22. Felix
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
FELIX
“I hate leaving Harper,” I say as Tyler and I ascend in the elevator to our home. “Maybe we should return to her place straight after visiting Dan and Killian.”
That was the original plan until I remembered my Jeep is still at the beach house. Tyler said he’d drive me there to collect it, but now I’m questioning whether the drive is a bad idea.
“We’ll be too far away from Harper if she needs us,” I add.
“She has Thomas. It’s important she spends time with him.”
We continue up the building in silence, with the only sound being the impatient tapping of my foot, anxious to get back to Harper.
I didn’t think being away from her would feel like this.
There’s been distance between us for several years and although she was always on my mind, not once did I feel this unsettled when she was out of my sight.
After the death of her mom, after holding Harper in my arms last night, I’m more attached to her than I thought possible .
Tyler clears his throat, breaking the long stretch of silence between us. “Harper said she mended things with you. I’m glad to hear it.”
“There’s a lot about the past that hasn’t been discussed. I’m still the same person she doesn’t like. She doesn’t know the eclipse organization I’m running with Theo and his cousin.”
“Did something happen between you and Harper last night? You can tell me. I won’t have an issue with it.”
Of course he doesn’t have an issue with it. It’s just my luck that I gave Harper my word I wouldn’t say anything. I hate lying to my brother.
“Nothing happened. We just talked.”
“When do you ever just talk to a girl?” He knows me too well.
“When the girl is an emotional wreck after losing her mother.”
Thank fuck the elevator doors slide open at the penthouse level. I’m the first one out, grabbing my keys from my pocket to escape Tyler’s questions.
We step through the front door, calling out for our brothers. No surprise, they’re home alone, both with a girl in their bedroom. My brothers are young but as long as they’re being safe and treat the girls right, I let them do what they want. After all, I was no better at their age.
Tyler and I wait for them in the living room, spreading out over the massive L-shaped couch. Within five minutes, Killian joins us, pulling a shirt on and sipping an energy drink.
Tyler raises a questioning eyebrow. “Girl still in your room?”
“Yeah. She’ll be fine occupying herself.” Killian sits on the couch with us.
His hair is a mess. Out of us four brothers, I’m the only blond.
The other three are dark and look like my father.
Sometimes I joke with them that Mom had a hot affair behind Dad’s back and I’m someone else’s son.
Unfortunately for me, I know Josh Blackwood is my biological father, being the only son to have inherited his eyes.
“How have you two been?” Killian asks. “I’m really sorry to hear about Clara. I wanted to visit but Dad said it wasn’t appropriate.”
“It’s been rough,” Tyler answers. “Harper would love to see you but it’s probably best to wait a while.”
As the two of them chat, I hear voices as my youngest brother leaves his room.
I tilt my head back, enough to see out of the living room and through to the front door.
Dan is shirtless, wearing nothing but black track pants.
I laugh to myself, watching him say goodbye to his guest. The girl looks freshly fucked, with bed hair and cheeks flushed from an orgasm.
She presses up on her toes and kisses him. “I had fun.”
“So did I. Let’s do it again soon.”
The two of them won’t see each other again.
The thing I’ve learned about Dan is although he treats girls well when he’s with them, he has no interest in keeping them around or having a girlfriend.
He’s the most popular guy in his grade. As a Blackwood, he has no shortage of girls throwing themselves at him.
He’s like most guys his age, probably jerking off multiple times a day, and lives for tits, pussy, and blow jobs.
Someday, he is going to meet a girl who has him whipped, and I can’t wait to see him chase after her, whoever she may be.
I like to think of Dan as my progeny. I’ve taught him everything I know about girls.
I’ve started teaching him how to play poker and he’s already showing signs of being a genius at it.
Dad isn’t pleased about my influence, but I don’t give a shit.
Dan doesn’t give a shit either. Pissing off our father seems to please him.
Out of all of us, they might have the worst relationship.
“Bro, put a fucking shirt on,” Tyler laughs, throwing a cushion at Dan when he joins us in the living room.
Grinning, Dan catches the cushion and kicks Tyler’s leg.
“No way. This is all for you, man. You love it.” As soon as Dan takes a seat, he loses the humor and rests both elbows on his knees, rubbing his face.
“It’s fucked up what happened to Clara. I sent Harper a message.
I haven’t heard back, but that’s understandable. ”
“I doubt she’s checked her phone,” I say. “She’s not doing well, as to be expected. But we’re taking good care of her.”
Dan’s eyes whip to me, knowing . Perhaps my tone gives away more than I’ve realized when speaking about Harper. He’s always been too perceptive for his own good. The little shit. It’s why he’s so good at poker.
“You two are friendly again?”
I warn him with my eyes to shut the fuck up. “Given the circumstances, yes.”
He places a hand over his mouth, covering a smirk. Smug bastard.
Acting fast to change the topic, I pull out my wallet. “I have something for you. It’s for all of us, but, Dan, it belongs with you.”
“Oh?”
“It’s a photo of Mom. It’s the reason I wanted us to all be together today. Clara gave it to me the morning before her accident.”
Intrigued, all three of my brothers slide in close as I remove the photograph from my wallet.
Silence falls over the four of us as we look at the image, Dan in Mom’s belly as she hugs the rest of us.
I don’t need to look at my brothers to know the weight of this moment and how special the photo is for them to see.
“Incredible,” Killian says.
“I’ve never seen her look that happy,” Tyler adds. “Not even in her wedding photos.”
Dan remains silent. When I glance at him, there’s a look of self-loathing in his eyes. His jaw is clenched and his throat works. Maybe I fucked up, showing him the photograph.
No. He needs to understand that no one blames him for Mom’s death. It was a freak accident in the delivery room.
“None of this is your fault, Dan,” I say. Tyler and Killian reinforce my words, patting him on the back. “Clara gifted me the photo as a peace offering. But it belongs with you. We all had time with Mom. You never did.”
He takes the photo from me and studies it further. “She really was beautiful. Thank you. This means a lot. I’ll keep it safe.” He swallows hard and looks at the three of us. “You know what’s fucked up? Clara wanted to be a mother to us. Except for Tyler, we all pushed her away.”
“I know. There’s no one who will ever love us like that again. But we have each other.”
Tense silence follows.
“Hey,” Killian says. From the sarcasm in his voice, I can tell he’s trying to lighten the mood. “We’ve got Dad’s money too.”
I laugh at the depressing comment and how Killian’s joke is actually the truth.
“Blackwood brothers hug,” Tyler announces.
The four of us huddle. We’re never affectionate like this, but I don’t shy away from the moment. It reinstates that my brothers are the most important people in this world to me, along with Harper, and it’s my job to take care of them all.
Killian’s sarcastic tone comes out again. “Loving that Dan’s not wearing a shirt right now.”
The four of us laugh. I know we’re going to be okay.
As for Harper… It’s time for me and Tyler to get back to our girl.