Page 62 of Damaged & Deadly

With an unusual sense of unease, I toss the bags on my back, fasten my helmet under my chin, and throw my leg over Raven. Pulling back on the throttle, I speed into the street, making the jaunt to Cain’s house in record time.

Planting my feet on the ground outside his chain-link fence, I pull my helmet off and stare at the small two-story house, trying to imagine a happy family encased within its walls. No matter how hard I try, all I can picture is heartache and devastation.

I sigh as I return my focus to the front door, hating the fact that I feel uncomfortable about the thought of going back in there. I want to support Cain and Oliver, but I don’t know how. Plus, things felt off with Oliver and I can’t put my finger on why. I’m hoping it’s just the shock of everything, but a niggling thought has me worried that it’s something more.

Knowing I can’t sit out here all night, I reluctantly climb off the bike and head into the house. Poking my head into the living room, my eyebrows lift when I find Cain sitting in there alone, a glass of scotch in hand as he stares absently out the window.

“Hey,” I say softly, jolting him from his thoughts as he turns to look at me. He smiles, but it’s weary and lacking. “I brought some clothes for everyone.”

I set both bags down on the sofa before moving to perch on the arm of his chair. “How are you holding up?” I ask, running my fingers through his thick mop of black hair.

Surprisingly, he reaches out and drags me into his lap, pressing an uncharacteristically sweet kiss to my temple before he shakes his head. “It’s Evie I’m worried about.”

I cup his cheek, pressing a finger under his chin to direct his head until he’s looking at me. “I didn’t ask about Evie. I asked aboutyou. You’ve been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. Have you even slept?”

“I’m fine.” He sighs wearily, clearly anything but, before burying his face in the crook of my neck, breathing me in as his arm tightens around my waist. “Mmm, you smell good.” We sit like that for a while, and I think both of us just need a moment to feel close to the other. I know, with every second I spend in his arms, I feel better. “Thank you for bringing all that.” He gestures to the bags. “And for saving Evie. I’m not sure if I said that earlier.”

I turn so I can cup his cheeks in my hands. “You don’t need to thank me. It wouldn’t have mattered who she was, I wouldn’t have left there without her. Is she upstairs?”

“Yeah, she’s asleep. Has been for most of the day.”

I nod. “And Oliver? Where is he?”

“He’s out the back.”

“Is he okay?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. He seems to be taking it pretty hard, but we haven’t talked. Maybe he’d open up to you.”

I grimace. “I’m not sure he wants to see me,” I murmur, my chest tightening at the words.

Cain’s brows pull together, his brilliant green eyes darting back and forth between mine. “I’m sure that’s not true. He’s just distracted.”

My lips flatten even though I nod in agreement. “There was just a moment earlier…” I shake my head, unable to reasonably explain Oliver’s brush-off. And maybe I am overreacting. I was hurt earlier, but now that I’ve had some sleep and time to think on it, I realize I might have been acting irrationally. “I was tired. It was probably nothing.”

Cain brushes his thumb over my cheek. “Did you get some sleep?”

I smile at him softly. “I did, but you clearly haven’t.” Slipping out of his lap, I take the glass of scotch from his hand and set it on the coffee table before encouraging him to his feet. “You can’t function on no sleep,” I chastise, grabbing a blanket from the back of the sofa as I gesture for him to lie down.

He’s so tired that he complies without argument, lying down and letting me throw the blanket over him. I unlace his boots and pull them off, setting them on the floor at his feet.

“You’re not joining me?” he grumbles, his eyelids already drooping.

“You needsleep,” I emphasize.

“A blowjob would be better.”

“You can have one when you wake up,” I appease him, kissing him briefly on the lips. He doesn’t even respond, already lost to his dreams. Tucking the blanket tighter around him, I decide to pull up my big girl panties and go in search of Oliver. However, as I turn toward the door, I find Evie standing there watching us.

“Uhh,”Crap. Talk about awkward. Not sure what to say, I gesture for us to step into the hall, grabbing the bag I brought for her from the other sofa on my way past.

“You’re dating my brother?” she questions as I softly close the living room door behind me.

“I am.”

“But Oliver said…”

“I’m dating him too,” I state, filling her in and watching closely for her reaction. Surprise flashes across her eyes, but it disappears as quickly as it appeared, and other than that, she gives no response at all.

---