Tanner relaxed, and Jonah shoved his arms off, kicking him the rest of way.
Tanner laughed too, falling back to collapse on the floor, his arms spread out. “Fuck.” He was breathing hard. “That was fun. We haven’t done that forever.”
Jonah scooted up, his back resting against the door and a lopsided grin on his face.
“Yeah.” He was still panting. “I work out, but forgot how damn heavy you are.”
Tanner rolled over and whacked him on the leg with the back of his hand. “Shut it, little brother, or I’ll kick your ass all over again.”
“Yeah, right.” Jonah shoved at Tanner’s leg. “You used up all your juice in that match. I’d take round two.”
“Fuck that.”
“Fuck you.”
“Fuck you!” Tanner bolted to a sitting position, pointing at Jonah.
Both paused, staring at each other, then began laughing again.
“We’re fucked up,” Jonah said, shaking his head.
Tanner grunted, falling back down. “Speak for yourself. I’m a stud. I’m not fucked up. I do the fucking up.”
I coughed where I’d been sitting on the couch, watching. I’d loved it. I knew I had a stupid grin on my face. This was something I hadn’t had growing up. Blade, Carol, and I weren’t like this.
I’d once thought of them as family, but seeing Jonah and Tanner—no, Carol and Blade were friends. Co-workers. Not family. I didn’t have this with them. If Brooke had been here, she would’ve been in the middle of it or laughing and shouting from the sides. Hell, she might’ve been coaching Jonah.
Another cough ripped up through my chest, and both of them snapped to attention. They got to their feet, coming over.
I waved them off, covering my mouth, and turned away from them. “No, no. I’m fine.” Cough. “Really.” Another cough. “I’m done.” Two more coughs. “Now, I am. Really.”
Nope. Lying.
I couldn’t stop until Tanner had left the room, and Jonah went for his bag. He brought it over along with a glass of water. I took a sip, and it helped ease the coughs. He pulled out a cough drop and gave it to me. I eased back against the couch, my chest feeling weak.
“That sucks. I’m sorry.” I waved toward where they’d been. “I didn’t want to interrupt that.”
Jonah shook his head, pulling out his stethoscope and kneeling beside me.
I leaned forward, knowing what he wanted.
He lifted my shirt enough to put it against my back. “It’s fine. I think we both forgot you were here, actually. We haven’t wrestled like that forever.”
A pause.
“Deep breath.”
I breathed deep.
“Exhale. Slowly.”
I exhaled. Slowly.
“And another.”
We repeated the process another three times before he moved to my front, his face looking away as he listened.
He was moving back, his stethoscope hanging around his neck when the door opened again.
Kai came in first, with Tanner behind him.
I felt zapped by his presence, and I sat up straight.
“You okay?” Kai’s concerned eyes looked me over, lingering where my shirt was pulled down an inch before frowning and sliding his gaze to his brother. “Is she okay?”
“You said she was outside in the rain the other night?”
Kai nodded, standing against the couch, right behind me.
I tried to ignore him.
My heartbeat skyrocketed.
Being around Kai was stressful.
“She was. You think she got sick from that?”
Jonah gazed at me, frowning. “Yeah, maybe. She’s got some wheezing in her lungs. Plus, she’s been under a lot of stress.”
See?
“It might’ve worn down her immune system.” A hard look entered his eyes, and in that moment, he looked almost exactly like Kai. He scowled at his brother. “Lay off her. Whatever you have planned, just stop. She needs rest and relaxation, and being here, being around you isn’t doing it. You’re wearing her down. Literally.”
“Hey…” Tanner moved to stand between the two.
But Kai nodded, pulling away from the couch. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Tanner and Jonah parroted him together, their eyebrows raising.
“You shitting me?” Tanner added.
Jonah only said, “Good.”
“I have to fly stateside anyway.”
That got all our attention.
“Why?” asked Tanner.
“Did something happen?” Jonah said.
“Did you find her?” I chimed in.
Tanner and Jonah turned to look at me.
“What?” came a gargled sound from Tanner.
Jonah got quiet, stepping back.
Kai ignored them. “Maybe,” he said to me.
My heart sank and leaped all at the same time. Maybe Jonah was right. Maybe I needed to stay away from Kai…and then I remembered it wasn’t my decision!
I was being held there, against my wishes, because of someone I used to love. And if he’d found her, it was because of me.