I was gaping at Ryan, barely managing to process what he was telling me.
“Listen. At the end of the day, it has to beyourchoice to quit, Callum. I can’t make that choice for you. But I’m going to be straight up here. I want you to quit. Consequences be damned. You deserve better than the horrible things that piece of shit has forced you to endure.” His gaze fell to the bandage on my chest, and shame swirled in my gut when I realized he probably knew I had been branded.
“It’snotmy decision to make, Ryan,” I whispered, my eyes suddenly burning with tears. “I can’t make a decision like that and put all your lives at risk.”
He nodded. “We thought you might say something like that. So we’ve decided to make it easy for you.”
There was a soft knock on the door, and I glanced up to find Naomi, Cass, Theo, Iris, and Vox all crowded in the frame.
Ryan turned and beamed at them.
“Can we come in?” Naomi asked softly, and I tucked my blanket up higher, not wanting to accidentally flash my little sister.
“Yeah. Please. Come in, all of you. I think Cal needs to hear this directly from you guys, or his stubborn ass isn’t going to get it.”
I scoffed, but Ryan just smirked at me.
Everyone filed into the room, and the way they were all staring at me like they wereworriedabout me was making my chest tight. Even grumpy-ass Theo looked concerned.
“Did you tell him we want him to quit?” Naomi asked, coming up to the side of the bed and dropping a kiss on the side of my head.
Ryan nodded but sighed. “Yeah. But he’s worried about what will happen if he does. He’s scared Damian will kill us to punish him.”
“He will!” I exclaimed, crossing my arms over my chest, ignoring the sting of my brand. Vox scoffed and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as if echoing Ryan’s earlier sentiment.
He can fucking try.
I met my friend’s silver eyes and found him smirking at me. There was a challenge there. The same sparkling challenge that we’ve used on each other since we were kids.
Come on, Cal. Don’t be a pussy. Let’s fuck shit up together. Like old times.
I could literallyhearhis thoughts as if he had spoken them out loud.
“We all want you to quit, Cal,” Naomi said. “Damian can suck it.”
“Gnomes… if something were to happen to you because of me…” I swallowed, but Cass stepped forward, her mouth in a firm line.
“Cal. Enough. We will all protect Naomi together.”
“I don’t want that responsibility to fall on you, Cass,” I whispered, and she rolled her eyes.
“Please.Sometimes, I think you’ve convinced yourself that youactuallykilled our mom.”
Anxiety spiked through my chest at the brazen way she just admitted that out loud. I glanced nervously at Ryan, who looked just as shocked as I expected.
“He didn’t?” he asked.
Cass chuckled. “Nope. That was all me. I slit that bitch’s throat and never lost a wink of sleep over it. Cal lied to try and keep me out of trouble. He was so covered in blood that no one believed me when I told them I did it.”
Cass turned back to look at me. “Stop acting like it’s your job to keep us all safe, Callum. It’sourjob to protecteach other. And if I need to slit that twat waffle’s throat to keep him from hurting you, then so be it. You’re done with Apex. We’ll deal with what comestogether.”
“Damn, princess,” Theo murmured from where she was leaning against the bedpost, her hands jammed in her pockets. “That’s hot.”
Cass’s lip twitched, and if I didn’t know any better, I would say her cheeks turned a little pink.
I eyed Theo critically. “What about you? You can’t be thrilled that I just busted into your brother’s life and put all of you in danger like this.”
Theo looked at me, her lips pursing in thought for a moment before she glanced back at Iris. Iris gave her daughter a gentle smile, and Theo sighed before cutting me another piercing glare.
