The stench of blood and body odor is overpowering in the car, and I’m grateful when Flynn opens a window as Gray drives away.
I expect him to speed out of there like the car is on fire, but he drives slowly and carefully around the corner through some long metal fencing and a wide gate where a guard stands watching us as we cruise by.
As we drive, we pass a maze of containers and old warehouses, and I’m lost within seconds as Gray navigates through it easily. It takes me several minutes to figure out that we’re by the waterfront, a mess of metal cranes and building work rising on each side of us.
Once we are on the highway heading back toward the city, I hear Seb give a little sigh of relief and glance back at him.
“Do we need to go to the hospital?” I ask, but all of them shake their heads. Scott’s eye is even more swollen and black than it was before, his expression grim.
Ben winces, leaning forward to free up more space. They’re shoulder to shoulder like a can of sardines.
“Who the hell is this dude?” he says, repeating Scott’s question as everyone but Flynn stares at Gray.
“This is Gray Jones,” Flynn says bitterly. “Our new business partner, apparently.”
There’s a long silence, the shifting movements from the back the only sound until Scott sighs.
“I’m so sorry,” he says as we approach a long line of traffic heading into the city. “This is my fault. Everything is my fault.”
No one replies. After all, what could we say? Thisishis fault. He’s caused unending problems for me, for Flynn, and now for Gray.
A man who hasn’t met my gaze since we left the warehouse.
As we travel through the city, brake lights and horns blaring all around us as we make our way back to Irving, I should be focused on my brothers. I should want to ensure that they’re okay.
But all I can think about is my silent companion up front, driving steadily and slowly through the city as if he does this every day.
What the hell happens now?
When we arrive back at the house after an interminable, miserable journey, my brothers can’t get out of the car fast enough.
I climb out too, my body and mind aching, rattled by the events of the day, and Gray’s stone-cold silence.
I close the door, expecting him to drive off with a parting joke about not bothering to come in tomorrow, but instead, he gets out of the car, too.
“You’re coming in?” I ask incredulously, but he doesn’t turn to look at me.
“I need to discuss terms with your brother.”
“What?” I ask stupidly.
“I just dropped half a million dollars to bail you out, you think I’m going to just walk away?”
Then he turns and walks up the steps of the house and away from me. I stare after him, my chest aching painfully.
All I want is a hot shower and sleep, but when I enter the house, Flynn is standing awkwardly in the living room, with Gray beside him and my brothers scattered around them, looking beyond confused.
No one is speaking.
“We need to talk about what’s next,” Gray says in a stern tone and Scott looks at me.
“Jax, is this the dude who’s been buying you designer clothes and shit?” he says, looking at me.
“Scott, would you shut up and sit down?” I snap out. His mouth drops open and then closes just as fast as he goes to lean against the wall, holding his ribs.
“Seb, Ben, go clean yourselves up,” Flynn growls, and my two younger brothers troop out, exchanging worried glances but not saying a word.
Flynn sits down at the table, and after a few seconds of staring at Gray, willing him to look at me, I go and join him.
