Chapter 7
Seven
Briar
“What’s going on?” Royal asks as we move into the kitchen, Jade on our heels. “What’s wrong?”
“I—” I shake my head.
Because how the hell do I begin?
Oh, by the way, the friend you thought was dead and gone is actually alive?
He’s just bruised and battered and recovering right down the hall in my guest room.
I groan and scrub my fingers over my face.
“Thorny,” he murmurs, voice gentling. “Talk to me.”
“It’s complicated,” I say through my hands. Then exhale and drop them to my sides. “I’m not sure where to start.”
He studies me then slants a look at Jade. “How about at the beginning?” she says gently, setting a foil-covered casserole dish on the counter.
“Right,” I begin.
Then stop.
Because a foil-covered casserole dish.
Oh, my God.
It’s Sunday.
Sunday dinner.
And Colt is in the guest room, and I didn’t start anything for dinner—something that will immediately clue everyone in to the fact that something’s up and seriously off and—
It’s Sunday.
Sunday dinner.
Royal and Jade are the first to arrive.
But, yes, everyone else is coming.
“Oh, no,” I whisper.
“Briar.” Royal drops his hand onto my shoulder. “Stop freaking out and start talking.”
“Before everyone gets here, I have to tell you something important. Something really important—”
But that’s when I hear the front door open again.
“Where’s my favorite sister?” Dash calls down the hall.
“Oh, my God.”
This isn’t going to plan.
This is…a disaster.
“She’s our only sister, dumbass,” I hear Banks say. Something that would normally make me feel all soft and squishy inside—because we’re not blood, but we’re bound more tightly than genetics could possibly make us.
“Language,” Aspen says. “Because if Maisie’s first word is dumbass or fuck or asshole, I will personally castrate all of you.”
“Don’t mention that she just said the top three,” Atlas says dryly.
All of their voices are coming closer.
Lily’s full-bodied laughter echoes our way.
Shit. Shit.
“Be nice,” Willow chides gently.
Because she can be nothing but nice.
And then they're emerging into the kitchen, one after another, like they’re exciting a clown car and tumbling out onto the street below, laughter and smiles abounding—first come Banks and Aspen and Maise, then Atlas and Lily, then Hudson and Willow.
The conversation and teasing and banter continue.
For one more moment.
Because then they catch sight of me and Royal and Jade.
I’m sure my face is revealing far too much, and I saw the concern on Jade and Royal’s faces—that can’t be hard to miss either.
Atlas frowns, his mouth opening.
But Dash isn’t thinking about his sister, isn’t thinking about what no doubt must be pale skin and wide eyes and a jumpy as fuck demeanor.
He’s thinking about his stomach.
And he speaks first, his eyes locking with mine.
“Are you not cooking?” he asks.
Nope. I haven't been thinking about dinner, haven’t done anything except sleep the sleep of the dead and wake up to Frankie and co coming home and freaking out about the fact that Colt is sleeping in my fucking guest room!
“Um,” I begin.
“Shit, Thorny,” he mutters. “I’m hungry as fuck and a salad isn’t going to fill me up.”
“I brought a casserole,” Jade says softly.
“Great,” he says, still muttering.
Dash isn’t a huge fan of casseroles—even the yummy ones that Jade makes.
“And I brought brownies,” Aspen says.
“Better,” my brother says.
“They’re out of a box, but brownies are better than no brownies, am I right?”
“Atlas and I brought wine,” Lily volunteers, shooting Jade a look. “For those of us who can drink.”
Jade’s cheeks go pink, but neither she nor Royal comment on Lily’s probing.
“It’s from Oak Ridge Vineyards, and it’s delicious,” Atlas says, setting the bottles on the counter and then turning toward me, his expression full of concern. “Briar—”
“We brought some vegetable thing,” Dash grumbles. “But again, that shit isn’t going to fill me up.”
“It’s not shit!” Willow exclaims. “It’s delicious and I worked hard to learn this recipe, Hudson!”
He wrinkles his nose. “It’s only vegetables. Vegetables aren’t a meal.”
“I think vegetarians would disagree with that,” Lily says dryly.
Dash rolls his eyes. “Well, clearly they’ve got a screw loose because they’re not eating meat.” A beat. “Which I need. Because I’m a growing boy.”
Banks snorts and sets Maisie’s car seat on the counter, starts unbuckling her. “So, Briar didn’t cook for us. We’ll order some pizzas. Meat lovers,” he adds. “And anyway, leave our sister alone. She looks exhausted.”
Aspen cocks her head to the side. “You’re right. Briar does look exhausted.”
Willow crosses over to me and takes my hand. “Are you feeling sick, honey? You should go lay down.”
“Yes,” Jade says. “We can feed Frankie and then get out of your hair.”
“Is this like that time you got food poisoning in high school, and you spent forty-eight hours puking your guts up? Ow!” He glares at Atlas, who punched him hard in the chest.
“Stop being the annoying older brother and focus,” he growls. “Briar isn’t feeling well.” His eyes come to mine. “I know I shouldn't have left you alone yesterday to deal with that shit. Dammit, you’re pushing yourself too hard.”
My temple throbs. “I’m fine—”
“You need to lie down,” he says, moving straight into fix it mode. “Forget the pizzas. We’re ordering chicken noodle soup and…” He snaps his fingers. “Saltines and ginger ale. That’s like the trifecta of sick people food.”
“And cold medicine,” Banks says. “Oh, and Pepto, if she’s got a tummy ache.”
God, normally hearing the hot hockey star who is Banks talking about tummy aches would have cracked me up.
Tonight, I’m too stressed to enjoy the hilarity.
“Guys—”
“Did you and West have a fight?”
I glare at Lily as the air in the room goes taut. Christ, is there another question that could prickle all of their overprotective brotherly energy all at once? No. Absolutely not.
And worse?
Yes, there’s a problem with West all right.
Mainly me forgetting he existed as I dealt with the man I used to love.
A man who’s currently sleeping in the freaking guest room!
“Guys,” I begin again.
“No,” Banks says. “I saw West at practice this morning. He said that she”—a nod in my direction—“worked late but they were going to catch up when he comes over tonight.”
First, comes the horror over the fact that Banks and West are talking about me.
At fucking Vipers’ practice.
Next comes…he’s coming over.
Because I invited West to Sunday Dinner.
Fuck. My. Life.
“Guys,” I say for a third time. “I really need to—”
“Would he actually tell you if they were fighting though?” Dash mutters, immediately going from annoying and antagonizing to, well, still annoying, but now overprotective too.
“I—”
“Of course not,” Atlas says, tapping at his phone. “I’ll get my team to start an investigation. Find out what’s really going on—”
Banks rolls his eyes. “West isn’t like that. I told you—”
“I’ll get his cell and email.” Dash pulls out his phone. “You check in on his movements—”
Aspen’s eyes are wide. “Boys, you should—”
Lily scowls at Atlas. “That’s serious overkill—”
“It couldn’t hurt,” Royal begins.
Jade smacks him. “Don’t encourage them.”
“Hudson,” Lily murmurs. “I think—”
And that’s the moment the last of my control unravels.
“Just everyone fucking stop!” I shout, my head throbbing, my throat tight, my eyes dangerously close to tears.
Finally, there’s silence.
Complete and total silence.
And that’s followed quickly by even more concern.
Willow squeezes my hand. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
My heart convulses.
God, I love these men and women. I love their concern, their protectiveness, the crazy, annoying banter.
I just…love them and the family we’ve built.
All of which means I have to level with them and I have to do it quick.
Only as I open my mouth to confess to the man currently in residence in my guest room, I see movement out of the corner of my eye.
Fuck.
Fuck!
Colt limps into the kitchen.
Then says, like the idiot he is—
“You didn’t have to throw me a party.”