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Being apart from Kitten is a form of torture. I didn’t realise how fucking boring life was without her in it. Not being able to see her or talk to her is the worst. Wait, no. What’s worse is not knowing if she’s ok.
My mama keeps asking if I’m ok, obviously reading my expression, but I don’t want to worry her with my lonely heart when she is so clearly suffering in physical pain. Dad should be focused on looking after mama, especially with her condition worsening, but with the end of the year coming fast, he keeps asking me what my plans are after I graduate. Then he goes into a lecture about how finishing school is unnecessary because I don’t need my high school diploma to learn the family business of running the vineyard.
I do love our vineyard. I just hate the pressure of feeling like I have no choice but to join my dad and Derek in running it. I kinda wish he’d give me a choice. I wish he’d tell me to go off travelling and learn who I am before settling down to run the family business with my brother.
Simon called an hour ago and said Garrett showed up at his house looking like he’d gone ten rounds in the boxing ring. Apparently, his old man tried to take him on last night and lost again. And apparently, he went to Kitten’s parents for help in the middle of the night, and they took him in, giving him a place to stay and access to our girl. So now I’m on my way to Grady’s house to hang out with the guys and find out from Garrett how Kitten really is.
When Derek drops me off, Garrett and Simon are already walking up the drive, passing through the gate that leads to the back, where the familiar sounds of a bouncing ball tells me Marcus is shooting hoops. As I pass through the gate, my eyes fall over my mates, which includes Jared. It’s good to see him here. I think he’s been feeling left out now that the rest of us have Rhys in common.
Our situation with Rhys has been on my mind lately. I’m not sure how Marcus is still talking to us after what we did to him. Or, more to the point, what I did to him. It’s been playing on my mind more and more over the last few days that what I did to him was a pure fucking cunt’s act. The hiding he gave me wasn’t enough to make up for how much I betrayed him. Now, though, with these feelings I never thought I’d feel for a girl, I’m struggling with the fear that she will somehow be taken away from me. It’s a fucking terrifying thought. I can’t fathom it. And if I put myself in Grady’s shoes and let myself feel a fraction of what he did when he realised his mate was fucking around with the girl he loved, the urge to kill every fucker in sight is almost overwhelming.
Marcus Grady is a better man than I’ll ever be.
Fuck, my emotions are all over the place. Can guys get a male version of PMS?
“You look like you bit into a sour lemon, Bossi.” Jared chuckles as I approach, and I frown.
“Aren’t all lemons sour?”
Jared laughs, tossing the basketball towards me. I catch it, bouncing it a couple of times before lining up for a shot at the ring. The moment it leaves my hands, I know I’ve fucked up and I watch as the ball goes wide. Yeah, I’m off my game alright. The guys think my lack of skill today is the best thing, laughing at my poor display. I’m not laughing, though. Not as I take in Garrett’s battered face.
“Fuck, man. Are you ok?” My concern makes Garrett frown, and he nods, too tough to admit if he weren’t ok.
“We need to talk about our girl.” Garrett avoids voicing an answer to my question, gaining the guys’ attention.
“Since she’s notmygirl, do I have to be here for it?” Jared asks, and I nod.
“Yep, because once we are done, we’re shooting hoops until I’ve kicked your arse, and you’re begging for me to stop.”
“As if.” Jared chuckles, throwing the ball straight through the hoop.
“He’s gonna kick your arse, Bossi.” Hastings sings with a wide grin, and my lips spread wide, knowing it’s the truth but not really caring.
“So, what do we need to talk about?” Marcus asks, and we all fall quiet, looking at Garrett.
“She’s in a dark place. Understandably.” Garrett frowns. “But when I went there last night, I could tell she’d been crying. Like a lot. She told me that the mantra I told her is what got her through the day, which means she’s really struggling, and I know we can’t hold her hand through everything, but I can’t help wanting to.” Garrett sweeps his hand through his curls. “Fuck, she’d sell her soul to the devil to save us. She basically did that for Tyler.”
“Do you think her olds would let us see her if we turned up?” Simon asks, his playful nature gone as his concern for our girl worries him.
“I don’t know.” Garrett shrugs. “It’s hard to tell. There’s a fucking lot of tension between Rhys and her parents right now. They had a big argument yesterday. Something was said in that argument which has really dug under Rhys’ skin. She seemed content when I was there with her last night, but when it was time for me to leave this morning, she got jittery and shit. Like really anxious. I didn’t want to leave her, but the cops came, and I had to go with them to ID my dad in a lineup.”
“Did they get him?” Jared asks, and Garrett nods.
“Yep. They didn’t find my phone, though, so I still don’t have any way to contact you guys. That’s why I turned up at Simon’s this morning unannounced.”
“Shit, that’s good that they got him. So he’s locked up now?” I ask, and Garrett nods.
“Yeah, because he was on parole, he went straight back in. I’m not sure what happens now, though. I guess I’ll find out soon.”
“Are your sisters ok?” Hastings asks, and Garrett nods again.
“They’re safe. I’m trying to avoid them, though. I don’t want them to see this.” He points to his face, and we all nod in understanding. He’s pretty battered.
“Do you think Rhys’ parents will let you go back there today? Or tonight?” I ask, and he shrugs.
“I can only try. It might be different now that my dad is locked up, though.” He shrugs, and I nod in understanding. Rhys’ parents were making an exception for Garrett with the problems with his dad, but now that his dad isn’t an issue anymore, they may not be so quick to accommodate him.
We all fall silent, our thoughts with our girl or with Garrett, or probably even with the truck full of the crap we all have going on. When did everything get so fucking hard and complicated?
