Two knocks interrupted her confession. Whoever was on the other side of Stone’s door had either just given her the greatest gift or just stolen the biggest moment away from her. When the door swung open, she knew that no matter what, the news would have to wait until later.
“Hey, your brother is walking into the apartment, Mae.” Hawk laughed with his hand over his eyes. “Make sure you’re on your best behavior. No PDA around me, please.”
Mae kissed Stone’s cheek. “We’ll talk tonight. After all this. Go. Our friends want to celebrate you being out of the hospital, and so do I.”
“I’m not letting this go, Mae. Tonight.”
She nodded, pushing him towards the living room, where Hawk was watching their exchange with his eyebrows raised.
“Everything good?” her brother asked.
“Yeah, everything’s good. Except, wait! I told you to bring stuff for the grill!” Hawk’s empty arms made her see red.
“I did. It’s just up in the apartment. I wasn’t sure how much room you had in your fridge. I’ll run up and grab it once everyone’s here and it’s time to start cooking.”
Stone looked around the table. All of his friends gathered in one place, to celebrate him. To celebrate the fact that he was still earth side. Still breathing.
So why did it feel like they were all strangers at that table?
“Alright. Please. I’m begging you guys. I need you to just stop holding back and finally tell me what happened that morning. What the hell isn’t everyone saying?”
“Stone,” Sebastian groaned. “You were shot. That’s all we know. Hawk literally found you bleeding out on the sidewalk.”
He turned to his best friend. “Then walk me through it. Talk to me about what you saw. About what I said. Anything. Everything.”
“I can’t.” Hawk looked over at the women in the living room. “Mae would kill me if I said anything. Your doctor said we need to give you more time to remember. That’s what we’re doing.”
“Fuck that. We’re a team. A family. I know you guys are looking into everything. Tracker… you haven’t seen something on surveillance? Heard something on the dark web?”
Gage shook his head.
“Reap, there hasn’t been anyone in town that said something weird? Off putting sentiments disguised as condolences?”
“If there was something, you know I’d tell you. But there’snothing. You can ask Hank or Colt. There’s nothing to debrief you on. I’m sorry, Stone. We aren’t keeping anything from you.”
Nash looked around the table and then took a sip of his beer. Stone immediately clocked the tick in his left eyebrow. His fucking tell.
“What aren’t they saying, Wings? What are you guys hiding from me?”
Nash just sat back, his arms folded, shaking his head.
“Fuck this. I need to go check on the grill.” Stone stood, his chair scraping loudly across the floor as he stormed away from the table.
“What do you think that was all about?” Emma asked, her glass of wine going to her lips as she pointed over to the guys.
“I’m not sure,” Mae admitted. “But maybe I should go outside and check on him?”
“I think he probably can handle a minute on his own. Just looks like things got heated with the guys… you know how they can be. Oh, see.” Sloane pointed to Hawk, who huffed as he got out of his chair, walking over to the balcony door. “Hawk’s got him. You know, Stone really looks so good, though.” Sloane’s hand rubbed over Mae’s arm.
“I know. We got home the other day and I was so nervous, but he’s doing great. The scars are healing, and he’s been good about taking the last of his antibiotics, so hopefully we are out of the woods for any infections. I think he feels like he can finally breathe.”
“And you?” Lacy asked.
“Oh, me? I’m fine. You know, just holding it togetherfor him.”
“I know you are, but it’s not completely fair of everyone to ask that of you. Not after what happened before?—”
“I know.” Mae cut her off. “But I agreed to do what was best for him. Until he’s healed all the way. Until his memory comes back.”
