“You think I don’t know that?” I say in a clipped tone.
“We’re on your side, Zayn. You need to stop working against us and work with us. Kaiden is worried sick about you and Roman.”
“Not my problem.”
He barks out a laugh. “I thought I was the demon child of the family, but you definitely have me beat.”
“Is there a point to this? Because I was already in a pissy mood tonight, and you’re making it worse.”
“Not my intent, dude. You’re my little brother.” He grips the back of my neck with one hand. “I would take a bullet for you too. You’re mybrother. We take care of ours. It’s always been our way because Dad was a fucked-up drunk who didn’t give a shit. The four of us were a unit, but we should have been six. We have a chance now to rectify that, and we all want it. Ro does too.”
I can’t disagree. I haven’t seen Roman this happy since the accident. He hasn’t taken any poisonous shit, and apart from a few beers at Olivia’s house on the Fourth of July, he has been behaving and cleaning up his act. Being here is good for him. He’s bonding with our brothers, he adores Abby, and he’s getting close to Xavier. A pang of jealousy slaps me in the face, but I shove it aside. It’s good my brother is forming new relationships. I know how lonely he was in the city, and I want this for him even if it’s hard to not feel like a failure sometimes when I look at him laughing and joking with Abby and Kai.
I used to be enough for him, but not anymore, and that’s a bitter pill to swallow.
“I’m just going to say this last thing. Don’t close your mind off to the truth. Give Kai a chance to tell you his side of the story, and try to start trusting him. He just wants to keep you safe.”
“I can take care of myself. Ro too.” I’m still defensive, but my words lack heat.
“No one disputes that.” He pushes long messy strands of hair out of his eyes. “You’ve had it rough, Zayn, but you are so fucking strong. Harley and I had it way easy. We didn’t always appreciate the things Rick and Kai did for us, but we appreciate them now knowing what you and Ro had to go through. It shouldn’t have happened.” He squeezes the back of my neck before releasing me. “You’re back where you belong, and we all want you to stay.”
“Not like I’ve got much choice now we were evicted from our place,” I grumble.
“You’re an adult, and you have resources. You’ve got choices, but I really hope you make the right one. I’ve kinda grown fond of your ugly face.”
I shove his shoulder, failing to smother a grin.
He chuckles. “We good?”
“We’re good.”
He glances over his shoulder, and I turn around to see what has caught his attention. “How about we take this party back to the house?” he says as two hot blondes strut across the room toward us.
I groan. “I have no interest in other women, or did you miss that part of our convo?”
“Nope.” He grins, beckoning the women with his fingers. “If you don’t want one, I can handle two.”
“I thought you were all but taken?”
“I’m giving her space to come to her senses, but I’m not a monk. I have needs, and until there’s a label, I’m a free agent.” He waggles his brows and opens his arms as the girls reach us. The blondes snuggle in on either side, giggling as his arms wrap around them. “I intend to sow all the wild oats while I can.” He squeezes each girl’s ass, and I fight a smirk.
I’m beginning to understand why he’s called J-Dawg.
“Ready to party, ladies?” he asks, flashing me a wicked grin as they stare dreamily at him and nod.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Zayn
“Zayn.” My shoulders shake as someone rouses me from sleep. I force my eyelids open, wincing at the bright overhead light as it stabs me through the retinas. “Ah, hell.” Pulling myself upright on the couch, I rub at my sore temples and will the mariachi band in my head to fuck the hell off.
“I can’t decide if you and J bonding is awesome or a train wreck in the making,” Harley says, smothering a grin.
“I can’t believe you slept on that hard couch all night when we have tons of spare guest rooms,” a pretty brunette with ice-blue eyes says. “I made you some coffee—black with one sugar per Harley’s instructions.” She thrusts a mug at me.
“Thanks, ugh…” I’m wracking my brain for the name of Harley’s girl, but I can't remember it in my current hungover state. She wasn’t at the barbecue at Olivia’s on the fourth, and she hasn’t been here any of times I’ve hung out previously, so I haven’t met her before.
“This is Hannah.” Harley wears his pride and his heart on his sleeve as he circles his arm around his girlfriend and kisses her brow. Fucker is smitten, but I envy him.
