“They just need to get this out of their systems,” Mick assured me. “It’s been a while since either of them have had a chance to get all this pent-up hostility out of them.”
“It’s how they show love,” Tara added, which made me reflect on what I had shared with Liam, which was a very different sort of affection.
Although, it also made me wonder, especially along with that comment Kyle had made upstairs about messing around together, if they had a past.
Now’s not the time to be a jealous motherfucker!
“I’m going to find somewhere to set up,” Mick said abruptly. “Can you help me grab some things from the van, Tara?”
“Of course.”
“Boys, when you’re done with proving who’s the biggest—even though we already know it’s Liam—we need help in the car.”
“Affirmative,” Kyle called as he charged Liam hard enough to throw him back against the side of the mantel before decking him to repay him for the blows he’d taken before.
“Ty, we can debrief you along with Liam once we’re set up,” Mick said. “I can assure you, any friend of Liam’s is a friend of ours.”
Tara glanced between me and Liam before adding, “Well, we shouldn’t assume friend, maybe.” She eyed me suspiciously, as though she was waiting for me to correct Mick.
“Friend, for now, I think.”
“Well, Friend-For-Now Ty,” Mick said, “if you want, feel free to help us with the stuff in the van. There’s some toxic masculinity in here that needs working through.”
“Then once we’re done, maybe we can track down some ice packs,” Tara followed with a warm smile, the sort that didn’t seem fitting for the intensity of their brawl.
“We have some packs of peas and corn in the freezer,” I said.
“Then we’re all set,” she said with a laugh.
Kyle threw another punch that knocked Liam back, making him trip over the coffee table.
“Ah, fuck,” Liam said as Kyle leaped over the table, his legs on either side of Liam.
“Truce yet, or do I need to kick your fucking ass?”
“I’m not done yet,” Liam said as he kicked Kyle’s legs out from under him.
Kyle hit the floor in no time.
“You’re weak, old man,” Liam said, climbing on top of him.
“Yeah, I think I’ll definitely help with the stuff in the car,” I said as Mick led the way out the front door.
For sure, either I had woken up in some sort of bizarre dream…or this was just a taste of how bizarre my life was about to become.
