Page 92 of Contentious

“You two. Like a couple of old harpies.”

“Shut up,” Griffin said. “You’ve put us through hell.”

“Aw, you do love me.”

“Never said we didn’t,” Griff said.

Julian put a hand on Carson’s left shoulder, as if he needed to touch him, to believe he was really still there.

“I’m okay, you guys.”

“Scared the shit out of us,” Julian said.

“Where’s Cres? Is she coming? Need to see her.”

“Yeah, she’s coming.”

“Is someone with her?”

“Anthony is, and the others are close by.”

“Don’t let her go anywhere alone. And keep someone with Ty.”

“We’re on it.”

That much conversation sapped what little strength he had, and he dozed again. Every time he opened his eyes, a different combination of siblings was by his bed. Gillian and Kaidan. Jordan and Ethan. Jackson and Roman.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked Roman.

“Duh, you got stabbed. I came home.”

“Go back to school. I’m fine.”

“Nice to see you, too, asshole.”

Carson grunted out a laugh and discovered that was a bad idea. “Don’t make me laugh.”

“Where’s Cresley?”

“On her way,” Jackson said. “She’s bringing Ty because she’s afraid to leave him.”

“Good. I want to see him, too.”

“What’s up with you two?” Roman asked.

“Nothing.”

“Right,” Jackson scoffed. “There’s nothing going on, which is why you took a leave of absence from work to stay close to her.”

“Turns out that was a good idea,” Carson said.

“Not so great for you, bro,” Jackson said.

“Better me than her or Ty.”

“Dude…” Roman rolled his eyes. “You’re glad you took a knife for them, but there’s nothing going on?”

How could he explain to them what he didn’t yet understand himself? “Go back to school, Rome. Nothing to see here.”