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That was good, and I’d never want Bru to get in trouble for helping me. “Why did the guys take over the cabin?” Why were they here?
Bow took a second with that question. She hitched a hip against the counter, nibbling on her toast before she answered. “It was, uh, Ares’s idea actually.”
“Wolf?”
She nodded. “He…” She played with her dark hair. “He wanted you to be able to sleep.”
A voice elevated outside, one louder than the one suddenly blaring in my head after what Bow said. Bow and I faced the kitchen window, the source of the voice.
“Good. You’re here. Now, you can tell me what the fuck you were thinking,” Wolf barked, charging toward something. He was shirtless, his constellation tattoo on full display in the bright sun. He wore nothing but a pair of joggers, his feet bare as he stalked toward Bru who had a couple grocery sacks in his hands.
Bow and I exchanged a glance for only moments before we left the kitchen and headed outside. We passed clotheslines along the way, a couple sets of jeans and hoodies hanging on them. There were high-top sneakers below and dripping socks and hanging boxer briefs above them on another line.
Wolf had been wet last night.
He must have been out in the storm, but my thoughts had been limited that evening. I’d been lost in a sea of fear and confusion. The latter came from Wolf and a few things that were happening right now. Things like what Bow had said and Wolf suddenly stepping up to Bru. Wolf had his focus on him, but Bru glanced to Bow and me since we’d made it outside. Bru’s head tilted. “Fawn?”
Wolf whipped around, scanning me. My flesh heated under his probing gaze. It was a physical reaction only, and I couldn’t help taking inventory of him as well. I had no idea where he got his joggers, but they cinched in tight at his chiseled waist. Since they were so low, they exposed his flower tattoo on his hip. Just the top of it peeked out, and his hair was tousled and worked around like he’d been sleeping.
He also had bags under his eyes.
They were deep, dark circles like he hadn’t slept, and Bru had a fair bit of darkness under his eyes as well. They weren’t anything like Wolf’s, but clearly, they’d both been up at least part of the night.
I forced myself not to care about the reasons behind Wolf’s lack of sleep as I headed toward both guys, and Bow was beside me. She was texting on her phone, and I had a feeling it was for reinforcements.
Bru started to cut around Wolf. I assumed because he didn’t know what his brother’s deal was, and he also had a bunch of stuff in his hands. They looked like groceries considering the bags, but Bru only got a step before Wolf entered his path. Bru sighed. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re joking, right?” Wolf was snarling, heated. I had no idea what had his back up, but he was pissed. He shot a finger Bow’s and my way. “You left her, bro. Abandoned her, Bow, and our sister last night.”
I froze, and Bow did too. She looked at me, lowering her phone.
He said her as in…
Bru’s attention cut to me, his expression a remorseful one. He obviously knew things had gotten out of hand last night, and I knew why he’d left. I’d told him to. He’d been really freaking amped up and needed to cool down. He did, and I understood that. He also shouldn’t have stuck around in case the cops were called. He faced his brother. “I know. I…”
“You know.” Wolf’s laughter was manic as he fingered his hair. He really looked like he was losing his mind, and I didn’t get it. I got him being pissed at Bru for leaving Sloane and Bow since he didn’t know the whole story, but the other thing he said? The thing about me…
There was something I was missing here and misinterpreting. Had to be because this situation right here? Didn’t make a goddamn lick of sense. “There was a fight last night.”
Wolf looked at me, both boys did. I stood my ground in front of Wolf, though, and wouldn’t let him yell at Bru since he didn’t have all the facts. There had been a fight, and I wanted to emphasize that.
“We know about it,” Wolf said, immediately separating his attention from me and returning it to Bru. Wolf put a finger out. “Regardless, you should have been there for them. Do you know what you’ve done? How I found her last night…”
My heart stopped, breath stopped.
Everything. Stopped.
It was like time had frozen, and Wolf used that word again. Her.
Me.
Bru scanned Wolf, his eyes narrowed. “What are you—”
“She’s scared of storms, bro.” Wolf was nearly nose to nose with Bru, his nostrils flaring. He wasn’t speaking loud, but I heard him. I heard him speak my truth down to my bones. “She is, and I found her on the floor in tears by herself last night.”
Bow glanced at me, and heat hit my face, shame. My weaknesses weren’t something I advertised, and the humiliation was only made worse by the look Bru gave me. Sympathy wasn’t the right word. It went deeper than that and made my stomach twist so bad.
Stop this.
