Chapter 21 Wolfe
TWENTY-ONE
WOLFE
“You always come with me for Christmas. You know how bad it will look if you don’t?” Archangel sits on my bed, and it almost feels like it used to.
We haven’t repeated what happened the other night, but at least he’s not avoiding me.
“I figured you wouldn’t want me to come. Won’t it just cause issues?” But that’s only half the reason.
My mom has called me twice more, but I don’t really want to tell him. Every missed call fills me with dread, even though I haven’t even fucking spoken to her since I moved in with Archangel.
What can she possibly want?
“It’s going to cause more if you don’t,” Archangel says carefully, and I get it. His sister is a lot on her best days.
But the idea of going back there with my mom trying to get ahold of me makes me want to puke. She hasn’t tried to call me in a long time.
“You really want to spend the few days we have to chill, dealing with all of that?” I lean against my desk, not sure how to word what I want to say.
“It’s for my grandfather.” He lifts his shoulders, side-eying me like he needs reassurance. “Fake dating me isn’t so bad, is it?”
“It’s never bad pretending to love you.” I don’t know where the words came from, but my chest is warm, and I break eye contact. “But do you really want to spend those days pretending?”
He smiles, and I catch just a hint of it out of the corner of my gaze. “It’s better than spending three days explaining why the guy I’m newly seeing didn’t come when he always came as my friend before.”
Does he not want to pretend?
“You could just stay here. We could make some excuse?” I throw out like a life raft.
Would it be so bad to just be together? I want the downtime to get back to us. I miss us.
“Mom’s already anticipating that and told me this might be my grandfather’s last Christmas, and I really need to be there.”
“How? She’s a damn mind reader.” I don’t like my ideas being thwarted before they’ve barely formed.
“She can just sense it. She knows I try to avoid drama, so she’s planned for this. She also will always side with Steph.” He pulls at a thread on my comforter.
“So why let her do it?”
“It’s just a couple of days.” Archangel is committed to the idea of family in a way I’ve never connected with considering how they treat him. “And I do miss my grandfather.”
I rub a hand over the back of my neck. “Do you want me to fight Mark in front of your grandfather?”
He shoves off the bed to stand in front of me, twisting a strand of blond hair around his finger. “Please.”
He’s impossible to say no to. I love making him happy.
I look at the ceiling because if I look at him for another minute, I’m going to lose my mind. “You know we’ll have to pretend to be together.”
“Haven’t we been?”
I drop my gaze to give him a flat look. “You know it’s different when we are there.”
He shuffles closer. “Does that bother you?”
Annoyance bubbles up in my chest. He’s got to be fucking kidding, right?
I barely keep it contained. “You’re the one who got weird the last time we were there.”
“I didn’t make it weird.” He releases an exasperated sound.
I stare at him like he’s lost his mind. “Is this what gaslighting feels like?”
He sets his mouth in a line and glares. “What are you talking about?”
“Bitch are you kidding?” I know I’m channeling my inner cunt here, but I cannot believe him. “You switched fucking rooms for trips and avoided me. It’s only been better for a couple of weeks. That qualifies as acting weird.”
“Are you really still mad about that?” He drops his head back, groaning.
“Maybe I’m mad about everything.” I’m being a bitch, and I don’t care. Not when he’s playing it off.
“It’s not that big a deal.” He puts his hand on my chest.
I lift my chin, looking over his shoulder. “It is to me. I’ve not touched a single other person—”
He cuts me off and steps back. “Is that what this is about? You need to get laid?”
I swallow hard, flashes of his lips around my cock flicker behind my eyes. I’d thought about it way more than I’ll ever admit.
I grab his shirt, getting a hold of myself. “Don’t you fucking dare start. No, I don’t need to get laid, but like I said, I miss being touched. And things are just starting to feel better with us. So yeah, I’m fucking hesitant to let it all play out again before the wedding.”
He stops his retreat but narrows his eyes. “What do you want?”
“My best friend.”
He lifts a brow, but doesn’t speak, going over my words. “What does that mean?”
“You fucking know. It’s every little thing. I want all the space gone.”
“Is that all?” He steps closer, sliding his arms around my neck.
I try to ignore the way my heart accelerates. “And I want to kick Mark’s ass.”
He rolls his eyes but fights a smile. “Don’t you dare.”
“If he—” I grind my teeth and grumble.
“If he goes after me next game, you have free rein to do whatever you want.” Angel brushes his fingers up the back of my neck making me shiver.
“He’s going to end up with a black eye and a broken nose for his damn wedding.” My eyes flutter closed.
Angel finally cracks and laughs. “I won’t stop you, but not at Christmas. I just want to see my grandfather.”
I give in because I’m so fucking weak when it comes to him.
We’re on a plane the next week against my better judgment. It’s a quick flight, and this time he didn’t rent a car. We grab a cab and head toward his house. Thankfully, there’s no traffic this close to Christmas.
I keep my eyes inside the vehicle, and my skin crawls. I hate that being back here does this to me. There are parts of this city I never want to see again. The only reason I come back is for Angel.
“Be ready for her to put you in the basement. No chance she lets us sleep in the same room.”
“We’ve slept in the same room since high school. You really think she’ll care that much?” I laugh, not caring. It’s not like hooking up is on the table.
“Not only does she hate gay people, but you know, no one can have sex under her roof,” Archangel says when we’re nearly there.
“Not like we were going to have sex.” I side-eye him, trying to get him to go red.
He glares at me, and just when I think he’s getting a little pink, he turns away because we’ve stopped in front of his parents McMansion, and his mother is waiting outside.
Steph and Mark somehow pulled up minutes before us, and I’m glad we didn’t see them at the airport. I don’t know if I could have resisted hitting him without the consequences of Archangel’s family.
“How does she even know we’re here?”
“She has a ring camera that she stalks like the neighbors are all murderers.”
“That seems right for your mother.” I take both our suitcases from the driver and carry them toward the massive front porch.
Archangel reaches for his, but I wave him off. “What are you doing?”
“Being your boyfriend.” I grin at him, knowing it’s going to annoy the shit out of him.
“I am a man. I can carry my own bag.”
I nod at Mark and Steph, who are bringing their things inside, and she’s carrying her own suitcase. That shuts Archangel up.
“Hi, Ma.” I kiss her cheek, then set one of the suitcases down to shake Mr. Archangel’s hand. “Thanks for having me again, sir.”
He takes my hand and pulls me into a hug. “Glad to have you as part of the family, finally. Even if it’s not the way any of us expected.” His words catch me off guard, and I’m at a loss for words.
Is he happy about this?
“Let’s get everyone inside and settled. Let the staff carry those bags.” Mrs. Archangel pats me on the arm.
Reluctantly, I let the waiting man take my bag. I should be used to all this. I did live here, but it’s still so foreign to me.
“Why don’t all of you freshen up for dinner?” She goes on, leading us up the grand staircase, while the staff takes our bags to the back. Every meal is a formal event at his house. No one is wearing a t-shirt to dinner, especially around the holidays.
“Are we going upstairs?” Angel asks, seemingly confused.
“Yes, of course. Our guests will be in the nicest rooms, Wilder.”
Archangel winces as she uses his name but brushes it off. “In my entire life, you’ve never let us share a room with someone we’re dating.”
“It’s hardly the same. Your sister is engaged, and this seems pretty serious.” She glances over her shoulder between us but doesn’t wait for confirmation. “I’ve had all the rooms redone specifically so you’ll all be comfortable.”
“What?” I mouth at Archangel.
He shrugs as she opens the door.
“The bathrooms were dated, and frankly, all those posters you had all over aged so poorly.” She shudders, stepping into the newly remodeled room.
It’s nothing like it used to be. It’s emotionless and well-decorated.
The windows are open for once. Archangel always had them closed. They give a nice view of the lake.
“What did you do with all my stuff?” He’s not quiet, dejected, but he’s at least bothered.
“Calm down. It’s in storage in the basement if you want anything.” She leaves us to it, closing the door behind her to show Steph and Mark her newly renovated room.
I walk over to the bed. It’s a queen and bend over to flip up the skirt. “The trundle is gone.”
I brace for his freakout.
He scans the room. There’s a little loveseat, but not one either of us can stretch out on, and barely enough room on the floor. “I’ll sleep in the tub or something.”
“And fuck up your back before our game this weekend?!”
He must have lost his damn mind. I won’t accept any other explanation.
“It won’t be that bad.”
I cross my arms and cock my head, not letting up.
“We won’t both fit in that bed. You’re too tall for it as it is.”
“We can make it work.” I stick out my lower lip.
“You really want me taking up a significant portion of the bed? We’ll both sleep better if I sleep somewhere else.” He’s making sound points, but I hate the idea.
“What if someone walks in in the middle of the night? How will you sleeping in the bathtub look?” I walk into the ensuite, flip on the light, and start laughing.
Archangel is on my heels. “What are you laughing at?”
There’s no tub. His mom must have ripped it out with the remodel.
“I’m going to enjoy jacking off in that shower.” I wink and stroll out of the bathroom to flop down on the bed. “How long do we have before dinner?”
“I can’t believe you’re wearing your outside clothes on the bed and you want me to share it with you.” Archangel checks his watch. “An hour or so.”
“Power nap time!” I kick my clothes off before picking up my head to look at him. “Come on.”
He blinks, shocked, or trying to process. Which makes me grin. “What are you doing?”
“You told me no outside clothes in the bed. This is me listening to you.” I act like I’m sticking a sticker to my chest. “One gold star for me.”
“Fuck you. I didn’t mean get naked.” He looks at the ceiling.
“Do I disgust you!?” I huff and roll over. “And I’m not naked. I’m in boxers.”
“Ones that barely cover your dick,” he mutters, taking shorts into the bathroom.
“You change in front of me every day in the locker room!” I call after him, not sure what’s brought on this sudden modesty.
He’s holding out his middle finger when he comes out. “Scoot over.”
“I can’t. I’ll fall out of the bed.”
“You have like two feet.”
“You know how I feel about edges.” I barely get the words out with a straight face.
“You’re fucking impossible.” I lift my shoulders, then pat the space next to me. “Come on, Angel baby, you’ll fit.”
He lets out a breath and gingerly climbs in next to me. He can’t help but touch me at least a little. I rub my pinky against his shoulder, earning a smile.
“I thought we were napping,” he says softly.
“Does that mean I can’t touch you?” I reply sarcastically since we used to bro cuddle all the time.
“Just making sure.”
We must have fallen asleep, because we’re awoken by the door being thrown open.