“I’m taking you with me.”
“No.”
“No?” Ash grabs Morgan by the shoulders, and I really want to peel those fucking hands off him. I grunt in frustration when Morgan doesn’t even shake him off. “Why not?”
“Because I can’t come back with you.”
“Where else are you going to go?”
Morgan flinches and I growl, low and menacing, but thank fuck neither of them notices.
“Shit, I didn’t mean it like that.” Ash takes a step back but doesn’t let go. “You said your house is gone.”
“It is. Dad’s gone to his brother’s?—”
“Please tell me you’re not going to live with that piece of shit?”
Morgan shakes his head. “Fuck no. I just... I might take off for a bit when my bike’s fixed. Take some time to sort my head out.”
“What about work?”
“I’ll take holiday.”
Ash finally lets go of him, and some of the tension leaves my body. Now if only he’d give him some personal fucking space too. “You’ve not joined a biker gang then?”
Callum huffs out a laugh this time.
Biker gang.
Is that how they see us? I guess it’s not that far from the truth.
“No.” Morgan sighs, and it’s full of hurt and defeat and tugs at me in ways I don’t want. “Turns out I’m not good enough.”
Ash huffs. “Too fucking good, more like.” When he glances at us this time, he doesn’t even try to hide the contempt.
“He’s got balls,” Callum muses. “I’ll give him that.” There’s a hint of reluctant admiration to his tone.
“Are you really not coming home with me?” Ash asks.
“No. Not... not yet, at least. I just need some time to get my head straight after the house and everything.”
Ash bites his lip, frustration evident. Even from here I can tell how much he wants to grab Morgan and bundle him in the car. I almost feel sorry for him. The sigh he lets out sounds like resignation. “You better keep in touch.”
“Promise.”
“Every fucking day, I mean it.” He pulls Morgan into another hug, and I fight not to react this time. “And don’t stay away too long. You know I’m way too needy for that.”
Morgan laughs, but there’s an underlying sadness that I don’t think Ash’s picked up on because he just claps him on the shoulder. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Morgan watches Ash get back in his car and drive back to the gates. When they close after him, he takes a shuddering breath that I can almost feel.
“Go check on the other two,” I tell Callum. “Then we need a meeting.” He disappears back inside, followed by Flint and Jet.
Morgan hasn’t moved. He doesn’t even turn around when I jump down the last few steps and walk over to him. I make enough noise that he has to have heard me.
It pisses me off, not gonna lie.
