Page 104 of My Brother’s Best Friends Entanglement

Rhys swallows before he adds. “And I’m the only one whose feelings she’s not going to worry about.” His voice cracks in a way I’ve never heard, and for a second I can’t help but wonder just who is suffering the most right now. "Tonight isn't about fighting over her," Rhys finishes. "It's about taking care of her. Got it?"

Nobody argues.

"He's right," Zachary says, rough.

"Fuck, I know," I say, and mean it, even though every part of me wants to argue anyway.

Zachary goes to her first, crouches by the stretcher, and I watch him say something low, just for her, close enough that I can't make out a word of it, his hand gentle on her uninjured cheek as the other helps her sit up. Whatever it is, her eyes go soft, and something in his shoulders loosens for the first time all night.

Then it's my turn.

I help her down off the stretcher, one arm around her waist, careful, and walk her slowly out of the bar toward the car, matching my pace to hers.

"I'm gonna hang out here and help with whatever's needed, but I'll be home soon," I tell her, once we're at the car door. "The second you need anything, and I mean anything, you call me. And I'll be there."

She lifts her hand and touches my face. "I'm fine, Marcus."

"Of course you are. Call me anyway."

She leans into me, and the press of her body sends a sense of calm through me. "Thank you. For caring so much. But you don't have to worry about⁠—"

"Lexi." I brush a thumb along her jaw, careful of the bruise blooming near her temple. "I'd sprout fucking wings and fly you out of here myself if I thought it was the best thing for you." She giggles a little at the image and relief floods my body. "Caring about you isn't a choice. It's never been. And I’m not going to stop now.”

I help her into the car, careful not to slam the door.

I step back. Rhys gives me one last look over the roof of the car, and a minute later they're pulling away, tail-lights disappearing round the corner.

"Hey," Aria says, coming up behind me, wrapping both arms around my middle in a hug I didn't know I needed. "She'll be okay. I checked with the medic myself. They wouldn't have let her go if they were properly worried."

"Yeah." I smile down at her sweet face.

"She's lovely, by the way. In case nobody's told you." Aria pulls back, looking up at me. "Even flat on her back on a stretcher, she was asking after everyone else before she'd let anyone check on her. During the whole thing, too, I heard her calling for me and Betty."

"That tracks." My sweet girl and her big heart. Then something finally occurs to me.

"Speaking of what was going on during the attack — do you know where Craig is? He's the guy she came here with tonight."

The look on her face tells me I'm not going to like what she's about to say. "Marcus. I don't think that matters right now. Just concentrate on her over the next few days."

"Aria. Come on." I stare at her square on. "Look at my face. In all the years you've known me, have you ever once seen me look like this?"

She studies me for a second, and whatever she finds there softens her expression.

"You care about her," she says with a sigh.

"More than you can possibly imagine."

TWENTY-SEVEN

Rhys

I pull up outside the house and cut the engine. She's leaning against the window, eyes closed, and I consider just sitting here with her until she shows she's ready to move. But then she reaches for the door handle and I stop her with a light hand on her shoulder.

“It's okay. I can walk.” Her voice comes out thin, worn down to nothing, and it scares me to even leave her for the two seconds it'll take to get to her side.

“Humour me.” I'm around the car and opening her door before she can argue, not that she tries. That's the part that gets me. Alexia doesn't let anyone carry her, not emotionally, not mentally, and certainly not physically. Tonight she just drags her legs out of the car, loops an arm around my neck, and lets her head drop against my shoulder.

I slide my arms under her thighs and lift her to me.