Chapter Twenty-Six
The first thing I notice is the sharp intake of Indy’s breath.
Not the look on Dylan’s face when he finally fully snaps.
Not the way he charges at me, fist raised, intent clear.
There’s barely time to glance between them, but when I confirm his wrath is aimed solely at me, instinct takes over.
I step into his space, catching his arm mid-swing, muscle memory kicking in like I’m back on the baseball diamond, snatching a ball from the air.
The impact is forceful. His fist never reaches my face, but it sends a jolt through me that travels up my arm and into my shoulder. There’s no mistaking Dylan’s intention—he wanted to hurt me.
Maybe I deserve it.
“Stop,” I growl, my grip tightening around his wrist. He thrashes against my wrist-lock, struggling to break through it.
I shove his arm down and release him, shifting fully in front of Indy. He can spit his venom at me all he wants, but he won’t get anywhere near her.
Dylan takes an involuntary step back, surprise flashing across his face before it hardens again. And that’s when I see it, cloaked beneath the rage—the hurt. Raw and unmistakable.
And I put it there.
“You need to leave,” I tell him, knowing it’s what’s best for both him and Indy. “You’re not thinking clearly.”
Dylan lets out a hollow laugh. “Playing the hero card again? Perfect Gareth.” His eyes cut to Indy. “Or what is it you’ve always called him? Golden Boy?”
I clamp my jaw shut, swallowing the brutal retort lodged in the back of my throat. If I engage, I know I’ll lose the thin thread of control I’m holding onto.
Dylan’s been my best friend for years. He’s been there for every milestone, every mistake. Birthdays. Holidays. The ups and the downs.
The thought of losing him is fear-inducing, tightening my chest at just the thought of it.
But the alternative?
The thought of losing Indy?
Unfathomable.
“Get out,” I repeat, stepping away from the heat of Indy’s body and closer to him, making it clear I won’t back down.
“You don’t get to kick me out of my own sister’s house.”
“I can,” Indy says, stepping around me to move closer to her brother. She’s not crying, but I can see through her cracks—she’s barely keeping it together. “I want you to leave, Dylan.”
“Unbelievable,” he breathes, voice breaking as his face crumples for the first time.
Reality sinks in that neither of us is willing to back down.
His gaze flicks to mine, then back to her, before he shakes his head. Turning away, he heads toward the door.
“Dylan—” Indy starts, but he doesn’t let her finish.
“Don’t.” He doesn’t bother looking back. “You two deserve each other.”
The door slams behind him, rattling on its hinges.
Seconds later, the front door crashes shut, the sound piercing through the silence of Indy’s house.
I turn to her and catch her as she falls into my arms. She presses her cheek against my chest, our breathing syncing slowly as the weight of what just happened sinks in.
“Do you think he’ll come around?” she whispers, tilting her head back to meet my eyes.
My hand slides into her hair, thumb brushing rhythmically against the back of her neck.
I let out a shaky breath, Dylan’s expression when he found us together burned into my mind.
I’d like to think our friendship is strong enough to survive this—that he loves his sister enough to put her happiness first. But the truth is, I’m not sure if he will. “I hope so.”
Indy searches my face, then nods.
Leading her back to her bed, I coax her beneath the blankets, following her under. She fits against me perfectly, her back to my chest, and I trail my hand up and down her arm, anchoring us both.
“You could have told him it was a fling,” she mumbles a while later. “You could have said it meant nothing.”
I shift, pressing a hand against her shoulder, and gently turn her onto her back so she has to look at me. “Is that what you wanted me to do?”
The question slams into my chest as my words from a few weeks ago echo through my mind.
“Dylan is gone for another three weeks. Let me love you how you deserve to be loved, and at the end of them, if you’re still not ready to tell him about us, then we’ll be together in secret.”
Fear seeps into my bloodstream. What if she wanted to keep our relationship hidden? What if I just took away her choice?
Indy frowns, almost like she’s reading every paralyzing thought. “Gareth—no.” She shakes her head. “Of course it’s not what I wanted, but what if this just cost you everything?”
And it damn well might.
I’ve spent years agonizing over whether pursuing her was worth losing him.
Years of throwing myself into my sport, my grades, my career—anything to bury down my feelings I couldn’t outrun.
Years wondering if enough time had passed for Dylan to ever be happy for us.
I lost him anyway.
But I have her.
“It won’t,” I answer honestly. “Because you are my everything.”