My spine straightens.
“Don’t gimme that shit. And, speaking of, hope you two enjoyed the show. You both weren’t exactly stealthy.”
I rub the back of my neck, heat crawling up my cheeks. “He wanted to watch. We got carried away.”
“I noticed. Devon did too. Or he noticed Cal at first. Had to really lay into him with the paddle to keep him from spiraling.”
My fingers clench and flex a few times. “And you think Cal will be safe if he spirals?”
“He’s possessive. But I don’t think his issue is with Cal. Otherwise, we would’ve been out back with a bloodbath on our hands by now.”
“So his issue is with me?”
Rex nods.
“Why the fuck did you tell him anything?”
His shoulders slump. “Didn’t mean to. Told you, I was sick. High fever and shit. Took Ambien and expired Nyquil. Supposedly had some sex dream about fucking you. Talked about it in my sleep.”
I rub my temples. “Jesus, fuck. Well, that explains it a bit better. Surprised he didn’t murder you himself.”
Rex shrugs. “Guess the seizure snapped him out of that. Wasn’t thinking straight about mixing meds.”
“What happened to him?”
My friend pales, his eyes becoming glassy. “Carrionites were in town. He felt, instead of hiding, he needed to protect me. Went after them.”
I look back out the window. Devon is thinner than Cal, a bit shorter too, not by much, but I can’t see that kid going after Carrionites by himself.
“He killed them but got hurt in the process. Real bad.” Tears streak Rex’s face. “Thought I might lose him. That concussion. He couldn’t fucking walk straight. Was vomiting. Wouldn’t be surprised if he had a brain bleed.”
“Sorry about tossing him into the wall when you both first got here.” And I am. Shit. That kid took on those cannibal motherfuckers and slaughtered them. I’m impressed, but fuck do I feel guilty now. “He’ll keep Cal safe?”
“Yeah. Don’t underestimate him. He really is a little psychopath.Mylittle psychopath.”
I chuckle. “Fuck, if the world went back to normal, you sound as if you’d be marching his ass down the aisle.”
Rex’s face lights up for the first time since he got here. “Bet you would follow with Cal.”
I shake my head. “We’re . . . not there. He’s mine and shit. But it’s—”
“Cal loves you. I can see it plain as day. So, again, why are you holding back?”
“He ran away. From me. Like you and Colt.”
“Fuck off. You know we didn’t run away. You stayed and we respected your decision. It just wasn’t what either of us wanted.”
“You seen him at all?”
“Not in over two years. It was back down near Roanoke.”
“Me neither.”
With a sigh, I recount the night Cal and I fucked and he ran, spilling all my feelings to Rex, including how I trashed the house and ran my fist through the wall.
“Seen that shit happen before. Called sub drop.” Rex takes a moment as if choosing his words carefully. “You did push too hard, more so that you kept him deep into it too long.”
Rex’s confirmation I fucked up is like a kick in the gut, and I have no idea what to say next.
