Bennett snorts, waking himself up. He looks up aimlessly and wipes the drool that runs down his chin. He slowly rises to his feet. “What’s going on?” he asks roughly before clearing his throat and trying to focus on his surroundings.
We all look at Bennett. “I don’t know. You tell me,” Cole demands, thinking that Bennett has informed Shane about what Kellan did to Austin.
He holds his hands up when he sees Shane standing there. “I haven’t said anything—”
“I saw the news,” Shane interrupts him and then looks at Cole. “Hours ago. I’ve been calling you guys. Why aren’t you answering?”
I’ve been ignoring his ass. I’m here for Cole and Austin. Anything involving Shane could wait. And Cole hasn’t had his phone. He handed it to me when he willingly got arrested because I didn’t want them taking it away from him. I just gave it back to him ten minutes ago.
Shane’s jaw clenches when no one answers him. He takes a quick look around the waiting area, and then asks, “Where’s Kellan?” Shane steps up to Cole when silence follows, his eyes narrowing. “Where. Is. Kellan?”
Cole closes the small distance between them. “Why don’t you ask—”
“Cole!” I interrupt him and yank him back by his arm. “I’ll talk to him.”
“It’s none of his business,” he snaps at me.
Shane lets out a rough laugh. “Did you make him disappear, Cole? Is that why his phones are off, and he’s nowhere to be found?”
“He fucking shot her!” he yells.
Bennett walks over to Shane, grabs his shirt, and all but drags him out the double doors.
I go to stand before Cole. “You need to calm down, man,” I whisper harshly. I search the room, and thankfully, it’s not crowded this time of the night. But the few people who are in here with us are staring our way. “Cole?” I snap when he stares past me at the doors. Reaching up, I slap his face. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to get his attention. “Listen to me! If you make a scene and get kicked out of here, then that’s it. You’re done.” I place my hands on his upper arms. “The police are just looking for a reason to lock you up, so keep your shit together just a little longer.”
“What is going on?” Becky asks, confused about what just happened.
I ignore her.
Cole shoves me out of the way and storms out the sliding glass doors.
I throw my head back. “Fuck.”
“What is going on, Deke?” She stands.
“Stay here.” I growl and then spin around to run out after him. I walk out to see Cole shove Shane backward. “Cole, don’t—”
“No,” he interrupts me. “If he wants to be a part of this group, then he’s going to fucking tell me.”
“Group? What group?” Shane demands, throwing his arms out wide. “You guys have completely lost your fucking minds.”
Cole fists his busted knuckles. “No! Kellan lost his mind the moment he decided to want what was mine!”
He throws his head back, letting out a loud laugh. When his eyes meet Cole’s again, his laughter dies. “She was never yours. His plan all along was to make her his.”
Cole goes to jump him, but I wrap my arm around him and haul him back. “Cut it out!” I growl in his ear. “You’re causing a scene!” I whisper, “He could be lying just to get you wound up.” At this point, my friends have all taken sides. And Shane is obviously not on Cole’s. Who knows what he is gonna say or do to push Cole to make a move? It won’t take much. It never has when it comes to Cole.
He shakes me off, and I choose to let him go with every intention to jump him if he lunges for Shane again.
Bennett comes to stand beside Shane. “He remembered her,” Shane spits out. “He wanted her! He was only fucking Celeste for his own revenge on Bruce!”
“What did Bruce do to him?” I ask and wonder why in the hell Shane knows this information but not us? One look at Bennett and I know he too knows that secret.
I turn my attention back to Shane. He laughs, shaking his head. “It doesn’t fucking matter. None of it fucking matters anymore.” Then he turns and walks away, and Cole allows it.
Cole jumps out of the passenger car door, bringing me out of that memory, and I get out as well, though much slower. I pop the hatch to my Range Rover when the guys near us.
Shane looks at me and then at Cole, narrowing his eyes, and I hold in a sigh. I don’t even think they’ve spoken to one another since that day at the hospital five months ago.
