Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Damian
I stood at the stove and flipped bacon in the skillet, the sizzle filled the kitchen as the morning sun streamed through the window.
The house had been too quiet last night with Cosmo and Christian back, their loud laughs echoed downstairs while I stayed in my room and tried to shake the itch I’d felt since they rolled in.
Geraldine’s laugh had mixed with theirs, bright and easy, and it gnawed at me with a sharp twist I couldn’t ignore.
I’d wanted her last night and wanted her with me and not them, and the thought of her caught between their clingy hands kept me up; my jaw tightened every time I heard their voices through the walls.
Now, the smell of coffee and grease hung in the air, and I plated the bacon and kept my hands busy as footsteps thudded down the stairs.
“Morning, boss,” Cosmo said and strolled in first, his hair a mess, and grinned widely like he’d won something. He grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured coffee, and leaned against the counter too close to where I stood. “Did you sleep well?”
“Fine,” I said and kept my voice flat, and slid eggs onto plates next to the bacon. “You?”
“Great,” he said and smirked, and sipped his coffee slowly. “Great.”
Christian came in next and stretched his arms over his head, his shirt wrinkled like he’d slept in it. “Yeah,” he said and grabbed a plate, his grin lazy but sharp. “Best night in a while.”
I set the skillet down harder than I meant to, the clang loud against the counter, and turned to face them. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked and crossed my arms, my chest tightened as their smirks grew.
“Just saying,” Cosmo said and shrugged, his eyes flicked to Christian. “We had some fun. Right, man?”
“Real fun,” Christian said and nodded, and took a bite of bacon and chewed slowly. “Caught up with Geri properly.”
My stomach twisted hot and sour, and I gripped the edge of the counter, my knuckles white.
They were hinting at something from last night, and the way they grinned all smug and easy lit a fire in me I couldn’t stamp out.
Geraldine walked in then, her hair loose and wearing jeans and a loose top, and she smiled softly at me before Cosmo snagged her wrist and pulled her close.
“Morning, babe,” he said and hugged her from the side, his arm draped over her shoulders. “Tell Damian how much fun we had.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and slid a plate her way and leaned in to nudge her arm. “Best welcome back, huh?”
“Guys,” she said and laughed lightly, and slipped out from Cosmo’s hold, her eyes flicked to me quickly. “It was a good night. Chill out.”
I stared at her and then them, the air thick with their little hints, and my hands clenched at my sides. “What the hell happened last night?” I asked, my voice low and sharp, and cut through their chatter.
“Relax,” Cosmo said and grinned wider, and grabbed a piece of her bacon. “Just some catching up. Nothing big.”
“Nothing big?” Christian said and laughed, and bumped her hip with his. “She’s a champ, though.”
“Stop,” she said and swatted Christian’s arm, her laugh softer now, but she didn’t pull away far, and that burned me more. I stepped forward and set my mug down hard; the coffee sloshed over the rim, and they all looked at me, their grins faded a little.
“You’re done,” I said and locked eyes with Geraldine, my chest tight and hot. “You’re leaving tomorrow. Car’s fixed or not, your time’s up.”
“What?” Cosmo said and straightened, his mug hit the counter with a thunk. “No way, man. She’s staying.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and stood and crossing his arms, his jaw set. “What’s your problem, Damian? She’s fine here.”
“My problem?” I said and turned on them, my voice rose before I could stop it. “You two can’t keep your damn hands off her. I’m sick of it. She’s out tomorrow.”
“Bullshit,” Cosmo said and stepped closer, his grin gone. “You don’t get to kick her out just because you’re pissy.”
“Watch me,” I said and stared him down, my hands balled into fists. “This is my place. She’s leaving.”
“Guys,” Geraldine said and moved between us and put a hand on Cosmo’s chest, and pushed him back. “Stop it. Both of you.”
“No,” Christian said and glared at me over her shoulder. “He’s being a dick. You’re not going anywhere, Geri.”
“Yes, I am,” she said and turned to face them, her voice calm but firm. “My boutique needs me. I’ve been gone too long anyway. It’s time.”
“Geri,” Cosmo said and grabbed her hand, his voice softened. “Come on, you don’t have to.”
“I do,” she said and squeezed his hand, and let it go. “It’s fine. I’ll be back to visit, alright?”
“That’s not the point,” Christian said and rubbed his neck, his eyes flicked to me. “He’s just mad because we had fun without him.”
“Shut up,” I said and stepped forward, my jaw tight enough to ache. “You don’t know shit.”
“Enough,” Geraldine said and turned to me, her hand on my arm now, and it was warm and steady. “Damian, cool it. I’m going. It’s my call.”
I looked at her, her eyes locked on mine, and the heat in my chest didn’t fade, but her touch pulled me back a little. “Fine,” I said, and stepped away and grabbed my plate. “Tomorrow, then.”
“Yeah,” she said and nodded, and let her hand drop. “Tomorrow.”
Cosmo huffed and slumped into a chair, and picked at his eggs. “This sucks,” he said and shot me a look. “You’re a jerk, man.”
“Deal with it,” I said and sat at the table and stabbed at my food, my appetite gone, but I ate anyway. Christian sat too and leaned back and crossed his arms, and didn’t touch his plate, his jaw still set.
“You didn’t have to be an ass about it,” he said and kept his voice low, his eyes on me. “She’s not your property.”
“Neither’s she yours,” I said, and met his stare, my fork scraped the plate loudly. “You two act like she’s a damn toy.”
“We don’t,” Cosmo said and leaned forward, his voice sharp. “We’re just having fun. You’re the one freaking out.”
“Fun,” I said and laughed short and bitter, my stomach churned. “Sure. Keep telling yourselves that.”
“Stop,” Geraldine said, and sat between us and picked up her coffee. “All of you. It’s breakfast and not a fight club. I’m leaving tomorrow, and that’s it. No big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” Cosmo said and turned to her, his hand reached for hers ,but stopped short. “We don’t want you gone.”
“I know,” she said and smiled softly at him and then at Christian. “But my shop’s waiting. I’ve got stuff to handle. You’ll survive without me.”
“Barely,” Christian said and smirked a little, but his eyes stayed hard on me. “He’s still a dick.”
“Let it go,” she said and sipped her coffee, and nudged my foot under the table. “Eat your damn bacon, Damian.”
I grunted and took a bite, the taste flat in my mouth, and watched her out of the corner of my eye.
She ate slowly and kept the peace, her voice light as she steered them off it and asked about their trip.
They answered and leaned into her and laughed again, but it didn’t hit me the same.
I wanted her here and just mine and not shared with their clingy hands and smug grins, and the thought of last night and what they’d hinted at burned hot and angry in my gut.
She’d stopped them fighting, but it didn’t change how I felt, and tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.