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“All you’ve ever done is fend for yourself, Snowflake. Don’t forget that.”
As always, they have a way of making me feel worthy even when I doubt it so much my heart hurts. Everything happens for a reason; this is the path I was supposed to take, and if it leads me to my Ruthless Brothers, then I would walk this road time and time again.
I’m certain of it.
A knock comes from the door, before it opens just a little to reveal Axel on the other side. “Hey, Reaper,” he says with a smirk, wiping the pain and uncertainty from my skin. “Shift is out here declaring that he’s better than you at Apex and the last time you destroyed him was a total fluke. Care to prove him wrong, or do you want me to beat the fuck out of him for talking shit?”
I chuckle at his playfulness. A rare occasion I definitely want to make the most of.
With my mind made up, I wag my finger at him. “You tell that motherfucker to get the game set up because I’m going to slaughter him again for good measure.”
The door clicks shut behind him, but I still hear him holler to Shift at the top of his lungs. My body relaxes as I turn to face Ryker. “Don’t we need a game plan to combat the fact that Molly talked?” He’s the leader here, but I need to be sure we’re not taking our eye off the ball.
Grinning, he rises from the bed, tossing his arm around my shoulders as he pulls me to the door. “I’ve upped security, and for now, that’s all we need. Our priority is you.”
* * *
“Fuck, Scar,”Shift grumbles, dropping his controller into his lap with a huff as everyone around us laughs.
“Oh, poor baby,” Gray says with a fake cry, only making it funnier as I smirk at his brother.
“I believe this challenge was set by you. I only rose to the occasion.” I shrug, like it’s as simple as that, but we’ve been at this for hours and I’ve taken him down again and again. It’s far more enjoyable than I was anticipating, and it definitely was exactly what we needed. Just like Ryker said it would be.
Emmett’s arms band around my waist, pulling me further into his lap, and I rest my head on his shoulder. Gray is to my right, Shift beside him, and Emily on the arm. Leaving Ryker and Axel to sprawl across the other sofa, happy to watch the carnage before them.
Lips press against my pulse, making me shiver, and I peer at Emmett with half-mast eyes. He doesn’t look at me though, tucking his nose into the crook of my neck as he inhales. His warmth is short-lived as he trails featherlight kisses over the back of my neck, where his ink lies, and I smile.
“Screw you all, assholes. I play better when it’s not split screen,” Shift insists, rising from the sofa with a sigh.
“I would still beat you,” I state, and he glares at me.
“No, we would play on the same team, Scar. And then your awesomeness would make me look just as fucking cool.” A round of laughter envelops the room again.
This is how I’ve always wanted things to be—calm, relaxed, and seeping in a kind of love that can’t be explained. This must be what family feels like. I would jump in front of a bullet for Emily and Shift just as quickly as I would for Ryker, Axel, Gray, and Emmett. I just wish Duffer was here to feel it too.
My throat clogs up at the thought of him, my eyes closing of their own accord as I try to calm my breathing that quickly hitches at the sadness that creeps down my spine.
“Where did you just go, Snowflake?” Emmett whispers, running his free hand through the hair that’s sprung free from my hair tie. “And don’t say nowhere. I literally felt a change,” he adds, calling me out before I can even utter the two magic words:I’m fine.
Blinking my eyes open, I smile at him, though I know it doesn’t meet my eyes. “I just wish Duffer was here to feel all of this,” I admit, deciding the truth may have some healing qualities to it.
He has to be remembered, even if that’s from me saying his name out loud every day.
“He would be diving on the controller to try and match you,” Emily muses, drawing my gaze her way to find a soft smile on her face and a distant look in her eyes.
“I would have probably let him win.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” Shift scoffs, shaking his head at me.
“You’re probably right,” I say with a chuckle, and Emily reaches across Gray to squeeze my fingers.
“If anything, he would have insisted he was going easy on you.”
“That sounds like the Dylan we all knew,” Ryker chirps in, before taking a drink of his beer and my heart warms.
Dylan.
He was more than just Duffer to them.
