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Walt
“I’lltellMayhemthat we’re ready to go,” I tell Everest when she re-enters the room wearing a sundress that screams that she’s trying to get fucked.
She snaps like she just remembered something. “He doesn’t have to go if he doesn’t want to.”
I tilt my head, confused. The easier spooked woman who’d hide behind Tucker and talk through him is turning down extra security?
“Why.” Her smile is sweet when she answers me.
“Rager found Hunter. I got to talk to him on opening night. He said he took care of the guys who attacked me.”
She smiles again and bounces on her feet like an excited child. I want to question her, but I know that even with my limited memory that if Whit said he took care of something for me, I’d believe him. Taking a deep breath, I choose to trust her brother the way she does.
Reaching out, I pull her into a hug. “I’m glad you found him. Good family is important. Are you just now telling me because you were mad?”
She shakes her head in my chest. “No, after I got off the phone with him, you were the first person I called. You didn’t answer.”
Everie is simply answering my question, but there is a sadness in her words that makes me feel bad even when it wasn’t her intention. I bend to look her in the eyes before I respond.
“Cupcake, I left my phone in the car that night because things were too heavy and I didn’t think about it because I needed silence. If I had my phone, know that I would have answered. I didn’t ignore you. I don’t care how upset I am with you; I will not ignore you. I wish I would have gotten that call. I know how happy you were at that moment.”
She nods. “It’s good to know, Walt. I thought you just needed time and space.”
“I did, just not like that. Speaking of my phone,” I start as I squeeze her until she’s uncomfortable. “Want to tell me why I got a flood of messages, pics, and videos of you partying with your ass practically hanging out while that little asshole Rager was grinding on you?” She laughs when I get into her face so close, she’d have to cross her eyes to see me properly. “And all you did was giggle!”
Everie does just that as she tries to get out of my hold. “I had to rock what Rager bought me. I looked good.”
I grab her ass with both hands. “Good enough to eat, baby.” I grind against her and drop a kiss on her neck. “Why don’t you bring it so we can have some fun with it.”
She runs back to her closet when I let her go. “Okay, I’ll meet you downstairs.”
In all the excitement, I forgot to tell Rowe and Whit. I open the group chat and tell them I’m going out of town.
Rowe calls me on video chat immediately. I’m not surprised. He’s only used to me being at the mansion, but I have to leave eventually.
He relaxes a little after he studies me. “On your own. Like this is your idea.”
I smile at his protectiveness. “I’m not being kidnapped, if that’s what you’re asking.”
His smile is strained. I get it. If he disappeared for four years, I wouldn’t want to let him out of my sight either.
“I’ll just come back…”
“No. I’m not going somewhere because y’all left me and I don’t know how to deal. I want to take part in life again.”
He nods and twists his lips the way he always does when he doesn’t like something. “I’m just… terrified that I’ll wake up and find that it was one crazy dream.”
It must be his therapy that has him speaking freely because some adults aren’t capable of expressing what worries them. I sit at the bottom of the stairs.
“It’s not. I’m here in the flesh and I’m not going anywhere.”
“I just want to make sure you’re okay, ya know?”
I’m the one nodding this time. “I know, son. It’s great, but I’m the one who is supposed to be doing the protecting and I’m sorry I failed you before.”
“You did not fail me. You had no control over what happened to you. We were always here for me, even before you knew you were my dad. It’s just I know what it’s like to lose you and I don’t think I can go through that again.”
“You’re not going to lose me, but even if you did, I fully expect you to continue on with life and live it to the fullest, Rowe.”
