Page 128 of Finding Hope

Alex’s chair slams against the wall. “Get the fuck outta my house!”

“X–”

Alex unclips the gun on his hip, and Luca’s chair falls to the floor in his hurry to escape.

Bambie isn’t at all intimidated. She simply sticks her finger in her brother’s face. “You’re an asshole, Alex.” She turns and takes my hand. “We’re going. Enjoy the food I cooked, X. It’s the last meal you’lleverget from me.”

“Fuck!”

“I’m so sorry, Jack.”

Squeezing her hand in mine, I slow for the last corner before home. “It’s fine. Nothing I didn’t deserve.”

“He should never have brought Steph up. That was cruel.”

I shrug. It was a little cold, but I’m still reminded of my sisters, my nieces. I can’t say there’s anything I wouldn’t say to protect them.

Evie’s only a couple years away from boys. Shit’s going to get real tense around our estate soon.

“It’s fine, I promise.”

“I’ve gotta text Luc,” she mumbles. Taking the phone from her bag, she swipes screens and begins texting. “I’m a horrible friend.”

I glare down at her fast typing fingers. “So… you and Luca?”

“It’s nothing.”

“When did you… hook up?”

She shrugs carelessly and finishes typing. Hitting send, her eyes come back to mine. “It was a long time ago. It was one single time, it was a mistake.” She goes back to studying her dark screen. “It should never have happened, but I mean, it is what it is. He didn’t treat me badly. It was just… a lapse in judgement. But he’s my friend. Everything’s okay.”

“I don’t like it.”

She snickers. “I can’t change my past, Jack. It happened. I wasn’t a virgin before I met you.”

“But–”

“And neither were you.”

“Fuck.”

“Relax. Leave the past in the past.”

“I think I still have to hit him or something. I won’t feel right till I break him a little.”

She rolls her eyes. “Boys are so dumb. Don’t hit him. I think my brothers will hurt him enough. I feel awful. I threw him under the bus, Jack. I just dropped him in the shit when he didn’t do anything wrong.”

Pulling up at the gate, I enter the codes and slowly roll through. “Asshole did plenty wrong.”

She turns in her seat and takes my spare hand between hers. “Are you alright? Tonight was a disaster.”

I laugh. “Did we actually expect it to go well? Your brother caught me fucking you less than twenty-four hours ago. I’m surprised I’m still alive.”

“What about Kari?” she whispers nervously. “Is that… something? I feel like that’s important. And maybe something that’s going to rip my heart out.”

“No, Bambie.” Pulling into one of the spare driveways, I take her hand and press my lips to her knuckles. “She just looks like someone I used to know.”

“Like Steph.”

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