Page 86 of The Way We Dance

Ty

We made our way out of Brisé after Giselle spoke with all the parents. They were all very happy to have Galena filling in but still told her they missed her as well.

Galena had made me promise not to let Giselle walk too far, so as we exited Brisé, I scooped her into my arms and walked her across the street to my car. I had managed to throw a hoodie on over my suspenders but from the waist down, I was in ballerina tights, out in the open for anyone to see and laugh at.

It didn't even faze me. I had my girl in my arms and I was the happiest person in the world, tights or no tights. They weren't much different than football pants, to be honest. Except I wasn't wearing a cup and knew that the world would see lots of me if I got anymore excited to have Giselle in my arms. This was one of those moments I was glad we were on the quiet side of the park.

“I can walk,” Giselle giggled as I made my way to the car.

“I promised Galena you wouldn’t walk too much, and she scares me.”

Her head fell back and the laughter took over her whole body. She was laughing because it was true.

Instead of taking her home, where Galena would inevitably be, I took her to my apartment and she didn't protest. It was important that she was ok with it as well, because considering my brother was still out there somewhere, I needed her to know that she was safe with me. That I would choose her over him if it came down to it.

Always.

Once we got inside, I poured us each a water and we sat on my couch. I pulled her feet into my lap and we quietly looked at one another. Again, the only light we had was the moonlight and it was all we really needed.

I could see her smile, the creases next to her eyes, the way she bit her lip.

Where did we start? There was a lot to unload.

“I loved your song choice,” she started, looking at the spot where we danced in my living room all those weeks, shit months, ago.

“It’s an important song,” I shrugged. I picked at the loose lint—that wasn’t actually there—on the pillow where her feet rested and couldn’t bring myself to look at her in case my next words weren’t reciprocated. Yeah, I was a coward. “That was the song that was on when I realized I had fallen in love with you.”

Her breath hitched and I chanced a peek up at her. Her hand was over her heart and her mouth open. Her eyes were glassy and I could tell she wasn't too surprised that I loved her, but very surprised I told her in that moment.

“I know we have a lot to talk about but first thing's first. I love you,” this time I was looking into her eyes. “I have since before everything went to hell. Before you were hurt. Before we spent all that time apart. I told you, I don’t blame you for needing the time, but at that point, I was already gone for you. Yours. The time away wasn't going to erase that, it only made it more evident that I needed to give you the time you needed and then dance my way back into your life the second you showed your face.”

She laughed at my playful tone and reached over to take my hand.

“Before everything happened that night, I wanted to get home and ask you what we were, what this was that was happening between us. But I never got that chance and I was scared. Scared you were involved. Scared you would break my heart. Scared that as much as we cared for one another, that you would always have your brother’s back the way you told me he always had yours. I needed time to sort that all out.”

“So, what do you think now?”

“I think that it’s been six weeks and the police have not been able to find him. That they told me you have been nothing but cooperative. That Mr. Peyton told me how you were feeling and I knew it in my heart how true it was. I also don’t regret taking the time I did. I needed it. And in the end, I am glad you came to me when you did. I need you. I want you. I love you so much.”

Shit, now I knew why her breath caught when I said those words—they felt amazing.

Real.

True.

Other than Mike, I never knew what it felt like to be loved. As it turns out, it beat the hell out of brotherly love any day. Especially conditional brotherly love. Mike only loved me when I did what he wanted me to do.

“I am working with the cops to find Mike, baby. We will find him and he will be locked away for what he’s done to you.”

“I am so sorry you are having to go through this, Ty. This has been hard on me, but you lost your brother in all this. I am so sorry I was too selfish to be there for you when you needed me these past weeks.”

“I wasn't alone. I had Coach and spent a lot of time with your mom. My teammates were filled in on what was going on and had my back. Cam even spent a few nights here at the apartment with me to make sure I was good. So I was ok, I promise.”

Another completely true revelation.

Family wasn't always the people you were related to. Sometimes we tried so hard to hold on to our blood relationships because we thought they were the ones that would always be there for us. But through all this, I realized that real family was who you chose to have in your life. People you chose to love, not because of obligation but because you wanted to.

Giselle and I talked for a few more hours before I carried her to my bed. I didn't ravish her the way I wanted to. With her leg healing, I wasn’t going to risk anything that may delay her getting to one-hundred percent. But I still got to hold her, make her come, listen to her call my name like she missed that part of me the most.

We connected, not just physically, but mentally, on a deeper level than we ever had before. It felt like a beginning for us, but it also felt like the end.

The end of ever wondering what my life would be like without her, without love. The end of ever letting anything come between us. The end of her ever being hurt, sad, broken, or scared.

All I had to do now was make sure Mike got what he deserved.

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