“Same thing.” Fallon held his cast against his chest and shrugged. “Just get lost. We have nothing more to say to each other. I love Vail, and coincidentally, so does Aspen, Cillian, and Rowen, and Vail loves all of us in return. So, I don’t care what you have to say. He’s ours.”
I turned to look at Fallon because he was on a roll, possibly a painkiller-inspired one, but I didn’t say a word. He hadn’t spoken anything except the truth. We hadn’t all gotten around to saying stupid shit out loud to one another, but.... Yeah, I felt it. I rested my hand lightly on his back between his shoulder blades and rubbed.
Padraig breathed heavily through his nose, not moving until Cillian stamped his foot to get his attention. Finally Padraig raised his hands, muttering something I couldn’t hear before he stormed back out of the house. Grady watched him go, not moving an inch from his comfortable position leaning against the wall.
“Aren’t you going to follow him?” Fallon snapped, and even though he was a pain in the ass, pride lodged in my chest because he’d finally spoken up for himself.
Grady cocked his head. “I thought I was welcome. I was the one who told you about Angel.”
“Bye, Grady,” I grunted out, and he chuckled and straightened, following Padraig down the hallway and to the front door, which clicked behind him.
Fallon sighed and fell back onto the couch, grunting in pain as he landed too roughly. Vail jumped around Rowen and rushed to Fallon, carefully taking a seat beside him and caressing his cheek.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything? I’m sure we don’t have strong stuff like the doctor did, but we might have Advil.” He spun toward Rowen. “Right? We have some kind of pills?”
Rowen nodded and left while I sat on the other side of Vail and wrapped my arm around his shoulders. I shushed him quietly, aware of the slightly panicked tone in his voice. I’d come to learn that Vail cared, sometimes to the point he made himself sick, and Fallon getting hurt had him on edge. He’d refused to leave Fallon’s side in the hotel in New Gothenburg and hadn’t wanted to leave him alone on the plane home. It was sweet.
Cillian grunted and placed the gun on the coffee table as he fell onto the ugly orange couch he loved. “He’s a feckin’ dick.”
Fallon chuckled, but it was followed by a wince. “Yeah, but he’s always gotten what he wanted. Our parents spoiled him.”
“I can see why Sloan put you with these three,” Vail said, gesturing to me and Cillian because Rowen hadn’t returned yet. “Your brothers would have destroyed you.”
“Mr. Killough knows what he’s doing,” Fallon said with a sigh, tilting his body so he leaned into Vail, who hugged him gently and brought him closer. Vail kissed him on the temple.
“I’m sorry your family is terrible. You should meet my mom and my....” He trailed off and chomped down on his bottom lip, only to gasp and let it go with a grimace. “You would have liked Dad, too. He was a fun guy. I inherited some of my quirks from him.”
I cuddled Vail closer and pressed a kiss to his cheek and his eyes slid closed. I nibbled on his ear, and he sighed in pleasure. “I’m sorry, sweet thing.”
He hummed, clearly blissed out, before his eyes snapped open and he glanced at me in shock. “Oh my God. Lor was shot!”
“What?” Fallon jumped forward on the couch and groaned in agony, curling an arm around his middle. “What do you mean he was shot?”
“Oh fuck.” Vail shoved himself out of my hold and stumbled to stand, spinning around to look at each of us, including Rowen, who’d entered the room with a glass of water and some pills in his palm. “I need to go back to the city. I need to go to the hospital. I need....” His chest rose in quick, short breaths. “He’s hurt. I need....” He sped out of the room.
I placed my hand on Fallon’s chest when it seemed like he was about to follow him and shook my head at Cillian and Rowen. “I’ll take him.”
“I don’t want him out of me sight.” Cillian growled, already standing and snatching his gun off the coffee table.
“Hey.” I stalked forward and grabbed his shoulder, steadying him. Cillian swayed and narrowed his eyes on me. “I’ll take care of this. I wouldn’t let anything happen to him. You’ve had a big day, too.”
He huffed and turned his glare on his gun before grunting out a “fine.” He rolled his shoulders and pulled at the lapels of his suit. “I want to get out of this shite anyway. Don’t let anything happen to him.” Giving me a narrow-eyed stare, he spun on his heels and left the room, probably to go get into bed.
“I’ll come with you,” Rowen murmured, moving over to Fallon and taking the time to help him stand. I blinked at him, ready to argue, but stopped. There was something in the way he held himself—tense and a little droopy—that made me think him coming along might help him, too. He obviously needed some relaxing time.
“I can—” Fallon began, but Rowen and I said “no” at the same time.
“Ye’re injured, yeeejit. Take these and get back to bed. We’ll go with Vail to see Lor.” Rowen shoved the pills and water at Fallon, and even though Fallon grumbled, he did what he was told, just as Vail came rushing back into the room wearing jeans and a blue sweater.
“We’re taking ye to the hospital.” Rowen guided Fallon forward, and Fallon stopped at Vail, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips.
“Keep me updated, okay? And come home and cuddle.” With another kiss, Fallon smiled at Vail, and I was surprised when he also sent a small grin my way before he walked slowly out of the living room.
Vail’s bottom lip wobbled, but he straightened, brushing a hand over his dark blond hair. “I need to go. Lor... fuck. How did I forget about Lor? I hate my brain.”
I grunted, stalked to him, and dragged him into my arms. “Calm down, Vail. You’ve been through your own trauma today.”
He tried to push at me, but I wouldn’t let him go. “I don’t care. I need to go see Lor. They shot him. I think....”
