Page 132 of My Brother’s Best Friends Entanglement

She kisses his forehead on her way out, promising to be back soon. I watch her hand shake doing it.

I stay a second longer. “Glad you're back, mate.”

“No drama.” Eyes already dropping shut. Then, half asleep: “Thanks. For taking care of her.”

I don't say anything. I don't trust what would come out.

I go to catch up with Alexia, and the whole way down the corridor I can't shake the feeling that I don't deserve a single word of that thank you.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Marcus

Leon's got his own room by day two, less hospital policy, than the way he winks at every nurse who walks past, I'm guessing. Scratched up, stitched, half a dozen machines hooked to him, and he's still got the same charm that once talked him out of a month of detention and every speeding ticket he's ever earned.

He's on FaceTime with their mum when we walk in.

“— No, don't need you flying home, Mum. If you step off that ship and come fussing, I swear I'm never getting married. You'll never be a grandma. I'll make Alexia promise too. Is that what you want, Mum?”

Alexia curses, takes the phone off him, and blows her a kiss goodbye.

“You're a damn menace,” she tells him, fixing his pillow while she says it.

He beams up at her. “I'm charismatic. There's a difference. Speaking of. The cute nurse who did my obs this morning. Mentioned a sister.” He winks and grins at me. “Wanna double?”

The room goes quiet.

Rhys and Zachary both cough and suddenly find something riveting on their phones. Alexia's hand stops moving on the pillow.

Leon reads all of it completely wrong. “Oh, come on. It's not that shocking. She's heard worse, about all of Marcus's exploits over the years too. Pretends she's not listening when I tell her about them but I know she is. Aren't you, Xi-Xi?”

I. Feel. Sick. I know exactly what he means by exploits, and I've never once thought about Alexia, sitting there for years hearing about every one of them from her own brother.

She ignores his question and leans over me to reach for the water jug just as I grab it for her. Our hands brush and then she's gone, out into the hallway.

Leon's already talking again, about how sweet the nurse was, and how she loves The Woodyard.

“Mate,” I finally manage, “concentrate on your recovery. Time for women later.”

He waves my words away. “Getting back on my feet is part of my recovery. And I need my wingman back. What's going on with Tracey? And Cheri? She was hot, funny, super nice, perfect for you. I actually kinda thought you might've even eventually been serious about her. You sure stayed at her house enough.”

Alexia walks in right at that moment, stops, framed by the doorway.

“Um, we're over, bro. And I never once thought of it turning into anything remotely resembling something serious. You know I've never been looking for that.” Until now. Even not being able to say it out loud feels traitorous to Alexia right now.

She turns on her heel, walks back out, still holding the water jug. Shit. “Gotta make a call. Why don't you torture one of these guys instead.”

I jog into the hallway ready to chase her down, but she's just standing at the noticeboard outside her brother's room, still holding a full jug of water like a security blanket.

I stand close, leaning down so she can hear me even with my lowered voice. “Hey, baby. What you just heard. You know he doesn't know what he⁠—”

She takes a step to the side, shaking her head as she holds up her hand, stopping me. “It's fine. You don't have to explain anything. I'm not mad.”

“But it's perfectly valid for you to be upset. Cheri and I are j⁠—”

“Marcus. Stop. I'm not asking for any explanation. I'm not upset.” She turns, face composed, knuckles white on the jug. “I mean, it's not like we're exclusive, is it? You've never promised me that. And I certainly haven't promised you that. So I don't really have a right to be anything.”

I frown. “No. What? That's completely not the same thing. You're with Z and Rhys. They're my mates.”