Page 11 of Let Me Love You (Excess All Areas 5)

“Me too.” Her breath was warm on his neck.

He should let go, but he couldn’t. It had been too long since they’d been this close to each other, and he had no clue as to when it would next happen.

“Chaya.” The voice from over her shoulder had Chaya pressing her palms to his chest and pushing him away.

He felt the loss immediately, the warmth disappeared and he was back in a cool hospital corridor.

As Ben slid his hand down her arm, his fingers brushed over her engagement ring. A flashy oblong in yellow gold. She’d wanted white gold or platinum. One without claws because she hated the way they plucked on clothes. Round with a halo of diamonds. Delicate, like she was.

If Asher had taken more than five seconds to get to know her properly before waltzing her down the aisle, he’d have known it. If he was more secure in who he was, he wouldn’t have felt the urgency to make Chaya legally his. If Asher was more secure in who he was, he wouldn’t be getting between him and Chaya.

Dick.

“Ben,” Asher said. “Sorry to hear about your grandmother.”

Chaya’s eyes never left Ben’s. Both of them tearful. “Let me go talk to the attending,” she said.

“Mum’s with the doctor, now. Whatever Nan needs. If it costs money, we’ll pay. Private room. Anything.”

“It’s the NHS, Ben. But let me see what I can do to get you out of the corridor.”

Ben nodded without saying a word.

Chaya walked down the corridor the nurse had earlier emerged from, and it felt as though someone had turned out the light when she disappeared around the corner.

He took a deep breath and looked over at Asher. Clean cut. Preppy in a navy jacket with a crisp white collared shirt beneath. He had an air of superiority. Ben looked down at his scuffed trainers and creased, damp clothes. He’d left school as soon as he could. Asher had gone all the way. He could see why, on paper, Asher was the better bet, but it told him nothing about the man.

He should say thanks for bringing her, should be able to muster some kind of peace between them. “We only want family here right now.” Yeah. Fuck being the bigger man.

Asher eyed him carefully. “Technically, Chaya isn’t family.”

Ben felt his brother step up alongside him, and Alex’s presence steadied him.

Always did.

“Fuck you,” Ben said. “She’s been ours since she was eleven years old.”

Asher didn’t flinch, and Ben had a moment of admiration for the guy. Ben had Asher beat in size, Alex had him beat in strength. But Asher didn’t fold.

Alex placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly, while he looked squarely at Asher. Ben felt the quiet strength of it, but also the restraint. He knew now wasn’t the time to argue with Asher, but emotions swirled darkly in his gut and needed some kind of outlet.

A fight was as good as anything.

“You should just wait outside,” Alex said. “Thanks for bringing Chaya. For not making it difficult for her to come help. We’ll tell her where you’ve gone.”

2

Seeing each other had made her feel worse. That could be the only explanation as to why she felt so turbulent. And turbulent wasn’t what Nan needed right now.

Only once had she seen the band this scared. When Luke was going off the rails, scoring coke before every gig, living his life on a merry-go-round of sex, alcohol, and drugs.

But this was different.

Nan was the linchpin, holding them all together. She’d been there for every milestone from birth to now. She was their cheerleader, their comfort food provider, and a safe space for every one of them. She was the calm voice of wisdom coated in acerbic wit.

They’d be lost without her, their true north to hold on to.

It was no wonder they’d all struggled with the idea of relationships when the rest of the women in their lives had been so useless.

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