“No. Absolutely not. Hockey House is not a recovery environment. Hockey House is where brain cells go to die wearing Fury merch.”
“Not this week.”
Her brows lifted, or tried to. “Oh, good. Did the house get a personality transplant while I was being medically dramatic?”
Ryker made a rough sound that might have been a laugh if it had not been dragged through too much rage first.
I kept my eyes on Bliss. “No parties. No extra people. No reckless activity.”
She blinked at me. “You live with Briggs.”
“I’ll contain him.”
“You cannot contain Briggs. Briggs is not a person. He’s a group project.”
“He’ll behave.”
“Has anyone told him that?”
“Rider did.”
“Rider looks like he would calmly watch a building burn if the lighting was good.”
From the corner, Rider’s mouth twitched. He had barely spoken since arriving with Easton, Ryan, and Briggs, but he had been watching the room with that quiet, sharp focus that made him harder to read than most. “Depends on the building.”
Bliss pointed toward him, then winced and lowered her hand immediately. “See? Concerning.”
“It’s the safest place,” I said.
Her face shifted.
Not much. Not enough for anyone who hadn’t spent months memorizing her to catch it. But I caught the way the humor thinned, the way her fingers tightened on the edge of the blanket, the way her eyes flicked toward Aura and Charm before coming back to me.
“I have an apartment,” she said.
“I know.”
“I have a bed there.”
“I know.”
“I have skincare there.”
Charm put a hand to her chest. “That one is actually serious.”
“I’ll get your things.”
“No,” Bliss said quickly. “I can get my own things. I am not some Victorian orphan being relocated for my delicate constitution.”
“You were released with instructions not to be left alone,” Knox said, voice firm but careful. “Nobody said you’re helpless, Bug. They said you’re injured.”
“I hate when people use logic against me.”
“It’s been a hard day for all of us,” Kellen said.
Bliss tried to glare at him too. “Don’t start with me, fire boy.”
Kellen’s mouth tightened like the nickname hurt and saved him at the same time.
