26. Long Time No See
LONG TIME NO SEE
BEAR
“I asked you a question. What the fuck are you doing here, watching Ollie-girl’s house like a fucking stalker?” Cross hisses.
I take another tug on my cigarette, drop it to the ground and stop it out with my foot. I look at Cross—who seems angry enough to chew me up and spit me out right now. “So, you finally spotted me. You’re getting sloppy in your old age.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?” Cross grinds out. It wouldn’t surprise me if he breaks a tooth, he’s biting down so hard.
“I’ve been outside Livy’s home every evening since she got here.
I’ve been doing my damnedest to protect her against Eyeball and his flunkies—trying to do what my shit-for-brains brother hasn’t,” I snap.
“And who the hell are you to ask me why I’m doing anything when it comes to Livy?
You alone know how much I love her. That woman is the reason my heart is beating today. ”
I exhale, my body shaking with anger. I’ve had enough of this bullshit. No one has the right to question me about Olivia—least of all the one man who knows what she means to me.
Cross is clearly confused. “How do you know about Eyeball? Did Livy tell you?”
I look at my brother, fearing for his fucking sanity.
“What kind of question is that? Jesus you aren’t making sense.
Eyeball has spent years trying to kill me.
He almost did this last time. It took me forever to recover and now that I have, I’m not letting go of Livy again.
She is mine. That’s the way it should have always been—and would have been if Livy and I hadn’t fallen for that fucking cunt Ayita’s lies. ”
Cross stares at me like I’ve grown three heads. “You know Ayita?”
I stare at him. “Cross, did you have a stroke or something? You’re not making a bit of fucking sense.”
“I’m not the one acting like he’s lost his mind here, Lake.”
“Lake? Who the fuck is Lake? Livy said his name this morning, too, while she was sleeping. For six months, I’ve been guarding Livy—carefully waiting for that fucking Eyeball to make a move before I revealed myself.
I refuse to keep going like this, though.
I can’t be away from Livy any long. It has been a living hell to keep hiding from her, Cross. I can’t live without her any longer.”
Cross just keeps staring at me, looking at me like I’m the insane one. “Lake, man, what kind of game are you playing here?”
“Stop it!” I yell, my vocal cords screaming in protest from the strain. “Why do you keep calling me Lake? What the hell is going on with you, Cross? You’ve known me almost as long as anyone besides Sasa and Blade. Why are you doing this?”
“Lake—”
“I’m not Lake!” I bark, my voice like thunder crashing between us. “You’ve got one minute to tell me what the fuck is going on right now, or I am going to forget we are brothers and make you sorry you’re fucking with me.”
Cross just keeps staring at me. I let him.
I expected him to be shocked that I’m alive.
I expected him to give me hell for hiding out since getting out of the hospital.
I expected a lot of bitching, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what’s going on right now.
I don’t know what kind of game he’s playing but it ends here.