He shrugged and turned to pick up the bag, then tossed the meds that were still in their bottles toward his bed. “Do what? You’re just one of the brothers in the club, right? And no one wants me to be part of the club.”
“You’re fucking staying here!” I slapped the wall beside the door to prove my point. “See? Clubhouse.”
“Out of pity,” he hissed.
Shocked, I took a step back. “It ain’t?—”
“It is,” he snapped, and I sighed.
“Everyone worries about you.” My hands balled into fists.
“How is that not fucking pity?” He smacked up the rim of my hat, and I ignored the way he baited me.
“Come home.”
He blinked, then his bottom lip jutted with his obstinate fucking attitude, and I wanted to put my hand through a wall.
“I’m taking care of myself just fine.” He stared at me like I was the one being irrational. “I don’t need you to do it. Without me there, you can bring guys home to fuck.”
I licked my dry lips. “Is that what you think I’ve been doing while you’re gone?”
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t need you to babysit me.” His voice was rough.
“I just refilled your pills for you.” I scowled at him. “And you managed to fucking spill them already.”
“Yeah, but I could’ve done it myself.” He puffed out his cheeks. I could see his frustration building, getting ready to pop off into an explosion. He could join the fucking party.
I wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled. “You didn’t.”
“I don’t want you for this!” He shoved me, and I wasn’t ready for it. I stumbled back against the wall on the other side of the hallway. The impact hurt just enough to leave me shaking and ready to have a real fight.
“What do you want me for, then?”
Will’s eyes widened, and then he snarled. Part of me wanted to throw down with him like we used to when we’d get really pissed off. It was never serious, we weren’t aiming to kill, but we’d occasionally get into a scuffle. We would keep going until one of us tapped out or blood was drawn by accident, then hug and make up. I hesitated because I didn’t want tohurthim.
That was enough time for him to wind up and land a solid blow to my left cheek. The pain was a shock, and I was so surprised that I landed on my ass.
“Fucker!” I shouted and punched the floor.
He flipped me the middle finger, right in my face.
Rage pelted through me as I slapped his hand aside and sprang to my feet. But I hesitated. There was no way I could plant a fist anywhere on him. What if I rebroke something?
He growled when I didn’t do anything back, stormed into his room, and punched the window. I winced as the glass cracked, and he hit it a couple more times until it shattered outward and blood dripped from his knuckles. His shoulders heaved, and I couldn’t help looking down the line of his back.
Heat twisted in my gut and I sucked in a breath through my teeth.
“What the fuck, Rook?” I asked.
He swung around with an awful expression on his face. “I just want my old life back.”
Cradling my cheeks in my hands, I studied him for a few seconds. “We all do.”
“Then why do you keep pretending we’re only friends?”
I froze and my mind went blank, like a TV when the picture cuts out. Just nothing. I had no answers for him. He got up in my face and shoved me again. I grabbed his wrist as blood trickled from the knuckles on his right hand.
“Fuck! What are you doing? Let me help you.”
