"You're welcome?" I respond hesitantly and Luc laughs.
"Thank you…for caring about me," Luc says low enough that the others don't hear him.
"Luci." I wrap my arms around him tightly. "You brought me home after meeting me one time. You saved me. You're kind and amazing and…ya know, kinda dangerous."
Luc laughs softly beside my ear.
"But I love that about you," I tell him. "You have so many people who care about you. Don't ever doubt that we don't."
Luc nods and I release him but not before murmuring, "And you're a pretty great kisser."
He grins boyishly and we walk back to the others.
I'm hesitant to see their reactions after just kissing their best friend in front of them but all I get is smirks.
"You okay there, Ro? You're looking a little red." I go to smack Jace but he ducks out of the way.
I look between the twins expressions and just see happiness.
"Lucky fucker," Maverick says to Luc and Mase nods in agreement.
Okay. That went well. I shake my head when Jace holds his hand out for Luc to high five.
"You guys are idiots," I tell Jace and Luc who laugh loudly. The twins join in.
"Okay." I walk away, shaking my head. "I'm getting Alec. Someone get Dom, please." I don't wait them to respond.
I knock on Alec's door. When I don't hear anything, I almost turn away. No. He needs to eat. I slowly open the door.
Alec looks up from where he's sitting on the floor, leaning against the end of the bed. His eyes are bloodshot likehe's been crying. His hair is sticking up like he's been running his hands through it, over and over until the wavy lengths gave in.
By the looks of it, he's still in his pyjamas. If this was any other time, I'd be drooling over his perfectly cut muscles and the deep ridges of his abs.
"Hey, Rory." His normally smooth velvety voice is rough.
"Hey, Alec." I sit on the floor beside him.
"Are you okay?" I ask him gently.
He shakes his head and tears start to fill those gorgeous hazel eyes.
I put my arms around him and he buries his face in my neck. We sit there for a while—me comforting him as he silently cries on my shoulder. I run my hand up and down the soft, smooth skin of his back. His arms go around me.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I offer quietly when he begins to settle.
"He doesn't want to be more," Alec's voice cracks as he speaks.
"He doesn't want to wreck your friendship?" I ask softly and he nods into my shoulder, taking unsteady breaths.
"I'm sorry, Alec," I murmur and he just shakes his head.
"I had to break it off," Alec says quietly. "I—I couldn't keep doing it. It was eating me up, keeping it a secret and not being able to justbewith him."
"Alec," I tell him gently, "the guys already knew."
He pulls back and just lays his head on my shoulder. "I know," he whispers. "It doesn't matter though, he won't give us a chance."
Suddenly a protectiveness comes over me. A need to help Alec stand on his feet again.
