Page 28 of Caged in Flames

Chapter Thirteen

When I ran into Charlie, Sawyer, and Jude this summer, I had no idea they would turn out to be the assholes that hurt the girl I was crushing on. Of course, until last night, I haven’t been upfront about my interest in Nix. It’s not like I could pursue her while she was in treatment.

So, I spent the summer getting to know the guys. As far as I knew, they’d just gotten home from school. It’s pretty common for rich people to send their kids across the world for school so they don’t have to raise them. I just assumed, never asked.

I guess that’s why they have that saying about assuming.

I groan. I’ve been lying lazily in bed since I woke up over an hour ago. I don’t sleep past six in the morning. Not ever. Plenty of time to think about everything swirling around in my head.

Gripping the dog tags around my neck, I flip the metal between my fingers. I think back to Sawyer confronting me at the party last night when I walked away to cool down. Then finding him waiting for me last night...trying to get a rise out of me by reminding me of this summer...

Asshole.

There's one person I want to pursue from now on, and that’s Phoenix. When I spotted her on the sidewalk of Blisshaven that day, I knew it was my chance to make her mine. I have no idea what it is about this girl that has me ready to go all in, but I’m not going to let it scare me off.

I’ve never wanted a relationship. My parents ruined the idea for me. After my dad died, my mom was miserable. Sleeping all day. Never leaving her room. Surviving off coffee and tequila.

Next thing I know, she was shopping for husbands like most women shop for shoes. Usually finding the next one before her current divorce was even settled. Here we are on number five. I don't remember his name since I never see him, but he doesn't seem too bad. They are currently vacationing somewhere with a beach on their second honeymoon. Apparently the first one was just to the Bahamas and was some sort of warm up.

I'm sure once they get back, I still won't see much of either of them. Mom will move onto an affair and whatshisname will bury himself in work. I think he might be a lawyer, but I don't know. I don't invest in these relationships, and my new stepdads never seem to mind. I'm not sure if they even know my mom has a son.

I'm not typically a one-night type of guy. While I haven’t ever had a serious relationship, I don’t do the rail and bail shit either. Any partner I have been with in the past came with a decent friendship. I don’t use people and I don’t get used. I have never understood the appeal of sweeping through sexual partners. Maybe seeing my mom use people to escape her grief turned me off of that possibility.

Clasping the dog tags tightly, I tuck them back into my shirt. Fuck it. I promised my girl a hangover breakfast. I text both Nix and Jane telling them I'm picking up breakfast and to meet me at Nix's dorm.

I get dressed quickly, changing into jeans and throwing on my boots. I grab my leather jacket and push my arms through the sleeves, shrugging it over my shoulders. The weather is cool and the bike will make it feel cooler.

Heading over to the food truck a few blocks over around the corner. I grab a few different kinds of breakfast tacos then head over to the pharmacy to grab something to drink.

When I show up bearing greasy goodness and a gallon of orange juice, I'm rewarded with a kiss on the cheek at the door from both girls. She settles against me and her body fits perfectly, like it belongs. I think it does.

Jane raises her eyebrow at me, but thankfully doesn't comment. "Thanks for bringing this over, Gunner. Nix almost took my head off for knocking on her door this morning."

My girl grumbles. She doesn't use any form of coherent words to argue otherwise and instead digs into the food I brought over. "I don't think Nixy is ready for any morning conversation. You both drank enough of that cheap vodka that I'm shocked to see you girls up before noon." I nudge at the gorgeous mess in my lap to let her know I am teasing.

“Neither of you brought coffee. I thought you were my friends. Friends bring friends the magic bean water. If this were medieval times, you’d probably be beheaded.”

Hung over Nix is fucking adorable.

I laugh at her and toss over a taco. She bites into and the moan she makes causes both Jane and I to groan at her.

Looking at the redhead, I raise an eyebrow. She winks at me and then giggles. Little shit. Just trying to fuck with me.

The food must have given her enough energy to join in, because Nixy starts chatting like she wasn't just mumbling about killing us both off. "I have an appointment with Dr. Grace in a couple hours. I need to make sure the monster inhibiting my body in the form of a hangover leaves before then."

Making sure Nix knows I am so fucking done with just being her friend, I sit down on the couch before picking her up and depositing her in my lap. "Good for you, baby." I’m happy to hear she’s keeping up with her treatment.

I can’t imagine how tough it would be to come back to the source of so much pain, especially with the guys returning this year too. It’s good she has that support.

I kiss the side of her head and she shifts in my lap. Great. I’m going to get hard if she keeps doing it. Putting a hand on her thigh to keep her still, I feel her tense, but she quickly relaxes into my grip. She trusts me to hold her like this and that’s an intoxicating feeling.

“We can hang out for a bit if you want some company before your appointment.” I tell her.

Dr. Grace has been good for Nix. The first time I saw her at Green Woods, she seemed like she was just...existing. As if she was just waiting for life to pass by.

It didn't stop me from searching for her every time I volunteered. Every visit, I'd bring one of the therapy dogs over to try and comfort her. She would just turn away until we walked away from her.

Once she started seeing Dr. Grace, she seemed to start thriving. She participated more. Eventually, I brought my favorite therapy dog, Henry, over. I’d been trying for weeks, but she didn’t seem interested. I had to bring out the big guns. Or the cutest dog in this case.

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