“So what?” Jake came back over to stand with us, and Declan ran a hand over his husband’s hair, then grasped my shoulder. “Did you get what you came for?”
I raised the papers, and Grandad’s ring cut into my palm where I gripped it tight.
“Who are you people?” Miranda seethed. “Go away. This isn’t your business.”
“How about you leave.” I half expected Jake to stick his tongue out at her and wanted to laugh. “Last I checked, you’re not allowed to push people around just because you’re pissed, no matter who you are or how big your tits happen to be.”
She huffed. “He’s mine. I can do what I want.”
“Wrong,” Declan cut in. “Logan, you lived with this?”
Embarrassment had me staring at the icy sidewalk again. I still wore my borrowed boots, and for some reason that was comforting. This was as bad as trying to talk to my brother. I shouldn’t need help with her, but she was relentless.
“Shit, he didn’t mean anything in a bad way. I’m sorry you had to do this, too,” Jake said, and he took my arm and tugged me toward their SUV.
Miranda held her phone up toward us and took another picture. “Do what I told you to do, or you’ll be sorry!”
“Step off, lady,” Jake said and flipped her his middle finger. “Get a pic of that!”
She whirled around and stomped back inside.
I felt awful for causing them so much trouble, and guilt gnawed at me in a strange way because I never had made Miranda happy, probably not even when we’d first gotten together. Some part of me still believed that if I’d only tried harder, she wouldn’t be like this, even though I knew that probably wasn’t true.
We all walked to the SUV together. The only thing keeping me on my feet was them. I didn’t say anything as Declan helped me into the back and Jake slid in beside me. Before I could lose it, I slipped the ring into the inside pocket of my coat. Declan went to the driver’s seat, and once he was situated, he pulled the SUV into the street. Jake tapped his phone and leaned forward to clip it to the holder on the dash so Declan would have directions to get back to New Gothenburg, and then he turned around to stare at me.
“What was that?” Jake asked.
“Miranda.”
“Ew. This is why I don’t do women, Dec.” Jake glared up at his husband. “Not even if people are fucking, my dick says no.”
“Most of them aren’t bad,” he said, but he scowled at my old building in the mirrors. “What the fuck.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Declan shook his head, and I felt even worse.
Groaning, I covered my cheeks with my hands. “If you don’t want me to stay anymore, I’ll find somewhere else to go.”
“Are you…? Damn it, you’re serious?” Declan glanced in the rearview mirror again, and I wanted to curl up and die.
I nodded. “Yeah, I can do that if you want me to go.”
Declan pulled over into the parking lot of a Kwik Fill, right under the blazing green-and-yellow sign, and opened his door. Were they going to toss me out here? Jake unbuckled and slid close to my side. The door on my left opened and Declan climbed in, nudging me into the middle.
Two sets of warm, strong arms wrapped around me and something inside me snapped. I sniffled. My paperwork fell to the floor, and even though I knew that was probably bad with all the snow I didn’t go after it. Jake rested his forehead against my temple.
“We gotcha. Tell us about it.”
I slammed my eyes closed but tears slid out.
“Why would we want you to go because we saw someone hurting you?” Declan asked.
I shrugged.
Jake rested his chin on my shoulder. “Was she like that a lot? Or is this a breakup thing?”
“All the time.”
