Page 84 of Fight for You

"No," I tell him, refusing to be swayed by his stance. It's not a lie because I didn't ask her to marry me. There wasn't a question involved. I wasn't even about to give her a chance to shoot me down. Not that I think she would or anything, but still…I wasn't taking a chance with that shit.

"You put a ring on her finger," he says, still not turning to face me.

"You've known since we were kids that I love her. Don't know why you're suddenly surprised I put a ring on her finger," I mutter, crossing my arms and leaning back against the door frame. It kills me that things between us have reached this point where the only time we talk is to take swipes at each other.

I'm still mad as hell that he's running around with Kaleo. Part of me resents him for forcing me to lie to her every goddamn day. Except to omit the fact that I'm a millionaire, I've never lied to her.

"Fuck," Titan huffs and then sighs. "I don't want to fight with you, man. I'm glad she chose you. You'll take care of her, give her the kind of life she deserves. I'm not mad about it."

"Then what do you want, Titan?" I ask, staring holes in his back. "Because it's her birthday, and I'd rather be in there putting a smile on her face than freezing out here with your moody ass."

He jerks like my words wounded him, but I doubt that. What I think stopped mattering to him a long damn time ago. Well before I ever even realized that, as much as I wanted him in my life, he didn't want me in his. I resent him for that, too. Maybe my fuck-up was the excuse he used when he went running to Kaleo, but I think he was just looking for a reason all along. He grasped onto the first one he could find, regardless of what anyone else thought.

"Fuck this," I mutter and turn to go back inside to January when he doesn't say anything. He already ruined the day she got accepted to UCLA. I'll be damned if I let him ruin this one for her too.

"Wait," he says when my hand lands on the doorknob.

I lift my gaze to find him watching me this time. Regret shines in his eyes, and sorrow clings to him. He appears wrecked as he pushes his hand through his hair, fucking up those perfectly tailored spikes he's worn for as long as I've known him. He doesn't seem to care. He props himself up on the porch railing and studies me.

"I lied to you," he mumbles.

I snort, not surprised by that.

"I didn't start dealing for Kaleo because of you. I did it because January didn't get her financial aid."

"What are you talking about? Of course she got financial aid."

"Not all of it," he says, crossing his arms over his chest. He kicks at a loose nail in the porch railing. "Not enough to cover her expenses. Mom found out a couple of weeks after Tony attacked her that she made too much because of all the hours she worked. They weren't going to give January all the financial aid she needed to attend a school like UCLA. I found Mom sitting in the living room, bawling because she couldn't give her little girl her dream."

"Shit," I mutter and release the doorknob. I press my forehead to the door. We both know January wanted to go to UCLA because of me. That's the only reason she picked such an expensive school.

"It's a good school," Titan says like he knows where my head is at. "I never blamed you for her wanting to go there. Didn't blame you for the choices I made to make sure she got to go, either."

He might not blame me, but he doesn't know about the millions still sitting in a trust fund. Had he come to me and told me about January, though, I would have emptied that damn account to get her to UCLA. But he never said anything. Not a word.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, looking up at him.

He shrugs. "You had enough to deal with. I didn't want you worrying about this, too. I knew you'd go to Kaleo if you knew, and I didn't want you throwing away your life just to make sure she got what she wanted. She needs you. After Tony attacked her, you were the only one who could calm her down. I realized then that you'll always be the one she needs when she's hurting. You love her the way she deserves. She's happy with you, and I know you'll always fight to keep her safe. She'll never have to go through shit alone so long as she has you. It was easier for me to be the sacrificial lamb. I had nothing to lose by going to him. You did."

"I wouldn't have gone to him," I mumble and shake my head. "I'm a millionaire."

Titan laughs like he thinks I'm messing with him. He sobers when I don't laugh, too. He cocks his head to the side, his amusement dying. "You're serious, aren't you?"

I nod. "Found out the day Ma Lucia died. My mom's parents were rich. Her dad owned a bunch of wineries or distilleries or something. They left everything to her. When she died, it passed to me."

"Jesus Christ," Titan breathes, shock written all over his face. "You never said anything."

"Didn't want it to change us." It's my turn to shrug. "My mom and Ma Lucia didn't need the money to make a life for themselves. I didn't think I needed it either. I'd rather live on this block for the rest of my fucking life than lose you and January over money I never asked for and never wanted. But I would have emptied that fucking account for her if you would have come to me."

"Does she know?"

I shake my head. "No one does."

"Jesus," he whispers, shaking his head regretfully. "Her scholarship came through right after she got her acceptance letter. She's got enough to cover her tuition and living expenses. She won't need your money. She won't have to touch the money I put aside for her either."

"But you kept on dealing for him. Why?"

"At first, I did it because I was pissed off at you," he admits. His brow furrows like he's thinking hard about his answer. "You threw down a gauntlet, and I'm an asshole who couldn't resist picking the damn thing up. I wanted you to hate me. Figured it'd be easier that way. You'd get January out of here and never look back."