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I brace myself, but instead of anger, he surprises me by laying himself bare.
“I’m not saying I won’t fuck up, but I want this. I want you any way you’ll let me have you. Vega’s right, Graves is a good guy. I know I reacted badly this morning, but it’s not that you were here with him, it’s that I wasn’t here with you.”
“So move in.” Graves shrugs, making us all look at him in shock.
“What? You can’t be serious?” Vega laughs.
“Why not? This house is huge. I have nothing but space, and I fucking hate being alone.”
“Graves, this is still pretty new. You sure you want to do this? I mean, if we’re all here, there is no walking away from each other when we argue and fight—and we will at some point.”
“Sounds like a family to me,” he answers quietly, looking a little unsure.
“You sure? I don’t want you to feel forced. You saying no won’t change anything.”
“I’m sure. But there is something you should know before you all agree to this. I have—”
The sound of my cell ringing has me frowning and holding up my finger. “Sorry, give me one sec.”
I hit the answer button and press it to my ear.
“Hey, Hank. What’s up?”
“Two things. The window at the front of the building is smashed. Don’t know if it was the storm or something or—should I say—someone else.”
“Like who?”
“Well, it’s funny you should ask that because it brings me to my second thing. I found a man asleep inside the gym when I got here. Claims the window was already broken when he arrived, and so he decided to just wait inside.”
I stand up. “Who is he, and who is he waiting for?”
“Says his name is Bill. Can’t get anything else from him. Says he’ll only speak to you.”
“Get him something to eat, Hank. I’m on my way.”
I hang up and look at the guys, who are all watching me. “Sorry, change of plans. I need to run to the gym and talk to someone real quick.”
“We’ll keep you company.” Vega stands, followed by Blink.
I look over at Graves and apologize. “I’m so sorry. What were you saying?”
He waves me off. “It will keep.”
He looks at Blink and Vega for a minute before standing up too. “I know it’s not my place, but—”
Now it’s Blink’s turn to cut him off.
“Come with us. Then we can head to my apartment and Vega’s place afterward to grab some shit to tie us over for a little while, just until we can get out of our leases.”
“There are things you should know first,” Graves warns him.
“Are you going to hurt Mal?”
“What? No!” He looks horrified.
Blink throws his arm around his shoulder. “Then everything else can wait for now. Come on. Let’s go and see what trouble Mal has brought to the door now.”
“Hey, I resent that!”
