by Mia Belle
I shrug Caleb’s hand off. “I’m sorry, but I want to be alone.”
He reaches for my hand, slipping his in mine. “Just wait. Don’t be alone.”
I slide down in the middle of the sidewalk, hugging my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
Caleb lowers himself next to me, stretching for my hand again, but then he curls his fingers. “Aidan would never hurt you,” he says softly. “You know that.”
I don’t say anything as I rest my chin on my knees. After taking in a deep breath, I slowly release it.
A few silent seconds pass, with me replaying the image of Aidan hanging out with those jerks. Then I say, “I don’t want to talk about him.”
He scoots closer to me, gently placing his hand on my arm. “You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to. But let me stay with you. Or do you want to go home?”
I shake my head. “I want to stay here for a little bit.”
Earlier, when Zane told Caleb and me that he wanted to go to the park to check on Aidan, I jumped along with them. Apparently, Aidan’s parents told Zane that Aidan left the house upset. I was so worried about him and had to know if he was okay. Then I found him hanging out with those jerks. With Josh. Not only was he hanging out with them, he was playing football. He told us he doesn’t play anymore and was helping coach kids. How many other lies has he been spreading?
Caleb claims he would never hurt me, but how can I know that when I hardly know the guy I kissed yesterday?
Caleb sits with me for what feels like hours but are probably only minutes. He doesn’t say anything, and he doesn’t have to. Having him here helps me feel safe and relaxed.
Lifting my head, I force a smile. “I appreciate you staying with me.”
He rests his hand on my arm. “Of course. You know I’d do anything for you, Lia. I…” He yanks at his long hair, heaves a sigh, and shakes his head. “It’d be really stupid of me,” he mutters under his breath.
“What?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Sorry, I was talking to myself.” He’s about to say something else, but presses his lips together, his eyes on the spot behind me. Spinning around, I spot Zane and Aidan heading in our direction. Zane looks like he wants to kill someone while Aidan seems more sad and guilty than angry.
For a second, I forget what happened at the park and think about what Aidan and I shared in that same park only yesterday. But then those wonderful images are tainted with the hurtful ones and my body perks up like it wants to protect itself from the guy causing me all this pain.
Caleb stands, gesturing for the others to join us. Zane rushes to my side, taking my hands and studying my eyes. “Are you okay?”
I nod, pulling my hands free and hugging myself from the cold that’s not due to the weather but the guy standing behind Zane, not taking those chocolate brown eyes off mine.
Aidan steps forward. “Lia, can we talk?”
My mouth opens and closes, but I can’t formulate a sentence. All I see before me is Aidan hanging out with Josh and his buddies, laughing with them, having a good time with the guy who nearly made me kill myself.
Folding my arms over my chest, I turn away from him.
“Lia.” His voice cracks, his eyes bursting with so much pain and guilt. “Please.”
Zane places both hands on my shoulders, once again studying me closely. “Talk to him, Amelia.” He lets out a breath. “Truth is, I have no idea why he was with those jerks, but I know my brother and I know he’s got a reason. He’s a good guy, always strives to do what’s right.”
I don’t say anything as my eyes dart to the star of our conversation. If he pretended to like me, would he look this guilty? I have to hear him out, give him a chance to explain.
I nod, and I swear I see Aidan’s chest heave in relief. Zane squeezes my hand and Caleb pats my arm before they give Aidan an encouraging look and leave the two of us alone.
There’s a huge distance between us, almost like we’re worlds apart. It sure feels that way.
I scramble to my feet, my gaze still glued to his. He brushes his hands through his blond locks, inhaling and exhaling deeply.
“How could you?” I say after about a minute of silence. “How could you hang out with Josh and his friends?”
He closes the distance within seconds, taking both my hands, a pleading expression in his eyes. “Lia, I didn’t know they were his friends. I met them in the park a few weeks ago. They were playing football and I was drawn to them. They invited me to join them and I…” He shuts his eyes. “I came alive. I found myself again. But that doesn’t matter. I don’t care about that or about football anymore. I care about you. Lia, you’re the most important person in my life.”
I jerk my hands out of his, a million thoughts taking control of my brain. Aidan never met Josh’s friends because he didn’t come on the tour with Zane, Caleb, and me. He wasn’t there when they threatened to come after me. Of course he had no idea they were my ex’s friends. And he didn’t know Josh’s name because he was never around when me and the others talked about him. It was just one big misunderstanding.
“Aidan,” I say, my voice low, “I’m sorry for getting mad at you.”
He takes my hands again. “No. I’m sorry for hanging out with those guys and for lying to you and Zane and Caleb. I…I didn’t want to tell you I was playing football again because I knew you’d try to stop me. I had to play, to fill this empty void inside me. But I don’t need to fill that void with football anymore. I understand how dangerous it is for me to play. I have my family. I have you.” He rests his forehead on mine. “Please, Lia,” he whispers. “Forgive me for being a stupid jerk.”
“You’re not a stupid jerk. You were just lost and confused.”
“I still am,” he says. “But I’m finding myself again.” He draws back, staring into my eyes. “And that’s all because of you. You make me want to be a better person, to make something of myself. I have no idea what that is, but I’m going to try.” He strokes the back of my head, his eyes still filled with guilt. “Do you really forgive me for lying?”
“I do.” I squint at him. “But that’s the only lie, right? You’re not hiding anything else from me, are you?”
“Nothing. I’ll never lie to you again, Lia. I swear.”
With our hands interlocked, we drop down on the ground and Aidan slides me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. Just like yesterday I feel protected and warm in his embrace.
After a little while, I turn around in his lap to face him. “What happened in the park after I left?”
His mouth twists into a scowl. “Zane and I wanted to beat the crap out of Josh. We held each other back, though, but I swear the next time I see him…” He fists his hand.
I massage his knuckles, loosening them. “I don’t want either of you getting hurt because of me. Just forget about them.”
He shakes his head and an odd look crawls onto his face, as if there’s something he’s not telling me.
“What is it?” I ask.
He pastes on a smile. “Nothing. You’re right, we shouldn’t worry about them. But we need to watch our backs, just to be safe.”
I nod. He’s right, of course. We need to be vigilant, but like I said a million times, I’m not going to live in constant fear. I’m not going to let those jerks win.
Aidan tightens his arms around me, pressing his lips to my temple, his breath tickling my ear. He seems to have a lot on his mind, and I’m wondering if he’s trying to convince himself that this is real. I sure am. Never in a million years did I think I’d be in the arms of a guy again.
It’s one of the best feelings in the world.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Zane
I pace in my room, running my hands through my hair. Two hours ago, Caleb and I left Aidan and Lia to talk things over. I went back to the nearby gym and pummeled the hell out of a punching bag. I pictured Josh and his asshole friends’ faces as I rammed my fist into the b
ag. If not for Aidan holding me back at the park, I might have seriously injured them.
I stalk from one end of my room to the other, raking my hands in my hair. Damn those assholes. Aidan told me they’re planning their revenge and my stomach twists as I think about Lia’s safety. But like I told my brother, we’re not going to let anything happen to her.
When Aidan returns home, I gather both him and Caleb in Caleb’s room. Whatever I’m about to tell them needs to stay within these walls, which is why we can’t meet in mine or Aidan’s room.
Caleb’s at his desk, pen in his hand and a pencil on the table. From all the scribbles, I can tell he’s working on another recipe. Aidan’s got a small ball in his hand and he squeezes the juice out of it. Any more and it’ll pop.
Leaning against the wall, I cross my arms over my chest, the events of what happened in the park replaying over and over in my head. My anger has only grown stronger the more I think about it. My need to protect the girl next door only increases.
“What’s up?” Caleb asks, narrowing his eyes, studying me. Aidan tosses the misshapen ball from one hand to the other. He only does that when he’s nervous, and any idiot can tell it’s all due to Lia. He’s as pissed at those assholes as I am. Caleb didn’t hear the disgusting things they called her. I want to wrap my hands around Josh’s neck just thinking about it. I need to calm the hell down before I do something stupid.
“Well?” Caleb says.
I push off the wall, turning to Aidan. “Tell him what you told me.”
Aidan stops throwing the ball, his fingers curling around it. “Josh and his dumbshit friends told me they’re planning revenge on Lia. It’s not so surprising, because they already told her a few weeks ago, but they’re actually serious about it.” He grabs the sides of his hair. “I have no idea what they’re doing, but we can’t brush it aside. They want her to pay.”
I step deeper into the room. “And we need to do whatever we can to make sure that doesn’t happen. She’s strong, very strong, but there are five of them. We need to watch her back. Hell, we need to watch all our backs.”
Caleb leans back in his chair, shaking his head. “Does she really need this after the year she’s had?”
I grit my teeth. Of course the guy’s right. She just lost her mom two months ago. But those damn pricks don’t give a shit. And Caleb’s on the run from his dad—does he need to add this stress to the pile? Of course I’ll do everything I can to keep Lia safe, no matter what, but I need to watch over my cousin, too. He’ll push Lia’s needs before his own, push her safety before his. I’m going to make sure no one gets hurt.
“One of us needs to be with her at all times,” Aidan says, still squeezing the life out of that ball. He gets this expression on his face, like he doesn’t know what he’d do with himself if something were to happen to her. I feel the exact same way.
All three of us are quiet, absorbed in our thoughts. Two minutes pass before Caleb is the first to talk, “We need to tell her.”
Both Aidan and I blink at him.
“We need to tell her what those jerks told Aidan,” he continues. “We can’t leave her in the dark. She needs to know.”
“I agree,” Aidan says. “Keeping her in the dark to protect her will only hurt her. She has to be aware of what’s around her.”
“I’m pretty sure she already is,” I say. “Those assholes did threaten her, but you’re right. We need to tell her what they told Aidan and that we’re going to watch over her. She might not like it, but I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to her.”
My brother and cousin nod in agreement. I peer at the time. It’s only six, early enough to go to her house without her dad suspecting we’re up to no good. “Then let’s go talk to her.”
I make a move toward the door, when Caleb says, “Wait.”
I spin around. “What?”
Caleb’s brows are furrowed, deep in thought. His hand’s still holding that pen and he absentmindedly makes circles on the paper.
“What?” I repeat.
His eyes pin on Aidan. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Me?” Aidan asks.
Caleb shrugs. “Both of you, I guess. We’ve always been honest with each other and I don’t want this to tear us apart.”
“What the hell are you talking about, man?”
He’s still got his eyes on Aidan, and they’re filled with guilt. “I know you and Lia like each other,” he says. “You went on that picnic.”
Picnic? I didn’t know about this.
“The truth is,” Caleb continues, “I like her, too. As more than a friend.” He holds up his hands. “And it bothers me because you like her, too, and I have no right to…” He shuts his eyes, then opens them. “I can’t control my feelings or shut them off. I feel so close to her, so…me, if that makes sense. She makes me happy. But if she chose you, I’ll back off.”
Aidan’s quiet, the words probably galloping in his mind.
“You guys aren’t the only ones who like her,” I tell them, my mind going back to our almost kiss. “I’m a founding member of Lia’s fan club.”
Caleb nods slowly. “I suspected you like her, too.”
I scrub my hand down my face. This has never happened before. There’s something special about that girl next door, something magical. “Shit. Now what do we do?”
“We need to tell her the truth,” Caleb says.
“And then what?” I ask. “She’ll have to choose one of us. Hell, she’s not even ready for a boyfriend. When I tried to kiss her, she—” I clamp my mouth shut. Damn, that wasn’t supposed to slip out.
Caleb gapes at me. “You kissed her?”
“Almost kissed her. She turned away and ran off.”
Aidan’s eyebrows knit. “Is that when she ran from your room and I accused you of hurting her?”
I nod.
“Sorry about that,” he says.
I wave my hand. “It’s okay. I put her in an uncomfortable position and I’m still kicking myself for it. My feelings for her have only grown since then, and I can’t…I can’t take it anymore.”
We’re quiet again, each of us focusing on something in the room other than ourselves or our feelings.
“I kissed her,” Aidan says after a few minutes.
“What?” I say. “You kissed her?”
He tilts his head. “At the park, after I told her how I felt about her.”
I drop down on the floor, trying not to let the jealousy prick me. Lia has a right to kiss whoever she wants. Why does it bother me that she rejected me and not Aidan? I need to support my brother. And to let her go.
Caleb stands. “We need to tell Lia how we feel. No more secrets, no more hiding.”
I lift a brow. “You think it’s a good idea to tell her we all have feelings for her?”
“No more secrets,” Caleb repeats. “No more hiding.”
I swallow the ache in my gut. “Right. It’s up to her to decide which of us she wants to date, if any. Whatever the outcome is…” I hold out my palm. “We’ll always remain brothers, no matter what.”
Aidan places his hand on top of mine, then Caleb does the same. His eyes are crowded with a bit of pain, which is how mine probably look. Aidan seems bothered as well, but it’s pretty obvious who Lia will choose.
If she wants to choose, that is. It’s possible she’s still not ready to date. It’ll be hard, but I need to accept her decision. “Let’s go talk to her.”
We stomp down the stairs like a stampede of elephants and make our way toward the front door.
“Where’s the fire?” Julia calls from the living room, where she and Craig are watching the news.
The three of us turn around to face her in synchronization, like we’re practicing for the Olympics.
“We’re going to Lia’s,” I tell her.
She keeps her eyes on Aidan. “Your father and I want to talk to you. Craig?”
Craig joins us near the front door, not taking his eyes of
f Aidan. “Look, son—”
Aidan raises his hands. “Before you say anything, I need to apologize for getting pissed at you.” He shakes his head. “You’re right that I need to follow what Dr. Weber tells me. I’m really sorry for putting you through this, and I’ll never talk about playing football again.”
Julia’s eyes flash with pain and sympathy and she pulls him into her arms. “Believe me,” she whispers, “if I had a magic wand, I’d heal your injuries. I’d transform you into the greatest football player of all time.” She draws back to look into his eyes. “But you don’t need to play football to be amazing. You just need to be you.”
He nods. “I see that now. Thanks, Mom, thanks, Dad. And I’m really sorry.”
She hugs him close. “I know this is hard for you, honey.”
Craig pats his back. “If there’s anything you need, anything at all, just ask and we’ll do whatever we can to help.” He rubs his hands on my shoulder and Caleb’s. “The same goes for the two of you.”
Caleb and I nod in thanks. The truth is, there’s not much else they can do for me. I already have everything I need. A home, food, and a great family.
Sure I still think about my shitty childhood a lot. I don’t think I can ever forget those dark years, but right now, I’m more than grateful to the Bowmans for taking me in and treating me like their own son.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lia
I’m just about to read the chapter where the hero and heroine in my book take the next step in their relationship, when there’s a light knock on my door.
My mind automatically assumes it’s Sophie, since she’s the only person other than my dad who comes to my room. But then I remember we aren’t friends anymore.
The knocking continues and it takes me a second to realize those are not Sophie’s knocks. They’re harder.
“Yeah?” I call.
“It’s us,” Zane’s muffled voice says. “Can we come in?”
“Keep the door open!” Dad calls from downstairs, and I cringe. Sometimes I forget how many times he embarrasses me, but I guess that’s what fathers are supposed to do.