Is This My Future (Dom's POV)

I turned up at Jake’s house having no idea what he wanted from me, we haven’t really spoken in a week considering he’s been MIA.

I let myself in like I always did when I was invited around, it was always Taylor’s open door policy that so many had adapted and the only time people knocked was when the front door was locked.

What I was met by pure and utter shock, there practically no furniture in here. There was boxes everywhere throughout the house, what the hell was I walking into with Jake?

“Dom! There you are mate, how you been?” Jake’s booming voice shocked me when he walked into the hallway carrying a box that had Taylor’s name written on it, in fact when I looked around the boxes all had either Jake or Taylor’s name written on them as well as what was housed in said box.

“I think right now you might be of concern for me,” I raised an eyebrow at him as I placed my hands in my pockets.

“Me, why me? I’m absolutely perfect,” he grinned at me.

“Really then why is there no furniture and everything seems to be in boxes with either yours or Tay’s name on it?” he placed the box on the ground and shrugged at me.

“Are you going to help or what?” he questioned, was this why I was here. To help him pack up the house? I was surprised he wasn’t burning Taylor’s stuff, there was only one reason as to why he would be doing this and that was because Taylor had finally made up her mind.

“Depends do I have to make sure you aren’t going to throw your suicidal self off the balcony?” he glared at me before flipping me off.

“Like I would allow him to do that, I’m not that much of self-centred bitch am I?” I heard Taylor’s voice before she came around the corner with a smirk on her face.

Now I was completely and utterly confused as to what was going on here, she flashed me a smile before she threw some bags on top of the boxes before turning to face Jake.

“I have to go Em needs my help with something, I’ll come back later.” She kissed his cheek before walking my way. “This is for you,” she handed me a letter before walking out the front door.

“What the hell am I missing?” I questioned once I snapped out of my daze.

“Oh we’re selling the house but first we need to clear it out, the realtor would prefer if we left furniture in here but some of this stuff belonged to Tay’s parents and she doesn’t want it to get damaged,” Jake spoke like it was nothing and I ended up having to trail after him like a lost puppy.

“What’s going on?”

“Read what Tay gave you, it will explain everything. I actually have to go meet a client, see you round mate.” He clapped me on the shoulder before heading upstairs and it wasn’t long until I heard the shower running.

I walked into what was once their living room glad to see there was still a couch, I sat down and pulled out the letter.

Dom,

I can imagine just how confused you are by what you walked into but Jake and I decided that we are better as friends, our relationship for who knows how long has been more friendly then romantic. Neither of us were happy and were too stubborn or had too much pride to voice our opinions on that matter considering we were both cheating for three years.

Jake and I are selling the house because neither of us want to live in it anymore, neither of us can do it because there are too many memories there for both of us making it too hard to live there without each other. Mostly on my part was what happened in our bedroom, Jake and I are staying friends, neither of us want to lose each other.

I’ve made my decision, I know I’ve taken way too long to tell either one of you what I want and what makes me happy so I can understand if you are no longer interested. I hate that I’ve strung you both along for as long as I did and I’m sorry if it hurt you in the end because that was never my intention.

If you are interested in what I have to say, come meet me tonight.

I knew that address, it was the place we went to on our first date all those years ago. A night when we were both incredibly nervous on how it would go but once we had some alcohol we had opened up and weren’t as nervous.

I placed my head in my hands, why did the letter also sound like a freaking goodbye.

“You alright mate?” Jake’s voice startled me and I looked up to see him already showered and dressed in one of his suits.

“I have to tell you something….” I had no idea what Taylor was telling me tonight, but I had to clear the air with Jake. I needed to tell him the truth, I knew I was the reason why Taylor never completely told him the truth when they broke up, it was because I didn’t want to lose my best friend.

“If it’s about you and Taylor having sex behind my back for three years don’t bother,” my mouth fell opened in shock. There was no anger about it at all, he waved me off.

“I figured it out and asked Taylor, we break up and then it’s the two of us fighting for her attention, I thought maybe there wasn’t exactly another guy. You rarely dated anyone else and the moments you did I found Taylor going on more runs than usual, her mood was worse off and it doesn’t take a genius to put it all together.” Jake spoke leaning against the archway.

“You aren’t mad?”

“Well I was a week ago but then I thought about it, I did a dog thing to my best mate by taking home the girl he loved all those years ago. I only deserve to have him screwing her behind my back but you made her happy Dom, it’s all I want for Taylor now. I didn’t love her like you do, I can’t hold that against you. I should have realised what was going on in front of my own eyes and Taylor and I should have broken up three years ago when we discovered that neither one wasn’t happy because in the end three people were hurt out of our relationship. We have been best friends for years, you are family and so is Taylor. Yes I’m annoyed you were both going behind my back but if you both are happy out of this then I’m happy…” he looked at his watch. “I really should go and you really should go hear Tay out, don’t be mad at her for taking her time.”

With that, Jake walked out leaving me alone in the house and my thoughts. I had voiced my concerns with Jake a couple of weeks back, I was beginning to worry that Taylor didn’t want anything to do with either of us.

I was worried that she was stringing us along in hopes of not losing either one of us, he just told me I was being an idiot.

But now seeing the letter and not having any hint as to what Tay wanted, I was worried about going tonight.

I knew she wouldn’t put in writing that she didn’t want me, she would say it to my face and that was worried me the most. I would be walking away from that spot either alone or with her and it’s the alone part that terrified me.

Decisions

“Tay are you alright?” I turned around and faced Jake, giving him a small nod.

Jake had asked me come over for dinner and I agreed because if I didn’t I knew I would be completely shutting the door on him, I was still unsure if I could close that part of my life.

“How long are you going to keep living with Emily, this is your home too. We brought this house together, it’s our home.” Jake spoke as he walked over and stood next to me where I was looking out the window facing our backyard, something I spent ages in trying to figure out what plants and trees I wanted.

“We’ve ruined what we had, me coming back here would just prove I’m okay with what happened when I’m not Jake. You still can’t promise you will stop chasing girls at the bar. That night I ended up in hospital, were you flirting with girls attempting to go home with them?” I questioned and when Jake moved his gaze I knew I was right, he couldn’t lie about this.

“I’m sorry Tay…”

“Don’t be Jake, we aren’t together. I admit I should have said something about it not only being you and Dom should have stepped up saying something as well, but honestly needs to go both ways. Maybe we just won’t work as a couple, maybe we need to realise that.” I spoke trying to keep my voice even, I didn’t want to let him know just how much I hated myself for this.

It’s been a month since I had that conversation with both Jake and Dom in Emily’s living room, I’ve spent time with both of them and I’ve been struggling with just how much I hate myself for doing this, for hurting someone who means so much to me.

“Tay you don’t mean that,” he looked at me in shock but I saw the pain in his eyes.

“Promise me, promise me that you can stop chasing girls down at the bar if I said right now that I choose you.”

He slightly shook his head before looking back out the window, “I can’t, because I don’t know if I can.” He voice broke and my heart did at the same time.

“Exactly and I can’t let myself go through that pain again Jake, I still don’t even know if I can compromise on our sex life. I enjoy the rougher style of sex that you won’t give me, I can’t guarantee that I won’t stray again. We are deluding ourselves if we think we can both happy a second time round because I honestly believe we would have been happy the first time if that was the case.”

“So you’re going to pick Dom? I don’t recall you two being overly happy the first time round either.” Jake snapped at me and I frowned before averting my gaze.

“That’s not what I said Jake, I didn’t even know you when Dom and I first dated. The romance disappeared and it became all about sex, I didn’t realise how he truly felt. Jake, Dom and I were both young and didn’t know how to be in a proper relationship, we’ve both grown a lot since then. It’s been years since Dom and I first dated but you, it’s only been a couple of months.”

“I love you though Tay,” Jake spoke as he wrapped his arms around me.

“But are you inlove with me?” I questioned and he stiffened.

“I don’t know….” He trailed off and I knew I had him, this was something he hadn’t thought about. There was a reason why we were both happily cheating and why he hadn’t proposed yet.

“It’s okay if the answers no, I love you too Jake but I feel it’s more like I love Emily then what I would someone I want have a future with. You won’t lose me because we will still be friends, we’ve spent so much of our lives together I can’t just cut you out as quickly as other people could. You’re family Jake, I don’t want to lose any more family. But can you still be friends with me?” Jake softly kissed the top of my head.

“Maybe we’ve been deluding ourselves for too long,” he laughed and I pulled away. “We’ll always be friends Tay, nothing will ever change that because honestly. We’re too screwed up for either one of us to be completely mad at the other, but in all honestly what are you going to do what about Dom?”

I pulled away from Jake and walked over to take a seat on the couch, I don’t understand how Jake could so easily question about my motives with Dom.

“How can you so easily question that?”

Jake didn’t say anything as he walked over and took a seat on the couch beside me, “maybe because you were right, I’m not in love with you. Whereas Dom is the brother I never had, if he was still in love with you after three years of seeing you by myside then he must really care about you. If I don’t have the chance to have another shot with you, I want to make sure he won’t get hurt in the end either.”

“Wait is there your way of saying that you would approve if I chose Dom?” Jake shrugged.

“I admit it won’t be easy seeing you with him but if it’s what you want I won’t get in the way. I honestly want the two of you to be happy, I won’t stand in the way of that. I’ve wanted nothing more than for you two to be happy, you are both family.” He spoke and I couldn’t believe this.

“What are we going to about the house Tay?” Jake questioned and I shrugged.

“I don’t know if I can live here again, too many memories and I have no problem living with Emily. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t want to live here, it’s been too hard living here as it is.” I frowned and I couldn’t believe he never told me he struggled living here without me.

“So what we sell the house, use the money to pay what was left of the mortgage and then spilt what’s left of the sale. What about the furniture?” I questioned, selling the house seemed to be the smartest thing to do if neither of us wanted the house.

The only thing I did know for sure was that I wanted to put what furniture belonged to my parents back in storage, I couldn’t tear myself away from that.

“Sell it, donate it. Whatever is easier for us I guess,” he shrugged and then I realised something.

“Where would you live?”

“Dom, or one of the other boys. I know to begin with Dom offered his guest room in case you wanted the house instead of living with Emily but I turned him down.” I nodded and we fell into silence after that.

Looks like we decided to stay as friends and we now had a date with a realtor to look forward too. I never in my wildest dreams expected this conversation to be this easy, I had thought that coming here today I would have to argue with him on what would be best for us. The more time I spent with Jake the more and more I thought it was just friendly, I couldn’t see the romantic part of it anymore and I wasn’t anywhere near as happy as I used to be with Jake.

I sure as didn’t expect him to question what I was going to about Dom, after that conversation between the three of us the friendship between Jake and Dom was back to normal and it seemed as though I had never come between them.

I just now had to figure out what I wanted to do with Dom…

Always?

I looked at Dom and he grinned, I couldn’t help but shake my head with a small smile.

“So we were drunk huh, I don’t remember us being drunk. I remember you pushing yourself at me, telling me it was what you wanted even though moments before you were in tears.” He smirked before moving so he was sitting next to me on the couch, I immediately felt the heat radiating from his body.

“Come on, you saw how peeved Jake was and after that and he seemed friendlier with you. I can’t believe you though,” I wacked him over the arm. “Being peeved at him all these years because of some lie he told?”

“What can I say? The girl I loved went home with my best friend and then he brags about you two having sex, what did you expect me to believe?” he curled up in the corner of the couch not facing me.

“And yet you believed him, you believed that I had a one night stand.”

“You have before Tay.”

“Yes in college, I’m not the same girl I was in college. The loss of my family did that.”

“I know Tay…” I watched as he leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes allowing me to completely soak in his good looks.

I have honestly missed Dom, I was right earlier when I said we’ve always been close. Me dating Jake made sure of that, it brought back something that I always felt with him, complete and utter trust. Dom was the first person I opened up to about the death of mine and Emily’s families, I could never tell my friends. I pulled away from all the friends I had in college, mainly because I didn’t feel up to get getting drunk all the time anymore. I put my focus into my studies in hopes of coming out with a somewhat decent transcript.

“If you want to check me out, just say so and I will strip right here.” I jumped at the sound of Dom’s voice, he opened his eyes just in time to see what I assumed was my face being bright red because it felt incredibly hot.

“God I forgot how adorable you can be when you blush like that,” his voice was low and hoarse as he leaned closer to me.

“You said you loved me….” I spoke softly and it was his turn to blush, I smiled in response.

“I have and I do.” He replied just as quietly.

“All this time, even while I was with Jake?”

“Always…” he trailed off before looking at his watch. “I really should go…”

“Do you have to meet a client as well?” I questioned and he looked at me before shaking his head.

“No but if I stay, I don’t know if I will be able to control anything.”

“Please stay, watch a movie with me. It would be great to have some company other than Emily all the time.”

“Tay…”

“Come on Dom, it’s Friday. We don’t have sex on Fridays,” I smirked at him and I received a chuckle from him and I was glad, to see him relaxed a bit more. “Plus I have two more days of bed rest, I doubt bed rest includes sex. I’m sure you can take my health into consideration.”

“You’re right, I will. Fine I will stay because you need the company, but I’m picking the movie.” He grinned before getting off the couch and picking a movie and putting it in.

“What did you pick?” I questioned as he sat down next to me and I automatically rested against him and one of his arms came around me.

“You’ll see,” he gave me a smile before brushing a loose strand of hair out of my face.

I couldn’t believe he happily put on Drop Dead Fred, he couldn’t understand how many times I watched this movie. He would watch it with me when I begged him, but this time I didn’t have too.

“Thank you,” I murmured softly before making myself more comfortable against him.

I don’t know when I fell asleep but at some I had woken up and found I was alone on the couch, I opened my eyes and saw Dom and Emily standing off to the side talking. They weren’t looking at me and I was able to just hear their conversation.

“You know she had a panic attack earlier, I told her you loved her and she panicked.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No Dom, I’m not. I wish I was.”

“She sort of panicked that night as well, I let it slip that I love her and she just blanked out of everything that happened until, well you know. The same thing happened earlier, it was mentioned and I saw the panic flash through her eyes.” He shrugged, but his voice was strained.

“She’s terrified of letting you back in Dom, she was a mess when you two dated the first time. If you loved her how did you let her get away or even let the relationship turn out like that?” he looked my way and I quickly closed my eyes hoping they realised I wasn’t awake.

“I didn’t realise what I felt until she was gone as for how it turned out, for both of us it was our first serious relationship. I think after the honeymoon period we may have both panicked a little and slipped into what we knew how to do.”

“And that was sex?” there was no response, I didn’t dare open my eyes in case they were both looking at me. “Just take it easy with her, she may be scared but she isn’t scared enough that she isn’t giving you a shot.”

Again there was no response but it was then I heard footsteps getting closer to me and it wasn’t long until I was picked up and laid back down on someone’s lap. I shifted around and realised I was laying back on Dom.

He softly stroked my hair and a lazy smile appeared on my face as I slowly opened my eyes and looked at Dom, there was so much love written on his face and it terrified me.