Page 14 of Twisted Ruck

I pulled out my phone and tapped on the screen before putting the device to my ear.

"Hey, cuz, I need a favour."

Chapter Six

Chelsea

"Hey, thanks for coming."I stepped back, opening the door wider so Atlas and Jay could enter.

Atlas gave me a kiss on the cheek.

Jay gave me a long look before walking past. "Doc," he said with a grunt.

"Jay." I shut the door behind them. "How's things?"

"Complicated," Jay said. He stopped to glance down at the pile of packing boxes in the kitchen. "You're really moving in with Storm."

"Yes." I picked up the boxes on the way home and got started while I waited for them to arrive for dinner. "It'll save me a fortune in rent."

"That's the only good reason I can think of to live with Storm Keller." Atlas stood beside Jay, his elbow on the scrum-half's shoulder.

"He's not so bad when you get to know him," I said. "I'm sorry he didn't give you a chance to do that yet. He's…stubborn."

"That's one word for it," Jay said.

"Why don't you boys sit and I'll get dinner onto plates?" I picked up the box that sat on the top of the table and placed it aside.

While they got comfortable, I spooned risotto into bowls and placed them in front of the guys, and one for myself.

"So, you two talked," I said. I stabbed a piece of mushroom with my fork and pushed it into my mouth.

"Atlas told me he killed Bruce for you," Jay said. Clearly he wasn't going to spare any words.

"I didn't ask him to," I said, more defensive than I intended.

"You wouldn't have had to." Jay glanced over to Atlas. "He made up his own mind, like he always does, and did what he wants." He didn't seem to mean it in a negative way. Rather that Atlas took care of people he cared about, whether they liked it or not.

Atlas shrugged. "Bruce didn't give me much choice in the end. I gave him the chance to change his mind and he didn't take it. That's on him." He also kept his words concise, not mentioning my past. Not even alluding to it. His expression suggested I shouldn't say anything about it. Not right now.

I gave him a faint nod to show I understood, but nothing more than that. We'd deal with it when the time came. In the meantime, Jay spoke like he hadn't noticed a thing.

"Atlas is a Scorpio," Jay said. "Once you have his loyalty, you're stuck with him for life." The look he gave the lock clearly said he wasn't going anywhere either. "This is good risotto."

"Thanks," I said. We ate in silence for a few moments before I got down to the reason they were here. "Both of you care about each other, don't you? A lot." My gaze shifted from one to the other and back again. "I don't want to get between you."

"Yes, you do," Jay said.

I was about to protest, but realised what he was actually implying.

I snorted a soft laugh. "I meant I don't want to damage your relationship with each other." I definitely wouldn't mind being in the middle of the two players. I was only human after all.

"What is that anyway? Are you friends, or are you more?"

"More." Jay shrugged without slowing down his eating. "He's not leaving me for you."

"I didn't expect him to," I said. I glanced over to Atlas, trying to figure out his thoughts. He seemed to be focused on eating, but I knew he was following the conversation. Maybe waiting to see where it would end up.

"What do you expect?" Jay asked. "Am I supposed to fall head over heels for you too?"

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