Kinda hurt my feelings to be honest.
I reached for the confiscated beer.
He jerked it back. “You aren’t my friend. You’re my family, and I’ll be damned if I stand here and watch you mix booze with pills while you got a bulletwound in your shoulder.”
“You do care.” I meant to say it all sarcastic-like, but it came out a little too real.
He made a rude sound. “Of course I fucking do.”
“I can see the marshmallow spine you speak of.”
“Fuck off.”
I chuckled, then sobered up because I wasn’t about to waste this moment. Probably wouldn’t happen for another decade. “You know I care too, right?”
“You made it clear when you shackled yourself in this life with me.”
Kieran hadn’t been too happy about that, but I didn’t give him a choice. Life only made sense if we were watching each other’s backs.
“My guy,” I said, spreading my arms wide.
“No. Stay away from me.”
I yanked him in, closing my arms around him to beat on his back. He stayed stiff and didn’t return the hug, but he didn’t pull away either.
“I love you too,” I whispered and then laughed at the choked sound he made.
“Uhhh, am I interrupting something?” Haz asked.
Kieran jerked back like he’d been electrocuted, and I cackled. “Just a little brotherly bonding.”
Kieran opened the beer he wouldn’t let me have and took a long pull.
“That’s mine,” I complained.
He reached into the fridge, pulled out a water, and tossed it at me.
I took a sip and then pulled some snacks out of my jeans. This time it was walnuts.
“I’m waiting for an explanation,” Kieran announced as I chewed.
“An explanation about what?” Haz wanted to know.
I gazed at Kieran, silently asking if this was a conversation he wanted to have in private.
Kieran gestured for me to go ahead.
“Rett has an autoimmune disorder. It’s called rheumatoid arthritis. I haven’t had much time to research it, but it’s not something that can be cured.” Truth is it bothered me that I didn’t know much about it. It bothered me even more that he’d been walking around half his life without being treated. If I had stayed two years ago, I could have gotten him to a doctor then.
Haz made a sound. “I knew something was wrong.”
“What?” we both asked. But I asked first.
I had dibs on everything to do with Pip.
“He limps a lot. Mostly when he thinks people aren’t looking. And he’s kinda pale. He doesn’t go out much either. He always said everything was fine when I asked, but I should have pushed.”
I shook my head. “Don’t think he wanted you to know.”
