AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I haven’t seen him as happy as he’s been with you in…hell, almost a decade.”
My skin heated as my pulse soared. “Really?”
He nodded. “And even though my brother is going to hate me from bringing you over here, I don’t care because I think you’re the only one who can help him.”
I swallowed hard, my eyes bouncing to the house. The neatly kept, gorgeous house where Reid lived. I didn’t know what I could possibly do for Reid, but if he was going to have my back, then I was going to have his.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll do my best.”
August grinned, and the small dimple on his right cheek sent a jolt of familiarity through me. Thea had that dimple. I’d almost forgotten.
“Come on.” August turned and led me toward the front door of the home.
He didn’t knock, just opened the door and entered into a cozy living room with tanned leather furniture and a stone fireplace. The space would’ve been warm and inviting if it hadn’t been so dark. All the curtains were drawn and the lights were off.
The living room was open to the kitchen, separated by a large island with white marble countertops. The cabinets were a deep, navy blue with gold hardware. I kept focusing on the beautiful details of the house as August led me through to keep my worried nervousness controlled.
I trailed behind him as he climbed the stairs to the second floor. Finally, we came to a door near the west side that was ajar. August pushed it open the rest of the way, nodding for me to enter.
I hadn’t been sure what I was walking into, but this wasn’t what I expected.
The room was a mess. It seemed to be some kind of office, but many of the books from the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves had been knocked off and were strewn around the room. An armchair in the corner had been tipped over, and notebooks and papers and folders littered the floor.
I stared around with eyes wide. Had Reid done all this? I’d never seen Reid act destructive. Ever.
“I already told you to leave me alone.”
At the sound of his voice, my gaze snapped toward the desk in front of the bookcases. My chest constricted. Reid sat there, his head hanging in his hands. The only things on the desk were a bottle of amber liquor and an almost empty glass.
“Yeah, well, I brought reinforcements,” August grumbled. He lingered by the door, one shoulder leaning against the doorframe.
Reid scoffed, and he slowly raised his head, letting his hands drop onto the desktop.
There was a beat where he looked annoyed, but then his eyes locked on to mine. His were glassy and bloodshot, and they grew in horror as he stared at me.
“Lark?” He sounded stunned and confused.
“Hey,” I said softly, still so unsure, but desperately wanting to comfort him. “How are you?”
He blinked a few times, and then his eyes bounced to August, his shock melting into anger. He stood up from his chair so fast the thing toppled over. “What the hell? Why would you bring her here?”
His voice was so…pissed. I took a step back.
I stared between the two brothers, one shooting daggers at the other, but August seemed unfazed.
“Don’t be mad at me. I tried.” He raised his hands and straightened. “I wasn’t going to leave you by yourself, so I called in Lark.”
A muscle thrummed in Reid’s jaw. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
August shrugged. “Maybe you’ll talk to her.” He turned, giving us a wave over his shoulder. “Take care of him, Lark,” he called.
Reid and I stood in silence as August’s footsteps faded entirely, and the front door slammed shut, shaking the floor beneath my feet.
Reid’s gaze shifted back to mine. Whatever anger had been in his expression dissipated like fog in the morning sun. He slumped forward, head hanging between his shoulders as he leaned over the desk.
“I’m sorry,” he said, sounding so sad and broken that I think my heart cracked. “August shouldn’t have brought you here.”
I stepped toward him. “Then what should he have done? You’re hurting, Reid. You should’ve called me.”
