Page 67 of Simply You & Me

"Julian, slow down, man. What's going on?"

Zach's concerned tone has me zeroing in on him once again. I can hear muted shouting down the line, and immediately the food in my tummy sours.

What's happening? Is someone hurt? Was it Johnny? Oh my god.

Zach grunts out a few more words, his jaw ticking like he's holding back far more than one-syllable words. This isn't good. He gulps, his eyes shooting to Tate with enough fear that I start to tremble. As quickly as the phone call began, it's over and Zach is grabbing Rory's empty plate.

"Peanut, why don't you go pack a bag for a sleepover at our place?”

Frantic and confused, my jaw drops and my eyes widen. Rory hoots her excitement and does exactly what he asked without even checking with me first to see if it’s okay.

"Zach," I admonish. "You can't do that! I'm her mother, I make the choices and there's no way in hell she's having a sleepover with you guys. Why the hell would you?—"

"Wyatt's hurt," Zach whispers, cutting off my angry ramble. "Johnathan's escalating. You and Rory need to stay with us for a while."

Shock, fear, rage, sadness, and an overwhelming amount of concern barrel into me, coming out as a loud shout. "WHAT?! Is he going to be okay?! What happened? How bad is it? Is he at home?"

Zach's fists clench against the counter, but he won't look at me. Behind him, Tate's eyes are wide and worried, making my tummy clench and my eyes burn. "Please tell me if he's okay! He will be okay, right? He has to?—"

"Lynnie," Tate stops me this time with a firm, yet soft tone. "Go pack."

I guffaw. "We can't move in with you guys! We haven't even figured out what’s going on between all of us and don't fucking forget how much you messed up! This is?—"

"Adelyn!" Tate barks, shocking me into silence. "We fucked up, but this is us trying not to fuck up again. So, listen to us when we tell you that you, the baby, and Rory aren't safe here anymore if Cadell is escalating. Go pack a damn bag so you can see for yourself if Wyatt's okay."

Tate grabs Zach's fists and rubs his thumbs over them as Zach slowly comes back to us. He nods at Tate, clearing his throat and shaking his shoulder a bit. Tate looks seconds away from snapping, but I'm not sure which way he will fall.

I gulp, fighting the urge to run to my room and pack, while also feeling like I still need to be strong and mad at them. "But—" I stutter, not knowing what argument I have.

If it's safer for us to be with them, then that's what I should do, right? I've proven to myself so many times this past week that I still trust them. Hell, I swear these two spend more time in my apartment than at their house.

"Doll, you can still be angry if you're staying at our house. Yell, scream, whatever you want, you will do it there because that is what's safest." Zach's tone is understanding with a heavy dose of command.

My first step back is hesitant, like I don't want to give in. Like I'm giving up too easily and allowing them to be forgiven. Except I'm not forgiving them, I'm protecting my babies. My second step is faster, determination to do the right thing settling my nerves. By the fifth step, I'm pissed off.

I'll pack, but this isn't over. They will keep us safe, but I won't roll the fuck over and ignore this shit anymore. Things are about to fucking change.

Chapter Forty-Five

Tate

"Where is he?" Adelyn's breathless, having finally dropped her bags and settled Rory on the couch with a treat and a movie. The sweet girl is none the wiser as she happily munches on a bowl of chocolate-covered raisins.

Zach immediately went to find Julian and Wyatt, having no patience to hold off checking on him. Me too honestly, but the intensity that's been coming off Lynnie since she rushed out of her bedroom with bags in hand has been all-consuming. We couldn't both abandon her as soon as we were home. She needs to settle back into our space, not only because she hasn't been here in a while, but she was fucking terrified to leave her apartment. She did a good job of hiding it and breathing through some of her panic, but I saw those fears like they were my own.

She's so fucking strong, though. Especially now as she faces off with me, hands on her hip and a slight bump peeking through her leggings and crop top.

Fuck, she's beautiful. What I wouldn't give to wrap her in my arms and coo into her rounding stomach.

"Tate!" Lynnie snaps, stomping her dainty little foot.

"Sit still, fucker!" Julian's shout upstairs has my laughter dying.

"Peanut ears!" Zach yells, something clattering amidst the grunts.

Another voice that's like music to my ears rumbles through the halls of the house. "Get off, I'm fine!"

A shuffle and a gasp draw my attention back to Addie. "Wyatt!" she breathes and fucking books it up the stairs.

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