Page 32 of Static

And I only allowed myself to admit my desire to claim her a couple damn days ago. I couldn't expect her to drop everything and do things my way just because I had finally made up my mind. I'd started falling in love with her almost a fucking year ago, and was only now accepting it. I could wait.

It was easy enough to do. I spent the afternoon with the guys playing pool and talking about what was going to go down tomorrow night. Everyone was ready to finally take these next steps. It was time to put Fremont out of his misery, one way or another. We were all ready to start. Keeping Toxic and Butcher out of trouble for the next twenty-four hours was going to be the hardest part of it all.

As the prospect, that duty had been assigned to me. And these assholes had me swaying on my fucking feet from all the drinking. "How are your livers still func- working?" I asked them, switching it up when functioning got twisted up on my tongue. Using my pool cue to help myself balance, I blinked hard at the table. There were too many damn balls on there. It was past midnight and I was wasted. It wasn't like I was a fucking lightweight. I just didn't drink as much as these two.

"Got a spare one installed years ago. Had them put it where my spleen used to be," Butcher said, matter of factly.

"He's joking right? He must be, they can't do that. Can they?" I slurred as I looked over at Toxic. He just shrugged.

"I've got it from here."

Glancing over, I smiled at Lock. "Hey."

He chuckled. "You let them talk you into going round for round, didn't you?"

"Couldn't let 'em insult my penis size like that," I muttered. "It's not small." I cast them a baleful look. They grinned back like a pair of hyenas.

"We've all made that mistake before," Lock said, grabbing my arm before I face planted.

"I got it," I told him, handing him my pool cue.

"Sure you do."

Before I knew what was happening Hellfire was shoving me up the stairs. "Fuck off," I told him.

"Just be glad I'm not carrying you up over my shoulder," he said with a laugh.

I chuckled at that. "You would, too."

"You do have a pretty ass, Static," he replied.

Pausing, I glanced over my shoulder at him. "I've been saying that for years."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Go to bed, asshole."

He still followed me to my room, but once I shut the door in his face, he left me alone. Turning, I fell face first onto my bed and groaned. "Going to regret this shit in the morning."

Jolting upright, I scrubbed a hand over my face and through my hair. What had woken me up? Blearily, I stared at my clock, and it read three-twenty a.m. There was a second knock on my door. That was what it had been.

Tossing my legs off the bed, I grimaced when I realized I'd fallen asleep with my damn boots on. I jerked open the door and everything inside me gentled.

Grace stood there, clutching her stuffed bear to her chest, tears running down her face.

The look on her face had all the after effects of the alcohol I'd drank earlier mostly disappearing. "What's wrong, Sweetie?" I asked, kneeling down to her level.

"Something's wrong with Mommy," she sobbed. "Sean can't wake her."

I didn't bother to ask more questions. Grabbing her up in my arms, I rose and strode down the hall to Gwen's apartment. I set Grace down inside. "It's okay. She's going to be just fine," I told her, but left her there to go see what was going on. As soon as I stepped in the room the hairs on the back of my neck rose because Gwen let out a scream that made my blood freeze. I looked over at Sean.

"She won't wake up," he said, shaking his mom again.

"Did she take something?" I asked. I went over to her nightstand and picked up the bottle sitting there. It was some kind of sleeping pill. "It's okay, Bud," I told him, setting the bottle down. "Go check on your sister, okay?"

He looked torn, but finally nodded and left the room.

"Okay," I said in a soothing voice as I scooped Gwen out of her bed. She was thrashing and breathing heavily. I was still pretty damn drunk, but seeing Grace sobbing at my door, and hearing that scream had worked like a bucket of ice water over my head. I carried Gwen into the bathroom and sat with her on my lap on the edge of her tub. I turned on the faucet and let it run as I reached around her to untie my boots.

By the time I got them off the water was warming. I didn't bother with our clothes. Gwen was clearly in distress and the fucking sleeping medication she had taken had locked her into her nightmare. I stepped under the spray, careful to shield her enough that it didn't strike her directly in the face. "Come on, Sugar. Wake up," I murmured to her, wiping her wet hair out of her face.

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