Page 103 of Stay for Me

“My mother had miscarriages,” he began. “When I was old enough, she would tell me Mase wasn’t my only sibling, that I had brothers and sisters in heaven waiting to meet us.” He paused, leaning back against the railing and crossing his boots. “I’d always wanted a sister, mainly because Mase was such a pain in my fuckin’ ass. I thought a sister would be less of a hassle.”

“Where are you going with this?” I asked, leaning against my door.

My friend looked up at me, the anger fleeing from his gaze. “Diana is the sister I never had, Mags.”

I flinched.

“You’re also like a brother to me,” he continued. “It may have taken a while, but I finally got to know you and a small fraction of the demons you carry.”

“You don’t think I’m good enough for her,” I guessed, my voice cold.

He shook his head. “Never said that.”

“Your actions damn well did,” I snapped. “Showing up here in the middle of the fuckin’ night to check on us, calling me outside for this ‘don’t hurt her’ lecture.”

“Mags—”

“I would die before cause her more pain,” I clipped.

His brows furrowed. “More pain?”

“Go home, Langston.”

“This is my home, Mags,” he countered, uncrossing his arms and bracing his hands on the railing.

I took two steps forward. “Then get the fuck out of my face.”

“Mags—"

“You know nothing about Diana and me,” I cut him off. “You, along with everyone else on this ranch, have no fuckin’ idea of the agony tethering us together.”

The air between us shifted then, the tension leaving.

“Agony?” he parroted softly.

He had no idea. He’d never even had a taste of the agony—the longing—I felt for her. He’d longed for Valerie, sure, but his months would never compare to my years. I gave him nothing as I walked to the porch steps and jerked my chin. “Get gone, Kings.”

He was staring at me now, his chest moving slowly as realization washed over him. I watched, gut tight, chest aching, I watched as the rest of his anger, judgment, and worry disappeared, softening his features as understanding replaced all three. “You’re in love with her.”

It was time to shut this down. “Not doing this with you, not after the day I’ve had.”

“Brother—”

I cut him off swiftly. “You tried to control Abbie and Beau’s shit, but I’ll be damned if I let you try and do that to Diana and me.”

“I did what I thought was right for Beau,” he explained, his voice low as he pointed at me. “And you fuckin’ know it. Abbie hurt him—destroyed him. I was trying to prevent that from happening again.” He shook his head, looking into the night and pulling off his hat with a sigh. “Once I knew the truth, I realized my mistake and rectified it.”

I clenched my jaw.

After a few moments, he looked back at me, his hat by his side. “You just said you hurt Diana.”

“I did.”

I didn’t miss his slight jerk. Any other person might’ve, but not me. His next question came out slowly, carefully. “Am I going to have to break your jaw, Mags?”

We both knew he’d only get one punch in before I ended up breaking his. Kings and his brother may have two inches on me, but that was it.

All that aside, he was here, seeking truth.

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