“I’ve spoken to them a couple of times each day since Wednesday. They’re hanging in there. No one likes to see their sonin such a condition—” Fuck, Mitch hated seeing Pete lying there with all the tubes and machines, so could only imagine the distress his parents were going through. “But they’re hopeful.” At the unspoken prompt in Ross’s eyes, Mitch continued. “And before you ask again, I’m fine. I’m upset by what happened to Pete, just like I’d be upset if it happened to any of my other friends, but that’s all.”
Ross seemed to accept the answer and didn’t push Mitch for more. It didn’t stop him asking about Finn, though. “And how are you handling this thing you’ve got going with Finn Cummings?”
“Ah, the million-dollar question.” Mitch drew his hand down his face, reminiscent of the action Ross had made only a short time before. The rasp of a couple of days’ beard growth reminded him he hadn’t had muchtime for anything apart from driving Finn and meeting with Rocky, and he was well overdue a shave. He sighed and finally met Ross’s gaze. “This is me talking to you as a friend, right?”
“Of course.” Ross relaxed back into his chair.
“I’m not sure I understand it myself. Fuck, it’s been quick and come from total left field, but I’ve got feelings. Finn’s… I don’t know…. There’s something differentabout him, something special.”
“Mitch, he’s a Cummings—”
“You think I don’t know that?” Mitch sat upright and squared his shoulders. “You think I don’t think about that every minute of every day—”
“And that’s what I’m worried about.” Ross’s voice rose in volume to meet Mitch’s, and Mitch cringed as he realized he was nearly shouting. “You shouldn’t be thinking of Finn Cummings as any more thana means to an end. That kid is part of the Soldiers of Fury hierarchy, and that means he’s the bad guy.”
The words were like daggers to Mitch’s heart, each one piercing with pain. He deflated, and his words dropped to almost a whisper, because no matter what he knew about Finn, no matter how much he knew Finn hated his brother and didn’t agree with everything the club stood for, there was nochanging the facts—Finn was still a member of an outlaw bikie gang. “I know. Oh fuck, Ross. What the hell am I going to do? He’s a criminal.”
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
Mitch’s eyes snapped up. “What?”
“Oh Jesus, mate. He’s gotten to you, gotten to you deep. I haven’t seen you like this since…. Actually I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”
The thing was, Mitch knew Rosswas right; he just didn’t want to say it out loud. Voicing his feelings would make it real, too real, and the reality of the situation was something he wanted to avoid as long as possible.
