Page 88 of Unsteady

“It means I’m driving you guys to Rora.”

“Yes!” Liam shouts, fist punching into the air and darting to my car without a second glance at his father passed out in a twisted mosaic of beer bottles across the green.

As if this is a regular occurrence.

Oliver waits, a strange mix of fear and want across his face, hidden just slightly behind his mask of anger.

“I’ll stop by The Chick if you want,” I offer. “We’ve got time.”

A hint of a smile pulls at Oliver’s face and Liam squeals, “That’s Ollie’s favorite!” while continuing to pull at the door handle on the car.

I know it’s his favorite. I asked Sadie weeks before, after a grinding make-out session in the passenger side of her car, with her straddling my thighs. I saw yet another bag of to-go trash from a trip to The Chick and teased her about her addiction, which she clarified was Oliver’s addiction. She made it sound like a convenience at the time.

Now, I know better.

“Let’s go.” I nod over my shoulder. “Get some food and I’ll let you control the music.”

And just like his sister, Oliver brightens. My heart is twisting in my chest, but I keep it together and let them sing ABBA songs the entire way to the drive-thru, trying to latch onto their happiness as if it’ll erase the anxiety of Luc’s words mixing with the image of their house.

TWENTY-NINE

RHYS

After they’ve eaten their fill of chicken sandwiches, fries and milkshakes while parked at a nearby park that Sadie took me to months before, I open my phone and pull up Aurora’s contact, stepping out of the car and slightly to the side before dialing her.

It rings twice, before a gruff voice snarls, “What the fuck do you want, asshole?”

I pause, nearly choking on my own spit at the furious male growl that definitely isn’t Aurora. Something uncomfortable slithers down my spine.

“Is this not Aurora’s number?” I ask, my voice steady, slightly calm—but still firm. My “Captain Rhys” voice, some on my team might call it.

There’s a long pause, then a much lighter sounding, “Rhys?”

My eyes bug and I cough. “Freddy?”

I’ve never heard Freddy sound like that in my life.

I hear some fussing in background, before Matt fucking Fredderic is back. “We’re, um, studying right now.” His voice drops, like he’s further away from the phone and I can just make out a quiet, “It’s Rhys, princess—I can handle it.”

Suddenly, he’s back at full volume. “Sorry—um, wait—why the fuck are you calling Aurora?”

His voice is almost gruff, like he’s a little annoyed with me.

“Why am I—” I cut myself off from the tirade I’d like to spring on my forward that definitely ends withFind a new fucking tutor and leave that girl alone. But, instead, I run a hand over my face and sigh. “Sadie wants me to bring her brothers to Aurora at the dorms.”

Another bout of rustling, and I can hear Freddy complaining in the background as Aurora takes over.

“Hey,” she starts, voice light and airy. “Sorry, I’ve been having a problem with spam calls. Um, I can—I won’t be back for a few hours. Shoot.”

“It’s fine, Rora.” I smile and look back at my car, seeing the boys dipping the last of their friends into the shakes, chocolate smeared all over Liam’s mouth. They look calm—even Oliver, to a degree, has relaxed just a bit. “I can keep them with me until later, if you want. Just let me know when you’re ready for them, okay? Take as long as you need.”

She sighs into the phone with an audible smile. “Thanks, Rhys.”

“No problem.”

* * *

As I pull up to my parent’s house, I hear Oliver almost choke on his milkshake—that is somehow not empty, while Liam audibly squeals.

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