When I finally broke down three years ago and admitted to Rory that I loved her, not just as friends, and found out she felt the same way, I told her we should wait. I needed to find the right time to tell Declan and explain to him that this wasn’t a spur of the moment thing. Rory didn’t agree but she let me do it my way.
Then he was gone. Rory was gone. I’d waited too long and I lost them both.
So I drank—trying to blur out the pain and anger at myself. I’d lost my best friends but it didn’t stop me from trying to push away the guys when they came along.
They sparred with me when I was riled up. Hid any booze I managed to get my hands on or poured it down the sink. They pulled me out of fights I started and they never held it against me.
But I did. Ido.One day I’ll make it up to them. They don’t deserve the hell I put them through.
“They want to check on her.” Alec breaks me out of my thoughts.
“When she wakes up,” I tell him, quietly. “I don’t want to stress her out.”
Alec’s quiet as he responds to whoever texted him.
“Did she seem upset when you came in?”
I glance up at Alec and see him focused entirely on Rory.
“She was asleep,” I admit. “Her hand curled around that knife like a fucking vice. It looked like she’d been crying.”
“Shit.”
I look up at Alec in surprise. The guy never swears. I’m not sure if it’s just his thing or he doesn’t like doing it but it’s got something to do with his dickhead of a father.
“Mason heard what Drake told her.” Alec shuts his laptop and leans back against the bedhead.
“What?” I ask immediately.
Alec shakes his head. “He wouldn’t tell us. He said Rory will tell us when she’s ready.”
Fuck, my brother’s loyalty is infuriating. I’d forgotten about his super hearing. We have to turn on the tap in the bathroom whenever he’s in the house so he can’t hear you piss. Unlucky dude.
We resume silence. Rory gets hot, kicking off the blankets a few times only to want them back a few minutes later.
Knowing I won’t be able to focus on anything else, I just lay with my girl in my arms.
My girl.
Now that sounds fuckingright.
Chapter 19 ~
Mason ~
Luc repeatedly taps the end of his pen on the wooden table. His Biology books are spread out in front of him but so far he hasn’t actually done anything.
Not looking up from where I’m adding detail to my sketch, I tell him, “That’s annoying.”
He just continues doing it.
I ignore it. Maverick, however, has a lot lower tolerance than me.
He snatches the pen off Luc, throwing it across the room. That escalates into World War 3 with Dom having to get between them.
“Knock it off,” Dom growls, stepping in to mediate. He releases both of them from his hold on their shirts and they return to their seats, scowling.
My brother leans over, looking at my sketch. Mav and the guys are the only people I let see my drawings and even them seeing it makes me uncomfortable.
