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I was so surprised to see him here that I didn’t react when he grabbed my face to give me a shake. “You okay, son?” he asked, the glint in his eyes turning into worry… and something else I didn’t like. “Why didn’t you tell me? You should have told me. I’m your coach.”
My lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, my stare flew over his shoulder to Kruger who was standing just behind him. “You told him?”
“I had to do it, P. You can be mad. I’ll grovel. You don’t belong in the slammer. Please tell me you didn’t have some cellmate named Chex. Please tell me he didn’t stare at you when you pissed.”
“Go sit down,” Coach snapped over his shoulder. “If brains were taxed, you’d get a refund.” His eyes fixed back on my face, hands giving me another shake. “They treat you okay in here?”
For reasons I didn’t understand, my stare shifted to where I knew Arsen was standing. Because Coach was still gripping my head, my eyes strained to the side, trying to look at him. Coach let go, and the rest of me turned toward him.
“I’m okay,” I told them. “I wasn’t alone.”
Arsen’s eyes met mine, and something passed between us, something that rose above everything else going on in this room. Something that made me feel… tethered.
No. Don’t get attached.
“You were with him all night?” Kruger pushed around Coach to step up to Arsen. “You kept an eye on him, right? He’s okay?”
I made a sound.
“You didn’t answer me, P. I’m talking to Arsen now.”
Arsen glanced back at me before settling all his attention on my best friend. Irritation slithered up my spine, and I realized I was jealous. I wanted Arsen’s attention.
“He looks okay, doesn’t he?” Arsen replied to Kruger.
“He’s good at looking okay. I want the truth.”
I sucked in a breath, suddenly panicked Arsen would flap his lips and tell everyone standing around just how not okay I was last night. I didn’t want anyone to know. Hell, I hated Arsen had seen me like that—at my lowest. But I’d been too far out of my element. I couldn’t pretend.
Arsen shifted but didn’t spare me another glance. “Truth is it was a pretty boring night considering we spent it in jail. No one named Chex in sight.”
Kruger let out a rough exhale and pivoted, crashing into me and wrapping his arms around my back in a tight hug. His hand patted my shoulder blade aggressively as he squeezed. “I was fucking worried,” he confessed near my ear. “Thought about committing a crime just to get in there with you.”
You didn’t need to because Arsen did.
“I’m okay,” I assured him, patting his back a lot less violently. “I’m glad you didn’t. My sister needs you.”
“Bro,” he said, pulling back but gripping my arms with his hands. His two-toned eyes had deep shadows beneath them, his face was pale, and his hair was wrecked. “You do too, and the only reason I didn’t go hold up a convenience store was so I could bail you out.”
“Thanks for coming,” I whispered. For being my family.
“Bro, I never left.”
Confused, I asked, “What?”
He nodded. “They said no visitors, so I slept in the parking lot,” he said, thumbing over his shoulder toward the entrance. “First sign of trouble, I was coming in.”
Maybe it was because my nerves were frayed. Maybe it was the vulnerability I’d been forced to show Arsen last night. Or maybe I was just scared about my pending drug and assault charges. But knowing my brother had literally slept in the parking lot because he cared had my eyes watery and chest tight.
Without even thinking, I hugged him again, squeezing him so tight I knew it probably hurt. He didn’t complain, though, just let me hug it out.
When I pulled back, I avoided his gaze, only looking up when he shrugged out of the navy hoodie he was wearing, the same one he had on last night. Before I could ask what he was doing, he thrust it at me. “Here. If you get any colder, I’m gonna have to get a cop to tase you.”
I shook my head, about to refuse.
“I can see your nipples,” Kruger deadpanned.
I put the hoodie on, and the body heat still in the fabric melted some of the worst tension in my muscles. “Thanks,” I murmured, suddenly exhausted.
