The Best Mate He Trusted Wanted Me More Chapter 09

The Best Mate He Trusted Wanted Me More Chapter 09

I was about to say “we only cooked and ate together,” but he clamped his hand over my mouth.

The broken look in his eyes made the room feel heavier.

“Cut it off. Now.”

I nodded.

“He’s already blocked.”

I hadn’t seen Rowan in days.

If it weren’t for occasionally remembering his cooking at mealtime, I could’ve forgotten him entirely.

Julian pulled me into a tight, burning embrace.

He took a shaky breath and held me close.

“Sleep. I’m tired.”

The reader feed delivered its verdict.

“A devastated boyfriend trying very hard not to ask follow-up questions.”

“Clara acting innocent while the evidence has abs. Bold strategy.”

Rowan still showed up.

Dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Why are you here?”

Julian set the dishes on the table, surprised.

He’d started cooking for me every day lately.

The taste was still a work in progress.

“I kept inviting you out and you kept saying no. I miss you.”

The last three words came out through clenched teeth.

Rowan scanned the table.

“So this is why you’ve been cooking lately. Makes sense.”

Julian handed him utensils.

“Want to join?”

I frowned.

“He’s probably already eaten.”

Before I could finish, Rowan sat down.

Julian kept piling food onto my plate, watching me expectantly.

“How is it?”

I didn’t hold back.

“Delicious.”

From beside me came a smug voice.

“Eggplant’s overdone. Fish is too salty. Potatoes aren’t fully cooked…”

Julian cut him off coldly.

“Then don’t eat.”

I blinked.

I knew Rowan had saved Julian from drowning as a kid, so Julian always treated him with patience and generosity.

Rowan’s expression soured too.

After we finished, I said I needed to pick something up at the Knightsbridge department store.

Julian grabbed his keys and followed.

“Let’s go. I’ll drive.”

He glanced at Rowan, still seated at the table.

“You can head home yourself…”

Rowan stood up and fell into step beside us.

“I’m heading to Knightsbridge too. What a coincidence.”

The atmosphere was suffocating.

I glanced at Julian’s stiff face, then at Rowan.

His eyes were locked on me, and I wanted to roll mine.

“Fine. Let’s all go.”

Julian broke the silence first.

We’d barely stepped outside when I noticed my shoelace was loose.

Julian noticed too.

He handed me the keys and started to crouch.

But my eyes went wide as Rowan dropped to one knee in front of me.

The reader feed exploded.

“He’s been trained. No notes.”

“One week without seeing her and he’s fighting for a shoelace. Down bad.”

“Julian reached for the key. Rowan reached for the job. That says enough.”

Awkward didn’t even begin to describe it.

Rowan stayed cool.

He stood, brushed the dust off his knee, and nodded.

“Let’s go.”

Before he could finish, Julian grabbed him by the collar.

I’d never seen Julian lose it like this. A vein stood out at his temple, like he’d been holding it in forever.

“I knew it was you all along. You’ve been chasing Clara this whole time?”

“That voice. And that little scar on your waist in the photos. It was you.”

“No wonder you kept telling me to break up with her. You’ve been after my girlfriend this whole time. You backstabbing snake.”

Rowan shoved his arm off.

His face was flushed from the chokehold.

“You can’t make your own decisions and you’re blaming me for stepping in? If I had a girlfriend this gorgeous, I wouldn’t go out drinking every night.”

The reader feed was loving it.

“Did he just insult Julian and compliment Clara in the same sentence? Efficient.”

Julian was shaking with rage.

“Who kept dragging me out drinking? The last few times I showed up, you weren’t even there. I should’ve known. You’d send me off so you could come after my girlfriend. Homewrecker.”