the couch, positioned me in front of it, and pressed on my shoulder with the hand that wasn't hanging in a sling. I sat, then looked up at him. He looked down, opened his mouth, but was interrupted by his phone ringing. Groaning, he reached into his pocket for it.

The second he got a good look at the screen, Rocco scowled and powered the phone off before tossing it on the far end of the couch. He didn't bat an eye when it slid between the cushions.

Was he still getting those weird phone calls on top of everything else?

When his gaze slid back to mine, it was with some sheepishness. He scratched the back of his head and we fell into silence again. He'd seemed so sure when he stood up and brought me here, but now that we were actually alone, he was struggling.

"My doorman's pissed at me," he finally said.

I blinked. "Rowan?"

"Yes, Rowan. The day after you stopped by, he asked if I liked my surprise."

My cheeks warmed remembering how I'd asked him to let me up because I had a surprise for Rocco. That must've been a fun, revealing conversation. Thank god I wasn't there to witness it.

But now Rocco probably thought I'd planned to tell him I loved him when it had come as a shock to me too. I'd never actually done what I'd gone there to do; which was revealing the fact that Enid was blackmailing me— well, us technically— and I hadn't given him the chance to protect himself. I hadn't given him the chance to prepare or make his own decisions about the situation. I'd hidden it and lied, and tried to take matters into my own hands.

Man, no wonder he didn't trust people.

He sat down next to me, slowly. Like he didn't want to startle a skittish cat. "I told him I couldn't really appreciate my surprise in the moment, but that didn't mean I didn't like it. Must've sounded pretty ungrateful."