Page 129 of The Heart

“Yeah, I guess so,” Sebastian mumbles out.

“Is this…new?”Ava asks, trying to get more out of the man. I don’t blame her. It blew my fucking mind too. Not as much as watching Luke fucking him on the pool table last night, but shocking all the same.

“Not new. Just sick of hiding it,” Sebastian says, turning to look at Luke for a long moment before glancing around the rest of the table. “Anyone have a problem with that?”

“I have a question,” Jace pipes up. “Who bottoms?Ow!”he immediately cries out from what I have to assume is one of the guys kicking him under the table.

I chuckle. That’s on him for sitting within range.

But I notice that Jace is smiling, looking between the two men. They all are, actually.

Leena’s hand tightens on my knee. I know how much she’s wanted this for them, and it makes me so fucking glad to see her this happy. To see Luke and Sebastian this happy.

I know this hasn’t been easy for them.

“That’s really great, you guys,” Ava says, completely genuine.

“It’s about time,” Ryan says, and I lean back in my chair, staring at him curiously. “The two of you have been acting like an old married couple since high school. This doesn’t surprise me. But thank you for telling us, you know you could have any time.” The man smiles at his friends.

“It’s still a little… new. Six months in a couple weeks, actually,” Luke smiles and Sebastian puts his fork down.

“Really?” Sebastian stares at him.

“Goddammit, Seb. I put it in our fucking calendar,” Luke huffs.

Jace barks out a laugh. “Ha! Alright, I think this one’s on us for not noticingthat.”

“He has a point,” I say, gesturing with my fork. “And I’ll answer your question later, Jace.” I wink, because this conversation is way too serious for this early in the morning. I haven’t even pissed anyone off yet today.

Well, except maybe Leena. But that’s only because she’s a sore loser.

And… now she’s glaring at me.

“Tell him and I’ll cut your man-bun off while you sleep,” Sebastian growls out.

And yup. That shuts me up.

“Wait, sincehigh school?”Leena asks, looking over at Ryan.

“Yeah. I’m the reason they met,” he says.

Leena thinks about that for a moment, then looks between the guys and Ryan. I love when she gets all excited learning new things. I also love that her hand is still holding mine.

“Is he…” she trails off, urging the guys to elaborate, but it’s Ryan who answers.

“The nerdy kid who was getting pummeled our freshman year until they stepped in? And now I’ve been dealing with their bullcrap the past twenty years? Yes. That would be me.”

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

LEENA

Istare out the front window, worrying about my sister… wondering if she’s okay, and trying not to think about all the things that could happen to Jace while he’s risking his life to help me find her.

Luke reaches over and stills my hand. Which, I suppose, is fair, considering I’ve been fidgeting with my necklace for this entire car ride.

But fidgeting is better than screaming.

I glance over at Jace again, I can’t help it.

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