get closure and find a good therapist. It might help you look forward to something more. You might not fall in love the way you did with Bronwyn, but that doesn’t mean there’s no one else worth loving.”
I stare at the dashboard, making sure I’m speaking to Langford Chadwick and not some friend or a computer program he created. Some days he makes me think that computers have more emotions than him. The name on the screen says, Ford. My jaw almost drops because really, who is this guy?
What he says compliments a lot of what Nyx was telling me earlier while we were having breakfast.
“What happened to you, man?”
“Persy,” he answers, and I swear I could almost see emoji hearts coming out of the speaker.
This is so freaking hilarious, and I’d be mocking him if I wasn’t in the middle of my own existential crisis.
“Dude, you’ve been listening to your girlfriend’s shit for too long. I swear I feel like I just went to the shrink. At least you didn’t charge me a penny for that,” I try to joke, but really, I feel like he just gave me a lot to think about. “So, why did you call me?”
I’m so distracted I can’t even remember how we began this conversation. Should I reach out to Bronwyn and tell her to stop trying to contact me? Then, I could figure out her real motives and get closure.
What if she never married Wyatt’s Dad? Would I forgive her? Doubtful. Is there someone out there for me that will take the little I can offer?
And the only person I can think of is Nyx. Would she even entertain the possibility of having anything to do with me?
All these thoughts might be Ford’s doing.
This is definitely the result of my twin’s newfound life. He has never fallen in love in his entire life. Now that he’s with Persy, he’s making me feel like I’m going to be left behind. He’s messing with my head. Am I holding onto Nyx because that’ll keep me closer to him?
It’s just for a breath that I entertain that thought because really, Ford and I barely saw each other while we were in New York. Being with one sister doesn’t guarantee that the other will be around, and I’m perfectly fine with it.
What is it then?
Just live and forget about everything else.
I don’t need a therapist, and I definitely don’t need to reach out to Bronwyn. I have to plan a vacation where I spend half of the time jumping from planes, rafting, and finding extreme activities while during the other half I fuck women that will help me erase the uneasiness inside my chest.
“Listen, my woman is worried about her sister, so please keep an eye on her,” he says, and his voice comes out harsher than I care to listen to. “I’m not sure why Nyx trusts you but…just be mindful, okay? Don’t fuck this for me.”
There it is. He’s concerned that I’m going to break his new toy.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk this much in my life,” I conclude. "Yes, I’ll take care of her. Talk to you later.”
I hang up because we can be on the phone for hours discussing the many ways I can fuck this up, how he’s not thinking straight, or… We get along well, but we also know how to fight. After all, we are brothers.
Twenty-Four
Nate
My day goes as usual. When I arrive home around six, I find Nyx and Brock on the couch. She’s asleep with another open book laying on her chest. Instead of waking her up, I march to one of the guest rooms and grab a blanket to cover her.
Brock is right behind me.
“Hey, boy. Did you have a good day with Nyx?”
He barks once and nuzzles my leg as I pet the top of his head. I don’t know what this dog is going to do when she leaves, but I hope he survives her absence. He’s too enamored with her. Last night, after all the back and forth trips from her bedroom to the bathroom, he ended up sleeping with her. I wanted to tell her that he’s not allowed to sleep on beds, but I didn’t have the heart to take that away from either one of them.
Demetri isn’t going to be happy about Brock’s behavior, but this time he can only blame Nyx.
“We can convince her to stay longer,” I suggest, and he gives me a skeptical look.