Page 12 of More than Need

“Through circumstance of our birth. I have siblings. She isn’t one of them.”

Dawson shifted in Gideon’s arms, tripping forward and forcing Gideon to brace them both by sliding a foot back. “That’s bullshit.”

“Blood doesn’t equate to family.”

Dawson managed to get away from Gideon and stepped up close to Riley, their chests brushing. Even with his intense glare, it was obvious Riley had the power here.

“What kind of coward ignores something like this?”

Riley leaned in closer, their noses almost touching. Gideon winced at the look on Riley’s face. Whatever he had to say wouldn’t be pleasant.

“You don’t know anything about me, and if you think I care about anything you have to say, you’re dead wrong. Stop wasting my time and return to whatever hole you came from.”

Gideon placed his hands on their chests, separating them. Equal levels of heat poured out, trapping Gideon in a sauna. “Okay, time out. You’re drunk, and you need sleep,” he said forcefully to Dawson, pushing him back when he went to move closer again. “This is the worst time to be having any kind of rational conversation.” He poked a finger against Dawson’s chest. “Riley has a right to refuse to speak to someone that he doesn’t know. Sadie is a stranger to him, and he has no obligation to give her what she’s asking for.” He held up a hand as Dawson opened his mouth to argue. “Riley can also be stubborn and pigheaded and—”

“That’s enough,” Riley grumbled. “Are you helping or…?”

“I’m mediating.”

“You spent three hours yesterday arguing with Grady on the merits of white versus pink marshmallows. What do you know about mediating?”

“Grady is even more stubborn than you are; it was more like an hour and thirteen minutes,andI won.” White would be always be superior, and what did Grady know about marshmallows? Nothing. He couldn’t even admit he liked them, being therealcoward in this story. “My point is that demanding something from Riley that he doesn’t want to give is not the way to change his mind.” Riley had to think he’d come up with the idea himself. Plant the seed and watch it grow. A marathon, not a sprint.

“What do you suggest then?” Dawson asked. He leaned more heavily on Gideon’s hand, and Gideon was forced to curl his fingers in his shirt to keep him steady. If there’d been a seat nearby, Gideon would have forced him into it.

“Not brute force or coming at him drunk.”

“I’m standing right here.”

“I wasn’t—I didn’t plan to come here and—I just wanted to help.” Dawson tilted dangerously and grasped Gideon’s shoulders to stop himself from falling. Their lips brushed as their noses pressed together.

They froze. If Gideon considered what he and Riley had done as a kiss, did he then have to do the same with this one? Intent mattered, right? Riley had beentryingto kiss him.

Dawson jerked back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He trailed off, nostrils flaring. “I… don’t feel very good.”

“Are you going to throw up again?” Gideon asked, bracing himself to get out of the way. He’d had puke on his shoes before, more than once, and it wasn’t something he everpurposelytried to repeat. And he always sent the bill for new shoes to Riley. He never expected it to be paid—the principle of the matter meant he at least had to send it—and yet somehow Riley always got it pushed through and paid. Magic.

Gideon’s focus flitted to a white cab pulling up a few cars down. It parked but didn’t turn its lights off, idling there.

“That’s your ride,” Riley said. “I suggest you take it.”

“I already told you I wasn’t leaving.” Dawson leaned over Gideon, giving him a whiff of both alcohol and a nice citrus smell. Surprisingly, there was no hint of bile or vomit. “You need to understand that you’re not the only one affected by this. She got blindsided too.”

Riley’s hand settled on the small of Gideon’s back, sending a shiver through him. Dawson glanced down as though he’d felt it too.

“I don’t care,” Riley said in a deep voice that hit low in Gideon’s gut. “She isnothingto me. And neither are you. If you don’t want to leave, then I can cuff you and put you in a cell instead. Would you prefer that?”

Dawson stepped even closer—how, Gideon had no idea, because there wasn’t any goddamn room—all but trapping Gideon between the two of them. In other circumstances, he might have enjoyed being in the middle of this kind of sandwich. Unfortunately, this didn’t give him any fond feelings. A sad day.

“Go ahead,” Dawson taunted. “You have nothing to arrest me for.”

“Throwing up in the bushes?” Gideon suggested.

Riley raised an eyebrow. “Classy.”

“Fuck you,Riley,” Dawson said, saying Riley’s name like a curse “Andyousaid that wasn’t an arrestable offence.”

“I said I’d have to check.”

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