Page 131 of Hearts Storm

Brex and I exchange a worried look. Jaw tight, he rests his chin on top of her head, raising an eyebrow that says, Don’t push.

I get it. I do. But the sight of her soaked to the bone, crying like her heart is breaking, is fucking killing me.

“W-will you s-stay?” Teeth chattering, water pours down her face like that one scene from The Notebook.

Yeah, I’ve seen it. I’m kind of sappy like that. Sue me.

“Yeah, Angel,” I murmur, working to keep my voice steady and reassuring, even though every instinct I have is screaming at me to pick her up and carry her back inside.

“Always, Pretty.”

Wrapping her in our arms, she sobs into my chest.

Another crack of thunder rolls across the sky, but I don’t move. Neither does Brex. We stay, forming as much of a barrier around her as best we can. Cold seeps into my bones, water running down my back, but I don’t give a single fuck. I’ll stand out here for the rest of my life if that’s what she needs.

After a couple of minutes, her shivering gets even worse, and I can’t take it anymore. “Enough.”

Brex steps back, and I bend down, scooping her up into my arms. Reyna doesn’t fight. Just tucks her face against my neck, pressing her cold nose against my skin.

Rain stings my eyes as we trudge across the grass and into the house.

Water drips, pooling at our feet onto the tile as Brex slides the door shut behind us, clicking the latch into place. “I’ll go start the shower.”

“But—” Reyna’s voice is small as she trembles in my arms.

“Not up for debate, Rey,” I growl, tightening my grip as I carry her down the hall and into the bathroom. Her teeth are chattering so hard I can actually feel the vibration.

Quickly moving ahead, Brex ducks into the bathroom and the shower kicks on, water slapping against tile.

Steam is already starting to curl from behind the glass door as I carefully set Reyna down and press my hips against hers, holding her up against the sink. She’s shaking so bad, I doubt she’ll be able to stand on her own two feet.

“Arms up,” I growl, gripping the hem of her soaked sweatshirt.

She lifts her arms as I peel the wet fabric up and over her head, letting it fall to the floor with a heavy slap.

Naked now, Brex moves in, and I take a step back, letting him take over so I can shed my boxers. He tugs her sweats down her legs with one hand, bracing the other at her hip as she steps out, shivering.

Goosebumps cover every inch of her skin as I wrap my arms around her, her back to my chest. Brex holds the shower door open, steam billowing into the room as I duck-walk Reyna inside and under the spray. The space is barely big enough for the three of us, but we make it work.

She sighs as Brex gently grips her waist, holding her steady as I reach for the shampoo.

As I massage her scalp, she lets out a shaky breath that sounds like a combination of a sob and sigh of relief as Brex presses a kiss to her shoulder.

When I’m done, I cup her face, tilting it up to mine, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Feel better, baby?”

Red-rimmed and tired, Reyna’s gaze meets my worried one. “I need you.” Her desperate plea turns my whole world upside down. “Both of you.”

I give her a solemn nod as Brex murmurs, “Anything for you, Pretty.”

fifty-eight

It’s been a few days since my meltdown. After getting me warm again, Logan and Brex tucked me back into bed between them.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt infinitely better. The dream my sister sent me shattered everything I’d built up inside my head, convincing myself her death was my fault. And I’ve finally come to accept that it wasn’t.

Now my boys, myself, and the rest of B-squad are enjoying a quiet evening at the fire station playing five-card draw.

With Logan, Brex, and I the only ones left in the game, the other guys are taking side bets on who’s going to walk away with the pot.