“So?” Max glared at me. “You think I give a shit about seeing him like that? Move. I need to know he’s okay.”
Fuck. There was no smugness now, just pity. If the roles had been reversed, I’d hate to be shut out here and not able to see Dom with my own eyes.
But this was what he wanted. I wasn’t going to let him go.
Taking a deep breath, I planted my feet. “He doesn’t want to see you right now, Max.”
He reeled back a step, his eyes widening. “What?”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I meant it too. I hadn’t felt torn between the two before, and it fucking sucked. “He just wants to be on his own.”
“On his own,” Max rolled the words around in his mouth, his lips curling in distaste. “But with you. Right?”
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to. Max knew it was my window Dominic had climbed through, not his.
“I see.” Max’s face shuttered. “Good to know I’m replaceable.”
I stepped after him, my chest twisting. “Max, it’s not like that. What Dom and I share, it’s different.”
“You’re telling me,” he said bitterly, turning his back on me. “I’m going to Amy’s.”
He got to the bottom of the stairs before speaking again, not looking back. “Tell him…tell him I hope everything’s okay. That I’m here when he’s ready to talk.”
“I will. Thanks, Max.”
He looked back then, not bothering to conceal the hatred in his eyes. “Don’t thank me, Ryan. I’m not doing it for you.”
No, he wasn’t. But he was doing it for Dominic, and that was good enough for me.
22
Ryan
I went back into my room to find Dominic sitting exactly where I’d left him.
“Max is pissed, huh?”
I shrugged and went to sit next to him. “He’ll get over it.”
Dominic grunted, closing his eyes. “This is all his fucking fault.”
My brow crinkled. “Max?”
“No. My dad.”
I didn’t even know what had happened, but based on how Dominic was behaving, I already hated the fucker.
“I didn’t mean to worry you both,” Dom continued. “Went for a walk after arguing with my dad and forgot my phone. Didn’t realise how late it’d got until just now.”
His hand was resting on the duvet.Once, I would’ve hesitated before touching him, but not now. It felt natural to entwine our fingers. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.” The exhaustion was clear in his voice. “But that probably means I should.”
Had his dad been responsible the last time Dominic had turned up here upset? What had helped him that time?
“Come on,” I said, getting to my feet and tugging on his hand. “Let’s get into bed.”
Dominic laughed weakly, opening one eye to peer at me. “Never thought I’d say this, Shadow, but I’m not in the mood.”
