“You’re staying?” Alessa asks Micah, then groans when he nods. “Fuck my life.”
“You don’t care about my safety, shithead?” Micah asks, looking wounded.
“No,” Alessa and Gage say at the same time.
“Fuck, I hate that shit,” I grumble.
“Me too, bro. Me fucking too,” Ryder agrees.
“Well,” Micah says, pushing back from the table and standing up, “Since no one gives a fuck about me, I’ll be in the pool house.”
“Love you!” Alessa yells at his retreating back.
“Love you too, shithead!” he yells back further into the house.
Alessa laughs before turning her attention back to Evander. “The offer stands.”
“We’ll talk about it,” Evander promises. I’m not sure how he feels about moving out of their house, even if it’s temporary. I don’t think Mateo cares either way. I know she’s mainly offering for my benefit, knowing I’ll be worried about them.
Alessa stands up from the table, kissing me as she walks by. “We have some stuff to do. Spend time with your brothers and rest.”
Gage lays a sound kiss on my lips before throwing Alessa over his shoulder and running out of the room, her laugh carrying all the way down the hallway. The same thing made me wonder about their relationship when I first came here. Now I know.
I look back at Evander and Mateo, shock written all over their faces. I shrug. “Things have progressed.”
Ryder snorts, standing up. “You could say that.”
Dex and Holden follow him out of the dining room, leaving me to answer questions I’m damn sure my brothers have. “Spill it,” I finally say when I can’t take them staring at me anymore.
Evander rubs his chin, thinking. “I’m not surprised, but you never said anything.”
“It was recent. I told you my feelings about Gage.”
“No judgment, remember,” Mateo reminds me. “We want you happy.”
I look at where Alessa and Gage left. Bullet wound aside; I couldn’t be happier.
Chapter 40
Dex
This day has been busy as hell for Les, with constant phone calls trying to make sure everything is in place for when Viktor makes his move or forces us to make ours. I’m more than ready to end that Russian bastard for stepping on Les’ toes. Now he ordered people to shoot at her. Leo getting hit was a blow to the gut. I’m just now getting used to him being around, and then he was almost gone in a flash. I don’t know if Les can handle that or Gage.
After dinner, Gage and Les took Leo upstairs with pain meds and strict orders that he needed to sleep. I see Les sneak out the backdoor about twenty minutes later, so I decide to make sure she’s okay, leaving everyone else to their conversation in the living room.
It’s dark, but I can see her silhouette on the massive swing in the backyard that gives you an unrestricted view of the city below. The swing is about the size of a day bed her dad had built for her when she was younger. This is where you could usually find her when she needs to think.
I walk around the side of the swing, and that’s when I hear her crying.
“Baby girl?”
“I can’t do this,” she sobs out, and it’s the worst sound I’ve ever heard. “I can’t fucking do this!”
The sobs wracking her body are hard, her whole body shaking. I sit down on the swing at a loss of what to do; I can message any of the others inside to come to help her. The sounds she’s making are ripping my heart into shreds.
Alessa. Vanilla. Safe.
I don’t give myself time to second guess it; I jerk her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her. The sensation is weird and uncomfortable, but I’ll be damned if those motherfuckers keep me from comforting my girl ever again.
