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He stopped when I started shaking my head. “I didn’t.”
“You did. You’re being hard on yourself because you lost someone you care for. John’s death isn’t on your shoulders. You were fighting for your own life.”
My gaze went back out the window.
“Maya, look at me.”
Slowly, I did.
“John’s death is not your fault.”
Sniffing, I ran my sweaty palms down my thighs. “It feels like it is.”
“It’s not. There was nothing else you could have done.”
I didn’t want to believe him.
“Does John’s wife or family blame you?”
“No.”
“Does your family blame you?”
“No.”
“It’s not going to happen today, but one day, you will trust we’re all telling you the truth.”
One day, maybe I would. Devlin, which was what he preferred to be called, had made an appointment for me once a week at least for the first month. I’d been to three appointments and on the third, he’d asked about Texas because apparently, I kept bringing him up. I clamped up, not knowing what to say since I was confused about that annoying, yet sweet, man.
Texas was also something in my life that had changed.
He popped in all the time to hang out with us for no reason at all. What he was still doing in Ballarat, I didn’t know. He was supposed to already have his tattoo shop set up and then left for Caroline Springs where he would run his other shop. He was supposed to be an hour away.
My gaze shifted to the man on my mind as he told my brother, “Drake, don’t let little fuckers like that get to you.” This was the sixth visit since the day I cried in his arms.
Not that I was counting how many times he called in.
I wasn’t.
Drake sighed. “Yeah, but he just annoys the hell out of me.”
“There’s gonna be many people in your life who annoy you. Just learn to let shit go. Unless he says somethin’ seriously bad, then you make sure you’re not the one to throw the first punch, but have the last.”
Drake beamed at Texas. Needless to say, my brother looked up to Texas like he did our older brother.
Rolling my eyes, I leaned back with the bowl of popcorn from the coffee table. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to encourage Drake to hit people.”
Texas smirked. “Hey, if he’s not the one who starts it, he can’t get into too much trouble.” He turned to Drake again. “Talon is givin’ you lessons on how to hit properly, right?”
“Shit yeah. Started me two years ago.”
Texas grunted and grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl I’d put between us. “Good.” He shoved the food into his mouth and chomped.
The front door opened, shining light into the darkened room. “Why are all the blinds down?” Ruby asked.
“Movie marathon. Texas hasn’t seen any of theScreammovies.”
“Cool.” Ruby moved to the side and Dillon, Ruby’s boyfriend, stepped in. “We’re just going to hang in my room for a while.”
