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“I don’t have her anymore. She met somebody.”
I rear back in surprise. “You and Lyric are done?”
He turns to me with a soft smirk. “Were we ever reallyonthough?”
My lips lift in a smile, and I shrug. “Touche.”
Ghost runs his hand along the back of his neck. “In all honesty, I’m happy for her. She wanted things I wasn’t willing to give. I’m happy as fuck she found someone that is willing to put her above everything and be who she needs them to be.”
I nod. “Wow.”
“What?”
“That shit is deep.” I punch his shoulder playfully. “Who knew you had it in you?”
Chuckling, he grabs my hand and holds it in his. His lighthearted demeanor shifts into something much more serious. “You know I love you, right Liles?”
A lump forms in my throat, making me unable to swallow, let alone speak, so I nod.
“I never wanted you to be the one who got hurt in all of this. Shit, I didn’t even mean to hurt Ringer in it, either. I was just having my own issues in my fucked up head and took it out on you guys when I shouldn’t have. I didn’t admit it to Ringer, and would appreciate it if it stayed between you and me, but it was more than an overprotective brother tantrum.”
My brows furrow, and I squeeze his hand, hoping to encourage him to continue.
“I was honestly fucked up over the whole Lyric thing. Then you guys came home married, and I kind of just lost it. I’m sorry.”
“What do you mean you were fucked up over Lyric?”
He shakes his head, rubbing the palm of his hand over his mouth and down his beard. “I’m not and have never beenin lovewith Lyric. Fuck, I don’t even know if I’ve ever even been in love. Scratch that. IknowI’ve never been in love. I wasn’t upset that she broke things off, and I know she wasn’t in love with me either. Her breaking off whatever it is was we had because she met someone thatcouldgive her more really hit me hard. The nail in the coffin was when you guys came home hitched. It put it into perspective that I’ll never have that.”
“You’ll never have what? A marriage?”
He shrugs, and my heart breaks for him. “Marriage. Someone to love the way my brother loves you. Someone that loves me as much as you do him. All of that”
I squeeze his hand harder as my heart shatters for someone I’ve admired my whole life. “Why count it out? You never know what will come along. Someone may come along one day that will knock your entire world off its axis, and you’ll have all of that.”
“Nah. If it hasn’t happened in 34 years, babe, it probably isn’t gonna happen. I let my jealousy almost ruin a relationship between my brother and sister-in-law, and pretty much my dad, too. I don’t have time for that shit.”
I smile at his quick change in mood back to the normal, upbeat Ghost I’m used to. “You never know. I’d put money on it. Your someone is out there just waiting for you, just like you’re waiting for her.”
“Next, you’re going to tell me I’ll also win the lottery next Monday night.”
I hold my hands up. “Woah, woah. I’m not a miracle worker. Calm down now.”
Ghost holds his hand up. “Truce?”
I smile at him, flinging my small body into his large one. “Truce.”
I tuck my face into his chest and smile against him as his chuckle tickles my hair before he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Love ya, Lile.”
“Love you, Ghost.”
twenty-four
Ringer
“Princess, what in the actual fuck,”I gripe, walking out of the closet and stretching the material against my thigh.
The complaint falls from my lips as soon as I lay eyes on her. She’s wearing what I could only describe as a bikini. Her tits are pushed up so high above her top that I’m afraid she’s going to show everyone her nipples tonight. Her bottom half sports the tiniest shorts I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
