“I have to head back to my place,” I tell them. I need to be there when Johnny gets out of his extra meeting turned physical abuse session.
I sneak past Magnum, but don’t make it any further.
“Hey,” a chorus of voices call out.
Strong, tan hands snake around me from behind. Oscar’s smell engulfs me. The lithe, taut feel of his body presses against my back. “I was so worried,” he whispers. “Don’t do that to me again.”
I turn around in his arms, allowing him to make me feel safe for a brief moment before I pop up on my tiptoes to give him a solid kiss on his mouth. “I’ll try.”
Brawler’s next. A broken man stares back at me as soon as Oscar steps away. I make the first move. I wrap my arms around his big shoulders and kiss the light angel on the side of his neck. “We’ll get through this,” I tell him.
“You don’t hate me?”
I take his face in my hands, making sure he’s looking at me when I say, “I could never hate you. I did think about strangling you though.”
He slips into a small smile. “I did it for you.”
“I know,” I tell him, swallowing down the bile that accompanies that thought. I never want someone to risk their life for me.
He pulls me up to meet his lips, turning the kiss deeper as soon as our mouths press together. Liquid heat fills me. I’d love nothing more than to sit back with these three and comfort one another about the tasks we have in front of us, but I need to make sure Johnny’s okay before we do any of that.
Brawler sets me on my feet. He holds me steady before I turn to find Mag waiting for me. “Jacob...”
Tension leaves his body like a heavy rain washed away all the negativity. He pulls me close and presses a kiss to my forehead. “We’re all here for him,” he whispers. “Make sure he knows that.”
I nod, and he tilts my chin up to press a chaste kiss to my mouth. Our lips linger together, just touching without going further. A tease. A promise.
“I’ll tell him,” I say, and then I squeeze his hand and walk from his place.
I can’t keep doing this me and Johnny life versus the me, Brawler, Mag, and Oscar life. The part Johnny doesn’t know is that he’s already involved in the other half.
There’s a spot for him. He only has to take it.
19
The elevator opens as I sneak across to my room. I stop in the middle of the hall, peering up as Johnny storms out. His wild hair a halo around his head. He’s disheveled, the collar on his shirt stretched out, and murder radiates from his eyes.
“Where’s Brawler?” he demands. “Is he in here?” he asks, pointing toward Mag’s apartment. “There?” he asks, moving an accusing finger to my door.
I step in front of him, terror seizing me as I gape at his appearance. “Are you okay?”
I twist his face back and forth to see if he’s hurt again, but Johnny wrenches his face from my grip. “I’m fine.”
The door opens behind me, and Johnny gently moves me out of the way to step up to Mag. “Is Brawler in there?”
He doesn’t leave Mag enough time to answer. He elbows him out of the way and strides into the room. Mag follows after, and I’m right on his heels. When I get in, Johnny has Brawler pushed against the side of the couch, leaning over him, his face a mask of torture and anger that pains me. “If you hurt her, I will kill you. Do you understand me? I will fucking kill you.”
Mag pulls Johnny from Brawler, allowing the latter to stand. My fighter didn’t fight back even though I know he could have. He didn’t because we’re all on the same team, whether Johnny knows it or not.
“I’m not going to hurt Kyla. That’s the last thing I want to do. I joined the Crew to help her.”
Mag still has an arm around Johnny, holding him back while he breathes through his nose.
“I didn’t know your dad was going to do that.” Brawler shakes his head, pure agony lancing his face, and I don’t know how Johnny couldn’t believe him. “If I’d known, I never would have done it.”
I shimmy my way between Magnum and Johnny and grip Johnny’s wrist. He peers down at me.
“It’s true,” I tell him. “Brawler wouldn’t hurt me.”