Page 13 of Verdict

“Walker!” Farrah reprimanded.

Ava reared back as if Walker had slapped her. "Well, first off, that is offensive…" she trailed off. Her eyes dropped to her hands before lifting… straight over to me.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I wished the floor would open and swallow me whole.

Walker followed her gaze. His brows furrowed. Then his eyes widened, understanding registering in slow motion.

Here we go.

He pointed at her. Then at me.

I winced, eyes darting around the room frantically, trying to find an escape route as if I could avoid what I knew was about to happen.

Farrah dropped her head into her hands. “Oh no.”

“No. No, no, no. NO fucking way!” Walker exploded.

He jumped to his feet. I tried to back up, but I barely had time to brace for impact before he shoved me—hard. I nearly crashed to the floor, catching myself on the edge of the island.

“What the FUCK, Cohen?” he roared in my face. I’d never seen him this angry.

I was ready to take a few punches. I deserved it, but Farrah immediately stepped between us. “Walker, stop!”

“You got my sister pregnant?!” he yelled over her shoulder, finger pointed at me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” His eyes were wild. Hurt.

Ava buried her face in her hands and groaned something I couldn't quite make out.

“I’m sorry, man,” I said, every rehearsed word gone, my mind completely blank. “It just happened. We didn’t mean for it to—”

“I trusted you!” he cut me off with a growl. “You’re my best friend. I told you to stay away from her, and yet you still couldn’t keep your goddamn dick in your pants.”

Farrah kept pushing him back, trying to keep the distance.

“Walker,” Ava pleaded, standing. “It was my fault. I fucked up, not Cohen.”

His head snapped toward her, his expression instantly softening toward his little sister. “No. Nope. I don’t believe that for a goddamn second. I know how he is.” His eyes locked on mine, jaw clenched tight.

That one stings.

“Listen,” I said, hands raised in surrender. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here, in whatever way Ava needs me.”

Something flashed across Ava’s face. Relief, maybe?

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” she said firmly. “I asked him to leave with me that night."

Well, that is a lie.

"He’s coming to my doctor’s appointment,” she continued. “I have this handled. For fuck's sake, I’m almost thirty, Walker. You don’t need to big-brother me.”

She stepped beside me and looped her arm through mine. The warmth of it caught me off guard. I wasn't sure I remembered the last time someone stood up and protected me.

Walker paused, eyes narrowing. "So… what… are you two like together now?"

Before I could answer, Ava shook her head vehemently. "No. No, we're just friends."

Did I want a relationship? No, not particularly. After everything I’d been through in my life, I didn’t like being attached.