“Damn fucking right you are.”
And I kiss her again, as the crowds who’ve stormed the pitch go wild.
But it’s all drowned out, because for the first time in a long time, I’m free of the pressure on my chest.
And I breathe deep.
“Drinks?” Lando asks as I step off the podium, passing the trophy back to the guys to keep celebrating our barely fought and easily won victory.
Alex and Hendricks pull me into a hug sandwich. “So fucking proud of you, Milo. Dad would be so fucking proud.”
I pull back and laugh hard as I stare at them. I suppose if they genuinely believe he would, then that’s something. I, however, think his opinion would match mine.
But Foxleigh Park does look stunning today, and I agree he’d be proud of that.
“C’mon, drinks,” Lando repeats as he’s jostled from behind by two girls eager to get to the podium where Jack’s still hugging the Cup with Juan. “The girls are at the bar.”
“Abso-fuckin’-lutely. Lead the way.” I grab Ruby’s hand, wrapping it around my neck, before I lose her in the crowd. “Come on, let’s go and find the others.”
Standing on her tiptoes, she kisses my cheek. “I want to check Mav, but I’ll come and find you.”
“I’ll do that?—”
“No, go and be with your brothers.” She shakes her head. I know she wants the four of us to spend time together and make up for the past few weeks.
“I love you.”
“I love you,” she replies. I’ll never get tired of hearing it.
“I’m so proud of you, Milo,” Lando says, throwing an arm around my shoulder, after Ruby runs off. “Everything you’ve achieved here . . . Look at this place.”
My head drops on his shoulder. “Thanks, Lan?—”
“I’m serious, I’m proud of you.”
I know he is, but hearing him say it so forcefully and earnestly hits me dead in the chest, and I need to swallow down the lump forming in my throat.
His arm is still around me when we walk around the corner, taking the shortcut through the field. As we turn toward the club bar, a figure runs down the stairs directly into our path. One look at the four of us, and he quite rightly hesitates.
Alex reaches out and grabs him by the shoulder before he can bolt. “Not so fast, Sunshine.”
Santiago Torres looks absolutely petrified as the four of us glare at him, which has me grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“I think he’s about to puke, Hen.”
“Should I find a bucket?” Hendricks replies.
Torres’s eyes narrow to tiny slits as he glares at me. And I take great pleasure in wagging my finger at him.
“Nope. Don’t think so. If you’re looking to date our sister, you’re going to need to work on your manners.”
“She doesn’t need your permission,” he snarls, though the slump in his shoulders tells me he knows that’s not true.
I open my mouth to respond when Lando stops me. He steps into Torres.
“What do you want with Clementine?”
“None of your fucking business.”
