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I nodded. “Okay. I—”
The rest of the math team, literally, they would be competing at state in a few weeks, encouraged Rip to join them for a game. Winston said, “Go spend some time with her. We got him. Promise.”
“Thank you.” I nodded. Okay. I would have to go back to classes. I would…I wasn’t sure if I could go back to everything. I needed to spend more time with my son. Be a father more than a wide receiver. I wasn’t going pro. Not with the debt this whole situation racked up.
I went into Tituss’s room and smiled at her. I hadn’t hugged her, said a whole lot. I just…didn’t know where to start. How the hell did I repay her for something like that? I moved into the room, and Tituss put his hand on Apollo’s shoulder and said, “Let’s see what they have prepped for dinner tonight.”
Apollo snickered because he knew damn good and well all that was settled. Harpy’s team was in full effect, making sure shit got done. They made good money, and they had a color-coded t-shirt system. If they were open to some extracurricular off-the-clock, the guys knew.
I looked at her, moved over, and crawled into bed next to her on the opposite side of that casted leg. The moment she put her arms around me, I knew why I couldn’t do that before now. I felt it in my chest, my lungs, then I broke down in the only safe space I had ever known away from Greta. She said everything I needed to hear in three words, “I love you.”
I would not let her go. Not after this. No fucking way. She had saved my son. I could never repay that debt to her. Apollo, on the other hand, had a figure attached to his cleanup. However, he had cheekily said I was getting the Devil’s discount. Meaning it was less because of our combined addiction to this woman in my arms. My mom gladly paid it because she knew I was taking Rip with me. He would never live apart from me again until he was old enough to move out on his own. I had been so young three days ago. So stupid. This whole thing, since Harpy stepped into my life…grew me up, changed my priorities in some ways, and solidified others, like with my son.
I leaned away, grabbed some tissue, and didn’t really care that I was crying. She didn’t see me as less for it. She stroked my cheek, and I pulled another two tissues since she was crying too. She said, “I love you.”
“Rip, you, it’s…all that matters to me now.” It was the truth. I could share her with them, probably make our lives easier if we shared her, or I could keep her all to myself. A part of her was mine. Just like a part of her would always belong to Tituss. Somehow, a part of her belonged to Apollo, too. They had a different connection, but it was real. Real enough for him to accept this, us, all of us. Because I would always be a dick in some ways, I added, “And I mean, I guess Tituss and Asshole, I mean Apollo, too.”
She laughed and then leaned in and kissed my lips. I snuggled up to her, and she held me, and I knew that I never wanted to let her down again. Ever.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Tituss
“This really sucks.” Harpy looked at her propped-up leg and then groaned in frustration.
“What?” I asked. We were on the couch in the main living space, and her foot was on the ottoman.
“It itches!” She scratched the outside about midway down the cast.
I bit back the laugh. “Hey. Think about something else. That will help.”
She glared, but then I moved, and with my head on her lap facing the television, I said, “Rub my head. That will help you not think about your leg.”
She laughed, but then her fingers pushed into my hair. “Very unselfish of you, Popsicle.”
I smiled. She rarely called me that these days, but I liked it again instead of hating it and the memories it brought.
Her injuries were not life-threatening despite acquiring them while someone threatened her life. Her bruises were fading a bit more each day, but that leg was broken in three places and would require a longer recovery than a regular break. I loved that my room was on the first floor of this house. Because Rip was here, Dane spent some time with her, us at night, but he always started and ended in his room with his son. He was looking for a place to live outside of the frat. I was afraid she would go with him, them, and then I’d be what? The guy who came over to visit? No. I did not like that.
She was mine before she was his. Ours before she was Apollo’s, but none of us knew where we would end up long term, and all of us were holding on to these frat houses and the freedom to have her and us in one location. My parents wanted to disown me when they found out she was back in my life. Still, since I was no longer in the dark about their affiliations, how their money and power worked, I essentially reminded them that when I took over, I would be the one making sure they were taken care of, just like my dad has his father. We all knew how tight they were. It made a lot of sense now why the male line hated each other. My mom did not want to lose her comfort. I'm pretty sure she married him for that comfort level like Jem was prepared to marry me. I wasn’t marrying anyone anytime soon. Maybe ever.
Still, all this put so much more about my life into context.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
I rolled to look up at her and said, “I never should have let you go. No matter what. I shou—” Her finger pressed to my lips, and she shook her head no. I pressed a kiss to the digit, and she smiled, nodded. I laughed. She removed her finger, and I sat up because my spot was about to be taken from me anyway. “He’s home.”
“Hoppy!” Rip came running into the space, and for all his energy and excitement, he slowed down to climb up and get situated next to her, which meant kicking off my leg to get closer. He had his hands full, so I just laughed.
Dane dropped his backpack on a Rip-level hook before he too moved to the couch, where he leaned over the back of it to kiss Harpy on the cheek. He made like he was going to lean in on me, and I put my hand up to block his crazy ass. He moved his face down and rubbed the top of his head against it. I hated him sometimes. This being one of them. I mouthed the word jerk at him, and he laughed. During this quick intermission of things, Rip showed her the book he got from the library at school.
“He’s going to read it to her.” Dane stood and indicated I should follow him. We went to the kitchen, and he said, “I looked at a few places.”
“Let’s not rush into things.” I didn’t want him and Rip to leave, but I understood the rest of the house shouldn’t have to adjust this much for either of us. Everyone was watching their language, not stealing Rip’s snacks, not bringing in partners at all hours even though Dane’s room was not near the stairs.
Thanks to Harpy’s confidence course, most of our house had someone, girl or guy in their life these days. Cassidy had Furry wrapped around the cattail she was wearing today. I shook my head as Dane mouthed, seriously. Cass said, “Just grabbing some snacks for the guys.”
The matching ears wiggled. Dane jerked back when that happened asked low, “What the fuck?”
