Chapter 1 #2
“He loves you. A lot. He was excited when you told him you were coming here, but worried too. He didn’t know why you’d give up your life back in Missouri on what seemed like a whim.
It’s no secret that I like you, Dev. A lot.
And that if you gave me the slightest hint you might be open to starting something, I’d be all for it.
But I can’t—and I won’t—keep secrets from Grover.
Especially if it involves your health or safety. ”
Devyn nodded. She’d known he’d say something like that.
She wasn’t mad at him though. She admired the bond Fred had with his teammates.
But that was why she’d kept her problems to herself.
She’d never had a friendship like that, and she had no desire to do anything to harm the relationship between her brother and his teammates.
“Are you sick? Or in danger?” Lucky asked.
“No,” Devyn said without hesitation. The cancer hadn’t returned, thank God, and she didn’t think she was in danger. Her issues with Spencer were irritating and stressful, but not worth shaking up the foundation of her family, and not life or death.
She’d hoped that moving so far away would make Spencer change. Would be enough for him to do what he needed to do to get back on the right track.
But as she remembered the short phone call that afternoon, she knew he hadn’t changed at all since she’d left.
“Hey, sis. It’s your favorite brother.”
“Spencer. How did you get my number?” Devyn asked.
“Fred gave it to me. I’m hurt that you’ve been avoiding me,” Spencer said.
“What do you want?”
“Ah, straight to the point. How very like you. I need a loan.”
Devyn’s stomach clenched. “No.”
“Come on, sis, you know you’re the only one I can count on.”
“I said no. You haven’t paid me back the money you’ve already borrowed from me.”
“But this time is different,” Spencer whined.
“It’s never different!” Devyn told him heatedly. “You always think this is the time you’re going to hit it big, but you never do! You need to stop gambling and get serious about your life.”
“Like you?” Spencer sneered. “You’re always leaning on everyone else. You’re pathetic.”
“Don’t call me again,” Devyn said as forcefully as she could manage.
“I’m sorry,” Spencer quickly responded, trying to appease her. “I asked Mom for money, but she doesn’t have any more.”
“You took money from Mom and Dad?” Devyn asked.
“I had to! I was going to be kicked out of my apartment.”
“I bet you haven’t asked Fred, have you?”
“No. He wouldn’t give it to me even if I did. And Mila and Angela don’t have any to spare, with all those kids of theirs. You’re my only hope.”
“Again, no!” Devyn said forcefully. “I’m not giving you any more money.”
“You’re ungrateful for everything we sacrificed for you when you were sick,” Spencer seethed. “You ruined my childhood! You owe me.”
Devyn clicked off the phone without another word.
She wanted to talk to someone about Spencer’s gambling, but she didn’t think anyone would fully understand how bad it had become.
She’d given her brother money when he’d first started asking.
It was just twenty bucks here or fifty bucks there.
It wasn’t a big deal. Then the amounts had started increasing.
The last time, she’d given him five hundred dollars because he’d said his car was going to be repossessed. She’d felt bad for him.
Devyn discovered he was gambling it away every time, in the hopes of winning the “big pot.”
The last time she’d seen Spencer, he’d scared her. He’d gotten really pissed that she wouldn’t give him more money…
When she moved, she’d lied to everyone. Her boss hadn’t hit on her. Hadn’t pushed her and given her the bruise Kinley had seen when they’d helped her move into this apartment.
Her brother had.
She was too ashamed to admit that it had been her own flesh and blood who had hurt her. And Fred would lose his ever-loving mind if he ever found out.
It was better if she kept her mouth shut.
She didn’t want to be the reason her family fractured for good.
Their parents had almost gotten a divorce when she was young because they couldn’t deal with the stress of her being sick.
She couldn’t stand it if she was the reason everyone took sides and stopped talking to each other.
And that was why she couldn’t talk to Lucky.
He’d tell Fred what was going on, and that would be the end of their family.
She couldn’t do that to them. Not after everything they’d suffered during her illness.
She’d just have to continue to keep her distance from all the questions and inquiries about what was going on.
Spencer would eventually get the clue that she was done funding his habit.
But now a part of her really worried about whether that would happen…because it had been months and months, and he’d still called to ask for more money. She’d made it clear before leaving Missouri that she wasn’t his personal bank, but he hadn’t given up.
This was why she knew it would be a bad idea to stay in Texas.
Near Fred. Because she’d get too attached and not want to leave.
And it was happening already. She didn’t want to give up her new friends.
She wanted to meet Aspen’s and Riley’s babies.
Aspen was due in a couple months, and Riley wouldn’t be too long after that.
And Logan and Bria, Oz’s nephew and niece, were so cute, and she loved hanging out with them.
She’d made a new life here, even though she’d known better, and she really didn’t want to leave.
Then there was Lucky.
As if on cue, he asked, “Dev? What are you thinking about so hard over there?”
He really was a good guy, and not for the first time, Dev wished her life was different. “Nothing,” she replied quietly.
“You know, sharing your burdens usually makes them less scary and overwhelming,” he said.
Devyn chuckled. “I didn’t know you were so emo.”
Lucky smiled. And the sight of it made Devyn’s belly do summersaults.
“I’m not. And it’s true. Maybe sharing what’s wrong isn’t actually a bad thing. You know your brother and I, and the rest of the team, will do whatever it takes to slay your dragons.”
“I know.” And she did. But the proverbial dragon that might need to be slayed was her own brother. And Fred’s. She just couldn’t do it.
“Think about it,” Lucky told her. “I won’t push…tonight. But you have a whole slew of people who love and worry about you. No one messes with one of our own. That includes you.”
His words were sweet and terrifying at the same time. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m kinda tired,” Devyn lied. She needed to get Lucky out of her apartment before she caved and told him everything.
“Okay. I’ll head on out.”
“You need me to get an Uber?” she asked.
“No. I’ll call Grover. I know he’ll be worried about you.”
“But he’s still at the party,” Devyn protested.
“He won’t care. He’ll probably be glad to get away from all the happiness and lovey-dovey crap for a while,” Lucky said with a smile, standing from the couch.
“Is that why you left?” Devyn smirked.
“No. I left because you needed me.” Then he shocked Devyn by leaning down and kissing the top of her head. “See you soon,” he said as he gave her a long, intimate glance, then headed for her front door.
“What was that?” Devyn whispered when she was alone in her apartment once more.
But she knew. If she wasn’t mistaken, Lucky was done letting her shut him out.
She’d seen firsthand that when a Delta made a decision about a woman, he was nothing if not determined to do whatever it took to win her over.
She couldn’t decide if she was thrilled with the prospect of Lucky pursuing her, or if she was scared to death.