Page 127 of The Casualty of Us
Because he still fucked up, and I never want to see her in the state she was when I got there again. Fucking touch-deprived and spiraling and drowning herself trying to make it better.
Not that he needs to know how we fixed that.
“She needs to know she has us.” I narrow my eyes at him. “That she can come to us and it’s not going to blow up in her face.”
“I know that,” he grinds out, crossing his arms with some of that anger flashing again. “I’m working on it, okay?”
“Work faster.”
“Dude,” he huffs. “You were my Hail Mary, so maybe put some of that pressure on yourself.” His eyes dart around by my feet. “Where’s your bag?”
“Downstairs.” I throw him a confused look. “I’m going to go grab it and head to my hotel after checking in with O.”
“Ha!” He laughs suddenly. “My mom is never going to let you stay at a hotel.”
What?
“Go get your shit, you can crash in one of the guest rooms.” He shakes his head, walking to the door behind me before coming to a stop. “Give me a little bit to talk to her, though, okay?”
“Yeah.” I nod, turning my head to catch the serious look on his face when he shifts a little uncomfortably.
“And thanks for…whatever you did to get her back here.”
I somehow manage to keep a straight face, using another nod as an excuse to duck my head and barely getting out, “No problem.”
I know that there was a whole hell of a lot that went into it, but I’m only fucking human, and that’s about as close to heavenas I’ve ever come. Which is saying a lot considering that I was quite…popular before coming to Pinecrest. But Ophelia, damn, I could spend years feeling every inch of her skin and still not have had enough. Every part of her feels like it’s meant for me.
Even the spiral.
My dad tries,I’ll give him that.
After Hayes goes upstairs to talk to Ollie, they both do.
My mother promised to have my favorites for our birthday dinner tonight. My father promised to lighten the restrictions around the bodyguards as much as they possibly can, even with today’s delivery. Both of them so happy to have me home but scared at the same time that they’re unusually doting. Not even mentioning the rock star’s son I dragged in with me.
I beg off pretty quick, though. Too caught up in the latest note and the pump of my blood that’s whispering I need to move faster as it rushes through my ears.
I head upstairs to my room to plug my phone in since I forgot to charge it last night and to find Hayes from there. Ollie too, I guess. Check the vibe and figure out what the plan is for the few hours of the day left before dinner.
Make sure no blood has been spilled since we stopped hearing them shout a while ago.
I walk into my room and come to an immediate stop, freezing as the sense of déjá vu washes over me while staring at where Ollie is sitting on my bed.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Our awkward greetings overlap, and my eyes flick up to the scar on his head, his brown hair messy over it like he hasn’t been keeping up with it. And when my eyes fall back down to find my matching pair, I see the little bit of brokenness there.
“I’m so fucking sorry, O—” His face falls suddenly. “You’ll never know how sorry I am.” He gasps for a breath, shoulders jerking, and pulls at my heartstrings with the tears I can see him fighting. “You were right. I quit the team at halftime and left you to play all alone. It’s fucked up, and all I’ve thought ab—”
His words stop when I start to run at him, launching myself at one of my boys for the second time in as many days and another slice of my heart sliding home with it.
I tackle him to the bed while wrapping my arms around his neck, my own eyes immediately starting to burn and leaving me choking out, “I’m so mad at you still.”
“I know.” His arms come around me with a squeeze. “We’ll work it out.”
I turn my head to the side, laying it on his chest and listening to the steady thump there. Anchoring myself for a moment before he rolls us onto our side and leans back with one of his hands reaching for mine.
