Chapter 10
COOPER
Never let your mistakes stop you from doing better.
Once again, I’d fucked up. Angel left me because I was too chickenshit to say something to ask her to stay. I let her go because I couldn’t tell her the truth. I watched her walk away, get in her car, and drive to a whole ‘nother city because I didn’t tell her I loved her.
After she drove away, I’d grabbed the tarantula and left. I didn’t keep it, though. I made arrangements for the pet store to deliver it whenever they moved in. I spent a few days wallowing. But after I finished my second fifth of cognac, I tossed the liquor and hopped into action.
Granddad once told me to move in silence, so I turned off my phone and got to work. Now, I was ready to fix the shit I’d broken.
The ringing of the doorbell broke my momentum, and I tossed a few shirts in my suitcase and hurried to the door. Pulling it open, I was surprised to see my brothers on the other side.
Frowning, I asked, “What the hell are y’all doing here?”
Dom pushed past me. “I got an SOS call from Dallas, through Ava. I called for reinforcements.”
The rest of my brothers entered my condo. I closed the door and turned to them. “Why?”
“She said you were probably sprawled out on the floor, crying into a fifth of Hennessy.” Mav plopped down on the leather sofa. “You don’t look drunk, though.”
“Because I’m not, dumb ass.” I sat on my Lazy Boy.
“Everybody is just worried,” Hunter said. “You haven’t answered your phone, bruh. We wanted to make sure you were good.”
I pulled out my phone and turned it on, cringing when I saw all the messages. “As you can see, I’m fine.”
“Where’s the cognac?” Mav asked. “I was prepared to have a few shots with you before Dom whooped your ass for falling off the grid again.”
I glared at my youngest brother. “I threw it out.”
Dom leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Coop?”
“I think what Dom is trying to say—”
“What the fuck is wrong with you needs no interpretation, Hunter.”
“Nothing is wrong with me,” I told them. “I had to get my shit together, and I couldn’t do what I needed to do in Rosewood Heights. So I left.”
“Because Angel left yo’ ass,” Mav said. “Dallas told me the story.”
I made a mental note to cuss Dallas’ ass out next time I saw her. “What did she tell you?”
Dom shook his head. “That you fucked up.”
“She left you,” Hunter added.
“All of that is true,” I admitted. “She told me she needed space, so I gave it to her.”Temporarily.
“I still don’t know why anyone would throw good liquor out.” Mav nudged Hunter. “He might be losing his mind.”
“I’m not crazy,” I said with a shrug. “I’m came here to pack because I’m moving. Throwing shit out comes with the territory.”
Groaning, Dom rolled his eyes. “There you go again. Things don’t go your way and you just walk away.”
“Where exactly are you going?” Hunter asked.
“Home. To Rosewood Heights. To be near my family.”
