All Chapters of The Rogue Next Door: Chapter 41 - Chapter 43

ColeI don’t chase.That’s always been my thing.Girls come to me.They always have.I don’t text first.I don’t wait around.And I definitely don’t stand in the middle of a bar replaying a kiss like it actually meant something.But here I am.Still standing where Maya left me.Beer untouched in my hand.Mind completely gone.Marcus bumps my shoulder as he steps up beside me.“You good?”I let out a short breath.“Yeah.”He doesn’t buy it.Jake doesn’t either.I can feel both of them watching me like I just walked off a field after losing a game.Which—yeah.That’s kind of what this feels like.Not a loss.Not exactly.But not a win either.“Alright,” Jake says, leaning back against the bar. “You gonna stand there all night, or you wanna tell us what the hell just happened?”I take a drink finally.Mostly so I don’t have to answer right away.“She kissed me.”Marcus snorts. “Yeah, we saw that.”“No,” I say, shaking my head. “You didn’t.”Because what they saw—Wasn’t what I felt.They

LoganI saw her before she saw me.That’s not unusual.Maya doesn’t walk into a room expecting attention.She slips into spaces quietly.Finds a corner.Keeps to herself.It’s one of the first things I noticed about her.One of the first things I liked.But today—She’s not invisible.Not even close.The moment she walked into the coffee shop, heads turned.Not all at once.Not obvious.But enough.Enough that I noticed.Enough that I didn’t like it.I stayed near the entrance instead of going straight to her.Not because I didn’t want to.Because I wanted to see.Who was watching her.Who was talking.Who thought they suddenly had something to say.And it didn’t take long.Savannah.Of course.She slides into the chair across from Maya like she owns the place.Like she has every right to be there.Like Maya isn’t about to get dragged into something she didn’t ask for.I don’t move.Not yet.Because Maya hasn’t looked over.Hasn’t seen me.And I want to know how she handles it.Not be