Page 24 of Seduction

“Goddamn, the luck of that. I can give you a kiss to perk you up if you want,” Corden teases with a wink, and I chuckle.

“The only lips I want on me is our girl’s, Cord. Fuck off,” I banter back, punching him in the shoulder and taking off for the diner.

I plan on video calling her the second we sit down to eat anyway. I really hope Ollie was able to get her out of the room and into a better headspace. This back-and-forth shit with Daniels and having to be at the station day after day is wearing on us both.

I need to be there to hold her when she’s hurting, and I can’t be.

My nerves have been wracked the fuck out over it all. I know she’s in good hands with my brothers, and hope beyond hope she bonds with them. Seeing her reaction to losing her father has brought out this need to make sure she always has someone if something happens to one of us. Mainly me.

I want her to never feel alone again.

We walk in silence towards the only diner in town that serves half-decent burgers and shakes, and thank whatever God is watching us when we step inside and see it’s practically deserted.

Taking a seat in one of the back booths, we grab the menus behind the napkin caddy before Corden breaks the silence. “If anyone can pull Haliee out of this depressive episode, it’s Ollie. Torren tends to make us expel our demons through the punching bag, which I know Barren doesn’t mind, but I don’t think Haliee would be the type,” Corden says, rattling my own thoughts back at me. “I know he got her to do it once, but I don’t think she’s been hankering to do it again,” he states, looking over the menu.

“She lost her dad, man.Welost her dad. There’s no telling what she’s capable of. I think the bag helped after she read that letter, but it’s Ollie that will bring her back for sure,” I respond as the waitress walks up.

“Evening boys, what can I get ya?” Janet asks.

“The usual, and maybe a slice of that pound cake I saw when I came in?” I reply sweetly, batting my eyelashes.

“Suck your eyes back in your head, you limp dick walking shit bag. I’ll get your cake, fucker,” Janet banters back at me, causing Corden to bark out a laugh. She’s such a cantankerous old bag. I have no idea how she’s worked here this long without getting fired, but she’s an institution at this point.

“I don’t know what’s so funny, you walking STD. Your orders will be right up,” Janet snarks at him before walking off.

“I thought you’d be dead by now, Janet! You’re out here making graveyards all jealous and shit!” Corden yells at her retreating back.

“Watch it, dick rot! I have no qualms about spitting in your burger!” she snaps, disappearing into the kitchen.

“Goddamn dinosaurs still walking the earth around here, man, I swear,” Corden chirps.

“She really will spit in your burger, man. Watch it,” I hiss, whipping out my phone and calling Haliee.

She appears on the screen, laying in bed, with Ollie laying half on top of her, snuggled in her breasts, and I’d be less of a man if I didn’t say I was fucking jealous of him right now.

“Keeping those warm for me, my man?” I tease him.

“Keeping a lot more than these bad boys warm. How’d today go?” he snickers, asking me.

“We are not going to speed past what you said. Keeping a lot more warm?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

“Would you two knock it off? How’d today go, Luke?” Haliee asks over us, and I sigh.

“It was a drilling session from hell, babe, but it’s been sorted. There’s nothing extremely pressing as of now, so when I get home, we can all sit down together to touch on everything. Daniels is a fucking snake, so we need a game plan. Now, want to tell me about Ollie?” I fire back, smirking at her blushing cheeks.

“He’s been great, Lukas. I’m sorry I was a bit of a shit before. I’m better now, and yes, we were together if that’s what you’re asking,” she says, glancing down at Ollie with a soft smile.

My heart explodes in my chest at seeing the smile back on her face, and I cannot thank Ollie enough for bringing her back like this.

“I told you, Scratch. I’m more than ok with this,” I reply, giving her my own soft smile.

“Hurry home, Lukas. I miss you,” she says, looking back at me.

“I’ll be there in the morning, baby. How does morning sex and pancakes sound?” I tease her.

“Ugh, seriously?” she whines.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like pancakes?” I fire back quickly, causing her and Ollie to bark out in twin laughter.

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