Chapter 29
Same Page
Alex
“Idon’t think Ollie should be left alone,” I say as I watch the woman I’m obsessed with walk away, sadness and guilt practically radiating off her.
Theo pauses mid-sentence of whatever he was saying to Rhys about improving security protocols to frown at me. “That’s not your choice to make, Alex.”
I know that, but it doesn’t stop the nauseating feeling of dread from writhing in my stomach.
Or the bone-deep fear that something will happen to Ollie the moment we let her out of our sight.
She’s drowning in her guilt over what happened to Andy and I’m terrified that it’ll make her do something stupid.
Like ending the relationship between us.
I understand that it’s just my own fears from my past rearing their ugly heads, but I can’t stop it.
My hands clench into fists as I scowl at Theo.
“How can you say that? She’s obviously not in the right mindset to make good decisions.
What if she does something stupid or dangerous?
Or she realises that this relationship isn’t going to work between us? ”
God, even just mentioning that is enough to have the blood draining from my face and my throat tightening with panic.
Theo appears in front of me, Rhys standing behind him. Both of them are wearing concerned expressions on their faces as they watch me lose my shit.
“Alex, breathe for me,” Theo says, his voice taking on a soothing tone that he uses with Ollie when she has her panic attacks. He places his hands on my shoulders and squeezes.
The sensation is grounding, but it doesn’t lessen the panic clawing at my chest or the blood pounding in my ears.
I don’t want Ollie to shove me aside like Willow did. It’ll kill me, especially if she does it thinking she’s doing us a favour. Or that she’s not good enough. She’s more than good enough; she’s amazing. And so brave and smart and beautiful.
Another set of hands join Theo’s, this time grabbing the top of my arms. They clench tightly, nails biting into my flesh.
The pinch of pain gives me the chance to suck in a sharp breath.
They tighten again, and I breathe in another breath.
Over and over until the panicked haze fogging my brain dissipates.
I blink to see Theo still standing in front of me while someone else—Rhys—presses against my back.
“You breathing now?” Rhys asks from behind me.
I clear my throat and duck my head as my cheeks burn, the panic morphing into mortification. “Yeah, sorry about that.” Bloody hell, it’s been a while since I’ve lost it like that and even longer since I’ve done it in front of others.
Rhys pats my arm before letting go of me. “No worries. I’m just glad you didn’t punch us in the face.”
Theo snorts and steps away from me. “Me, too. Your fist hurts.”
“So does yours,” Rhys shoots back wryly as he comes to stand in front of me with Theo. “My jaw still hurts from that right hook of yours.”
“Good. You deserved it,” Theo says, his lips curled upward with satisfaction.
Their banter helps relieve some of my embarrassment, although I still have the urge to bury myself in a hole and never come out.
“Alright, now that you’re not melting down, you want to tell us what that was about, Alex?” Theo says with a cocked eyebrow.
I grimace and avert my gaze to stare at the mud. “I spiralled is all. Nothing to worry about.”
Rhys grunts, but thankfully neither of them push. Not that I’d really know what to tell them. I’m a bloody idiot terrified of having his heart broken? Not exactly a manly thing to admit.
“Well, since it’s just the three of us, we should discuss the elephant in the room: Ollie.” Theo turns to Rhys. “Are you pulling your head out of your ass?”
“You know I am,” Rhys says, sounding frustrated. “I said that the day we arrived back, and just like I told you then, it’s not that easy. I’m still making up for my past mistakes. Besides, neither of us are in the right mindset to start a relationship right now, so it’s best if I just—”
“No, don’t do that. Don’t use what’s happening with Andy stop you from pursuing her, Rhys.
She needs us more than ever, and you pulling back will only hurt her.
” Theo turns to me. “And you need to keep your shit together. I understand you went through a lot with Willow, but you need to remember that Ollie isn’t Willow. ”
I swallow hard. He’s right. Ollie needs us, and I can’t let my fears from my previous relationship taint what we have. Especially if the worst comes and Andy turns.
“You two need to push aside your bullshit and man up. I won’t allow either of you to hurt Ollie while she’s dealing with this. Understand?” Theo levels us both with a hard stare.
Rhys and I stare at him with widened eyes and dropped jaws. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this protective of anyone aside from me and Rhys.
“You’re really gone for her, aren’t you?” Rhys asks having recovered first.
Theo nods curtly. “I’m in love with her. Which is why I’m making sure you assholes don’t break her heart. God knows there’s already a ton of shit waiting to hurt her.”
Well, fuck. “I think I love her, too.” The words are soft, barely audible, but both of my best friends hear.
The smile that stretches across Theo’s lips is brimming with joy, all traces of the protectiveness from earlier gone. “Holy shit. You’re actually admitting it?”
I nod.
“Good for you, man.” He pats my shoulder. “Welcome to the club. We can be brother-husbands or something.”
I wrinkle my nose.
He chuckles at my expression. “No? Co-boyfriends? Ollie’s Boy Toys? We don’t have enough to make a boy band…”
“And there won’t be,” Rhys says, his voice sharp.
Theo’s eyebrows shoot upward even as his smile turns mischievous. “Possessive, much?” he teases, poking Rhys’s bicep.
The other man growls. “When it comes to our girl? Yes. I’ll only tolerate the three of us. No one else.”
I grunt in agreement. There’s no way I could share Ollie with anyone else. The only reason I’m even agreeing to do this with these two is because I trust them with my life. Even if they do annoy the hell out of me sometimes.
Theo huffs out a laugh as he glances between us. “Alright, you cavemen. You can be the ones to explain that to Ollie.”
Before either me or Rhys can reply, someone clears their throat beside us. The three of us turn and I barely stifle a sigh when I see one of the kitchen staff standing there, looking a little out of place as they shift their weight from one foot to the other.
“Um, sorry to interrupt, but more food has gone missing in the kitchen and we don’t really know what to do.” He nibbles on his lower lip, eyes darting from me to the floor. “Could you come help us? Please?”
Bloody hell. I swear this place can’t function without either me, Rhys or Theo babying it, otherwise it all goes to shit. I rub my face and bite back a groan. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
The kitchen staff nods and scurries off.
“Food is going missing?” Rhys asks with a frown as the three of us watch the man go.
“Yeah, I noticed it yesterday before—” I stutter to a stop, realising what I’m about to say.
“Before what, Alex?” Theo nudges me, silver eyes dancing with mischief because he knows exactly why I stopped speaking.
I glare at him. “You know what and it’s not important. What is important is that food is going missing and I have no idea how or why.”
Rhys flicks his gaze between Theo and me, probably wondering what’s going on between us, before shaking his head. “What kind of food?”
“Fresh stuff. Meat we’ve hunted or farmed, mushrooms and herbs that have been foraged, that sort of thing. Although we’ve had a few canned goods disappear too.” My brow furrows as I think back on all the missing items, trying and failing to discern a pattern.
The amusement fades from Theo’s face, replaced with concern and confusion. “Could it be because they’ve gone off?”
“No, it was very fresh stuff. Every item of food is logged with a date, and the items missing are no more than a day old. Nowhere near enough time to spoil.”
“And no one’s fessed up to stealing it?” Rhys asks, frowning.
I shake my head. “Even if they did, it’s a lot of food for one person to take. People would notice if one person was lugging around legs of venison and beef and an enormous basket of mushrooms and herbs.”
He blows out a breath and closes his eyes. “Yet another weird thing happening around here that needs sorting,” he says with a quiet groan.
I pat his shoulder in sympathy. “At least I’ll be the one dealing with this shit, not you.”
“Speaking of shit, Charles and Adam just walked out of the main building and are heading straight towards us,” Theo says, causing the three of us to turn our gazes in that direction.
True to his word, Charles and Adam are striding purposefully towards us, a scowl to rival Rhys’s on Charles’s face while Adam looks exhausted and nervous.
“Fucking hell,” Rhys mutters, raking a hand through his hair. “What’s happened now?”
“Hopefully something easy to sort out.” Theo nudges me with his elbow. “You should go and sort out shit in the kitchen.”
I grimace, even though I know he’s right. “Tell me if you hear anything from the doc and wait until I’m there before you say anything to Ollie.” At least if it’s bad news, I can try to hold her together when she falls apart.
Rhys nods. “Will do. Keep me updated on the missing food. I have a suspicion all of this shit is connected somehow.”
The councillors arrive before I can ask him to elaborate.
Charles opens his mouth to complain about the updated training regimen Rhys put together, while Adam winces. I take that as my cue to leave.
I have my own crisis to deal with.