“I’m scared too. I’m scared of falling in love with Damien, but I’d rather be happy for a short time than miserable my whole life,” Iconfessed.
The Dream Wars did this to us. Made us afraid to love because we were terrified of loss, what it could do tous.
Stacy laughed then, a shrill ‘I’m being tickled in the neck by Brisk’s stubble’ laugh, and Ronnie shot off the couch, nearly smacking intome.
“I’m gonna kill her,” she seethed and started for thestairs.
Oh hell yeah.I grinned, running afterher.
Ronnie took the stairs two at a time, and I prepared myself to pull her off Stacy. It wasn’t the blonde’s fault she’d walked into this drama. I’d make sure she got out of here without a brokennose.
When we reached the door to Brisk’s room, I could hear laughing and moaning. I cringed. This shit was about to getawkward.
Without a knock, Ronnie threw open the door. “Get the fuck off my man!” she shouted. I ran inside after her but stopped short. Instead of Stacy on top of Brisk half-naked, they were sitting a few feet apart fully clothed, and Brisk was grinning ear toear.
“What’s going on?” I asked, utterlyconfused.
Brisk stood, still smiling, and pulled a couple hundred-dollar bills from his pocket, handing them to Stacy. “Thanks for your help.” All trace of drunkenness in his voice wasgone.
She took the money, shoving it into her bra, and grabbed her purse, sneaking past Ronniewarily.
“What the hell just happened?” Ronnie asked, gesturing at the bed as if it had done somethingwrong.
Brisk took a step closer to her. “Ronnie, I’ve been in love with you for four years now. I know how you work. You’re the stubbornest woman I’ve ever met, and you need to be coerced into showing anyfeelings.”
She crossed her arms, looking offended. “So that was allfake?”
He shrugged, opening his arms. “Does it matter? Come topapa.”
Typical Ronnie would’ve stormed out of the room, pissed off, but instead she grinned. “You jackass. I almost rearranged her face,” she said as she stepped into hisembrace.
When she tilted her chin up to kiss him, it looked so natural, like they’d done it a thousand times. He wrapped his hands behind her neck and took what was his. Man, I almost wanted to clap. That shit had been a long timecoming.
After kissing him, she pulled back. “So, you didn’t mean what you said about me being the messed-up one, notMaxine?”
Now that I knew they were fine, I started to make my way out of the room to give themprivacy.
“Oh no, that shit’s true, sweetie,” Brisk replied, and I heard a loud smack before both of them fell onto thebed.
As I shut the door, I couldn’t help but smile. Somehow, in some weird way, everyone had come together. Life was good when you were surrounded bylove.
Eight
The night passed quicklywhile we played cards, swam, and worked out. Jeremy had come out twice to measure my head, which had me a little scared, but I wasn’t sure what to say about it. Damien shrugged it off, so I wasn’t tooworried.
We were all sitting around playing poker when Maxine pointed at Ronnie andBrisk.
“Bronnie,” she said, thenlaughed.
Brisk frowned. “What?”
“That’s your celebrity couple name!” Maxine informed him. Nox had a hand on her thigh and was getting her water and anything else she needed to recover. As long as she kept her arm in a sling for a few weeks, she would be okay. Even the slice in her leg would heal because Ronnie didn’t hit anything major. Perks of having a trauma surgeon stabyou.
Ronnie looked at Maxine and Nox. “Mox is yours,” shecountered.
Maxine chuckled, and then looked at Damien and me. “Hmm. Kamien?Dit?”
We all busted out laughing, and Maxine shook her head. “I’m sorry, you can’t be a celebrity couple. Your names are too awfultogether.”
