Page 27 of I Stop Somewhere Waiting For You

“Tommy.” I smile, stepping back in front of him and recapturing his attention from the lot behind me. “What are you doing here?”

“Nick mentioned you weren’t home yet. I was on my way over there for family dinner. Your mom invited me, JP, and Rico. Figured I’d swing through and make sure everything was okay.”

“Everything’s fine, Tommy. Come on, you can follow me home.”

He nods, opening my door to help me inside before making his way back to his Mustang. Once buckled in, I let out a frustrated sigh.

At nineteen, Tommy’s the youngest out of Nicky’s core crew, and he’s always been sweet on me. Whereas I could stand naked in front of JP and Rico and they’d probably run screaming, Tommy’s always had a crush. He took the rape almost as hard as Nicky. It’s hard to be around him now with the way he looks at me. Like I’m a porcelain doll that he’s waiting to shatter.

I whip out of the lot with Tommy in tow when the phone Mav slipped me chirps from within my bag. I reach in to retrieve it, swiping up to find a text.

Unknown: This isn’t even close to over.

CHAPTER 15

JONSIE

The door to my bedroom is kicked open, slamming against the wall behind it.

I shoot up in bed, shrieking as Nicky, Rico, JP, and Tommy run up in the room.

“What the fuck?!” I shout.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!” They start singing in unison… badly. They continue belting out the song in nothing that can even be remotely considered a melody while lunging at me.

Nicky grips my ankles, pulling me toward the edge of the bed while I kick and scream. It’s no use, he flips me up and over his shoulder, running out of the room with the rest of the guys hot on his tail.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JONSIE!” Nicky’s bouncing down the stairs, his shoulder repeatedly digging into my stomach with each step. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUU!” He rounds the banister, breaking into an all-out run as he bolts through the kitchen, past our parents eating breakfast, out the French doors, and launches both of us into the pool. JP, Rico, and Tommy all dive in behind us.

Nicky releases me as we break the surface. I kick back to the top, screaming at them as my head pops up above the water line. “You dicks!”

Thank God it’s heated.

They break out in hysterics while continuing to splash me.

“Happy birthday, Jones.” Nicky smiles as he treads the deep end alongside me.

I laugh, spitting water at him before flipping over onto my back “You get way too excited for this.”

“It’s my favorite day of the year.”

“Oh, yeah?” I snort, floating past him. “Why’s that?”

He pauses briefly. “Because it’s another year you’re still here.”

My breath catches in my throat. I pop up to find I’ve drifted to the shallow end and he’s followed me, coming to rest perched up on the steps. Launching myself in his direction, I latch on, drawing him in for a massive hug. We remain that way for several moments, locked in one another’s embrace. I no longer hear the guys and I realize they’ve gone back inside, offering us some privacy.

“By the time you and Shannon showed up,” Nicky begins, “Dad had been checked out for a long time. Losing mom… it killed him. I was living with a ghost. And it was slowly eating at me too. I was alone, drifting. Shannon gave me back my dad, but you gave me purpose. You gave me something to get out of bed for every day, J. You became my anchor.”

I’m still wrapped around him, crying softly into his neck.

“Fuck, J.” He buries his face in the top of my hair. “When I saw you in that hospital bed, I thought that was it. I thought I lost you. And when I didn’t… I’m just so fucking thankful you’re still here and I realize now every day is gift.”

“I love you, Nicky,” I whisper, placing a kiss on his cheek.

“I love you more, brat. You ready for your present?” He pulls back, playfully wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I can’t stop the eye-roll that is accompanied by a laugh as I climb up and out from the steps. “Probably not, but let’s see it.” I smile, extending my hand.

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