Torn Between The Carter Brothers

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Addison

I have a lot of questions to ask, but | feel like it’s just best to leave those questions for later seeing as the two

men who | could ask these questions looked pissed as fuck right now. And watching them lose it in the museum

just now showeda glimpse of just how much they hate each other, and right now, | realized that it was far

deeper than | initially realized.

Right after we got thrown out of the museum, we went into the cafe right beside the museum, and that’s where

we're all presently in, around a table, while the two men scowled while nursing cups of

coffee.

Aisha was on her phone, and beside her, Marco was briefly running a towel through his hair. | was sitting beside

Zade, mopping his hair with a towel while wishing that | could do this for Marco right

now as well.

“You had to go and ruin this day for us, didn’t you?” Zade finally broke the silence and as expected,

macro leveled him with a sharp glare.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You punchedfirst. You brought up the past, which is just a make belief version of the story. It's your fault

from all angles.”

Marco scowled darkly at Zade and looked like he was seriously considering starting the fight once again, already

rising from his seat.

“Marco, please...” | called out quietly, not wanting them to go at it again, cause the last one I just witnessed

looked scary as hell.

Marco's eyes met with mine for a moment, then he was sitting and pressing his towel against his face, while

Aisha still remained on her phone. | wanted to ask Marco if he’s alright, if he wanted a hug, or anything else, but

that would seem really inappropriate right now, seeing as | technically have a boyfriend, but my heart ached in

my chest at the thought of Marco hurting.

| let out a sigh and turned to face Zade who was already staring atand | blushed at being caught staring at

Marco. Zade didn’t say a thing, he only arched a brow atand | resumed mopping his hair while wondering if

what Marco said about him was true or not. | stared closely at Zade’s face as | tried to figure that out, but | found

that hard to click in my head.

Zade might seem like such a playboy, but I just couldn't picture him purposely fucking his brother's girlfriend,

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Chapter 26

| mean, in our own case, | was the one who asked him to fuck me, not the other way around, so | seriously doubt

that.

“Are you alright?” | asked him quietly and he was silent at first before slowly nodding while exhaling a long

breath.

After that, Zade faced the other couple. Marco was staring at us when | glanced back in his direction, a dark

expression across his face and | didn’t know if he was mad at Zade, or atfor comforting him.

“I think this is the part where we split up. Clearly, the double date isn’t going like any of us anticipated.” Zade

spoke and | instantly expected everyone to agree. However, Aisha finally kept her phone on the table as she

gasped in bewilderment.

“What? Why? Let's not do that!”

Marco tensely nodded beside her. “I agree with Aisha, there's no point in cutting it off halfway.”

Zade snorted beside me. “You look like you want to punchagain, and yet you're still interested in

this date?”

He shrugged. “I can control myself, and besides, this is for my girlfriend,Addison and for us three to make some

memories. It's a shthat you're also present.”

| felt my heart jump in my chest at those words, before it sank a little because | quickly reminded myself that

those words didn’t mean anything, nor did it indicate that he still likedor something.

“If you're sure you can control yourself, then why not?” Zade finally sighed before glancing at me.

“You're cool with this, right babe?”

My cheeks flushed at that nickname, that was completely new.

“Uh-yeah, anything is fine with me.” | muttered, but | was glad that we didn’t depart from Marco just yet. | still

wanna keep staring at his handsface every now and then even though he clearly belonged to someone else.

“Of course anything's fine with you.” Aisha snickered as she rolled her eyes and | scoffed as | scowled

at her.

“Don’t you have a wedding to plan?” | snapped and she rolled her eyes.

“A bunch of wedding planners, My mother and Marco’s mother are taking care of everything, if you must know.

The only thing that’s left is the dance rehearsals of all the bridesmaids tonight, and | hope you can dance cause

you're a part.”

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Chapter 26

My eyes widened in confusion. “What?”

She shrugged. “Marco said you'd be interested.”

I glanced at Marco who nodded. “I forgot to tell you since, but a dress was made for you and all. I'd really like it if

you're present besideat the wedding supportingand this was the closest position | could find. Will you do

it? It would makereally happy,” he looked earnest right now, his brown eyes pulling me.

It was at the tip of my tongue to say yes without questions, cause that’s what I'd have usually done, however,

this time, | shook my head.

“I can’t do it, Marco, I'm sorry.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“You didn’t tellbeforehand...”

“I forgot, Addi. Please do it for me, you know | draw strength from your presence.” He continued and my heart

fluttered and sank at those words. | was glad he sawas his strength, but sad that it’s the only thing he still

seesas, despite all the acts I've put in in the past two days.

“I can’t do it, Marco. I'll just support you from the crowd, okay?”

| hated the wedding happening in two days and I'm still hoping that he’d cancel it, so no way would | agree to do

that.

Marco didn’t respond, he just glanced away, and | felt sick to my stomach, like I had hurt him and needed to

apologize.

The air was tense around us, and | remained rigid, staring down at my coffee till Zade’s hand settled on my

thigh, the grip firm and consuming. | let out a shaky breath as all my focus instantly transferred to that hand,

then our eyes met. It felt like he was tellingthat | just did a good job, and that thought was confirmed when

he nodded once.

Weirdly, that made my heart flutter.

After we finally left the cafe, we resumed the double date.

| had thought that I'd be completely entranced with Marco as usual and unable to think of anything but him,

however | was quickly realizing how wrong | had been.

Something was happening to me. | didn’t realize when it started happening, but now, | was thinking

of Zade a lot.

Bil)

Chapter 26

One moment, Marco was in my mind, then Zade’s fingers were burning into my waist through the thin material

of my dress, and that was all Id start thinking about at once.

It was confusing.

It was maddening.

it was even annoying.

The rest of the date was quite eventful. We did a lot of things, including attending a park and for the first time,

after Zade pressuredand promised that | was gonna love it, | agreed to try one ride. And | clung to his strong

hands in there while screaming my lungs off, while he kept laughing his lungs off as the ride tilted up upside

down completely.

When we alighted, | was too weak to stand and he carriedwhile laughing. A lot of people were staring, but he

didn’t seem to care, and that was what madeunable to tear my eyes away from his face, the way he just

doesn’t care and just dies whatever he wants, that was so admirable and | hope

that one day | have grow into someone as sure and confident as him.

When we arrived at where Marco and Aisha were waiting, Marco gave us an unimpressed look.

“Really? She can’t walk? You just love attention, Zade. It’s like you'd die if you don’t try to get all the attention to

yourself. It's a shthat you keep indulging him, Addison, but this is embarrassing, so cdown and stand

on your own legs.” Marco snapped and | felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment as | instantly tried to hop

down, my heart sinking with a heavy discomfort.

Throughout the rest of our dates, the times Marco has really directly spoken towere of him. sounding like

this: annoyed, disappointed, remindingof the fact that I still owed him an apology for refusing to be a

bridesmaid at his wedding, even though I feel like | didn’t have to apologize for that, especially seeing as he

didn’t informbeforehand.

Before | could do that, Zade’s grip aroundwas tightening and he heldfirmly against his chest as he

drawled. “We're not doing anything bad, it’s a fucking park. Live a little, brother.”

With those words, Zade spinnedaround and | screamed while clutching his shoulders tightly, my heart

pounding hard as my hair kept whipping around in the wind.

After he received a phone call that he had to go answer, | was left alone with Marco and Aisha for the first time

since the restart of our date.

Aisha’s left to use the restroom next, leavingalone with Marco. | instantly tensed up, my heart instantly

pounding cause | instantly felt his eyes on me. | want to glance at him, but | also want to

keep acting oblivious, with Zade’s suggestion in my mind, to not privately speak with him throughout

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Chapter 26

this date so he’d be intrigued and...

G

“Addi?” He whispered, his voice sounding super close and when | glanced sideways, he was mere inches away

from my face and my eyes widened as my heart lurched into my throat.

Oh my god.

50%

His face was so close to mine. | want to run away cause | was weak, but | also want to kiss him right

now.

Does he want to kiss me?

My question was answered when he cupped my face and leaned even closer, making my heart pound hard

against my ribs as | stared at him with bated breath.

After a few seconds, he let out a small sigh and pulled away, then glanced down at his phone, and I've never felt

as stupid as | felt right now.

| felt so stupid and hurt that | felt tears well in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

I'm really so pathetic...

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