I shove his arm down and release him, shifting fully in front of Indy. He can spit his venom at me all he wants, but he won’t get anywhere near her.
Dylan takes an involuntary step back, surprise flashing across his face before it hardens again. And that’s when I see it, cloaked beneath the rage—the hurt. Raw and unmistakable.
And I put it there.
“You need to leave,” I tell him, knowing it’s what’s best for both him and Indy. “You’re not thinking clearly.”
Dylan lets out a hollow laugh. “Playing the hero card again? Perfect Gareth.” His eyes cut to Indy. “Or what is it you’ve always called him?Golden Boy?”
I clamp my jaw shut, swallowing the brutal retort lodged in the back of my throat. If I engage, I know I’ll lose the thin thread of control I’m holding onto.
Dylan’s been my best friend for years. He’s been there for every milestone, every mistake. Birthdays. Holidays. The ups and the downs.
The thought of losing him is fear-inducing, tightening my chest at just the thought of it.
But the alternative?
The thought of losing Indy?
Unfathomable.
“Get out,” I repeat, stepping away from the heat of Indy’s body and closer to him, making it clear I won’t back down.
“You don’t get to kick me out of my own sister’s house.”
“I can,” Indy says, stepping around me to move closer to her brother. She’s not crying, but I can see through her cracks—she’s barely keeping it together. “I want you to leave, Dylan.”
“Unbelievable,” he breathes, voice breaking as his face crumples for the first time.
Reality sinks in that neither of us is willing to back down.
His gaze flicks to mine, then back to her, before he shakes his head. Turning away, he heads toward the door.
“Dylan—” Indy starts, but he doesn’t let her finish.
“Don’t.” He doesn’t bother looking back. “You two deserve each other.”
The door slams behind him, rattling on its hinges.
Seconds later, the front door crashes shut, the sound piercing through the silence of Indy’s house.
I turn to her and catch her as she falls into my arms. She presses her cheek against my chest, our breathing syncing slowly as the weight of what just happened sinks in.
“Do you think he’ll come around?” she whispers, tilting her head back to meet my eyes.
My hand slides into her hair, thumb brushing rhythmically against the back of her neck.
I let out a shaky breath, Dylan’s expression when he found us together burned into my mind.
I’d like to think our friendship is strong enough to survive this—that he loves his sister enough to put her happiness first. But the truth is, I’m not sure if he will. “I hope so.”
Indy searches my face, then nods.
Leading her back to her bed, I coax her beneath the blankets, following her under. She fits against me perfectly, her back to my chest, and I trail my hand up and down her arm, anchoring us both.
“You could have told him it was a fling,” she mumbles a while later. “You could have said it meant nothing.”
I shift, pressing a hand against her shoulder, and gently turn her onto her back so she has to look at me. “Is that what you wanted me to do?”
