"True friendship is when two friends can walk in opposite directions, yet remain side by side." — Josh Grayson
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Chapter 26
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Luke

I'd never felt so fucked in my life.

Past my father, past Beatrice and Vance. Past my mother. Past the event.

None of it compared to the moment I had Maggie in my arms.

I'd been watching over her for the past eight hours.

I told her I'd go to sleep so that she wouldn't be embarrassed of what had happened, but I hadn't. I couldn't. Fuck that.

I didn't want her to think for one minute that I wouldn't hold up to my promise of being here, so I stayed awake, and watched over her, just in case.

I was sleepy as shit since I'd only gotten two hours of sleep. But, the thought of her waking up, and thinking that she was danger fucked with me in ways I couldn't understand. So, fuck sleep.

I never let my hand fall from her. I stroked, traced, and watched every inch of her face until I memorized the lines. I'd figured out that when her eyebrows scrunched, she was closing in on a nightmare. When her nose crinkled up, it meant that she was calming back down. When I pulled her closer to me, her lips always twitched, so I took that as a good sign.

Or, maybe I took it as an excuse to keep her close.

I didn't know what the fuck was going on with me. Or where or when or how every time she put those big green eyes on me, my heart began to jump. And, sometimes, damn near stop altogether.

I couldn't even fully recall the moment it started. The dance, maybe. The champagne game we played? Maybe it was when I saw her with my brother, and nearly collapsed with fear of anyone harming her. Or, when I saw her nearly cry over that bitch of a boyfriend, or when I'd nearly kissed her.

I nearly fucking kissed her.

I wasn't a good enough man to have had the strength to pull away. She would have had to stop me, I nearly begged her to stop me, but she hadn't. She had leaned in right with me until the room service came. As annoyed as I was, I couldn't deny the relief.

And, then now...here we were.

I'd never seen her so afraid in my life. I didn't think Maggie was capable of being scared, honestly, or at least not showing it.

But, that was the thing. If something had put her in that much distress, it had to leave an impact on her. It wasn't too clear, but one thing was.

Whoever the fuck interrupted her dreams wouldn't touch her, again.

I knew normal nightmares and terrors happened, but this couldn't have been one. The fear on her face had been genuine. Her screams were real, and a part of me wondered if the nightmare had been, too.

I recalled her telling me that someone hurt her in the past. Jesus. I had never been protective of anyone other than Kade and Levi, but the moment she said those words? I knew I'd do whatever it took to remove the threat from her. From her nightmares, and her life.

I didn't want her to feel pressured to tell me, because she wasn't obliged to. I took what she offered, and connected it to everything I'd seen so far. I just couldn't place the who, or when, or what. Hurt stood for a lot of things, but with those scars on her stomach, I knew that it had been more than a couple of insults.

I willed my hand to stop shaking around her but the more I thought on it, the more my rage built. I didn't know what changed, but it did. Because, I knew, without a doubt, that if Maggie was in trouble, I'd tear down every wall, and every single brick to get to her.

It was strange to see that she shared something similar. A part of me wondered if it'd been fake at first, but after yesterday night, there was no way.

She kicked my brother's ass, stood up to Beatrice, and jumped in front of me just to stop my father from reaching me. She put her whole, maybe, 5'9" body in front of three people, without an ounce of fear...all to protect me. No one had ever done that for me, not once, in my entire life.

She was the first person to ever stand up for me against my family.

I didn't know whether to be grateful,,or afraid. Not for her since I would have ripped every single one of their heads from their bodies before they even reached her, but for myself. I had no idea what to feel; or how to even barely explain what it was. I didn't know if there were enough words in the English dictionary to describe it.

All I knew was that I was trying to fight it, and it was growing harder by the fucking second.

I didn't want to like it, or her. I didn't want any of it. I didn't want to look forward to seeing her at my shop, I didn't want to like her smile, or her snort when she laughs, I didn't want to dread the moment her laughs stopped because I knew I'd miss it so badly. I didn't want to touch her, I didn't want her to claim every fucking thought in my head.

But, she did.

I needed to suppress. That was what I did best. I didn't want anymore 'technicallys', I wanted to go back to wanting to run her over, or insulting her. I wanted to go back to fucking different women without picturing her underneath me. I wanted to go back to the me that didn't give two fucks about anyone or anything, but himself.

I would, somehow, someway.

I sucked in a tight spot of air as I felt Maggie bury her head against my chest. My heart sped up so fast I nearly thought it to be a heart attack. Jesus.

I shook my head. I needed a drink. I needed to smoke, to go and fuck the shit out of the nearest mouth in this hotel. I needed to get the fuck out of here, and away from Norris.

Yet I hadn't moved.

"Oh, for fuck sake," I hissed in frustration at myself.

A vibration set off between us. I thought my phone would be dead from the show, but I guess not. I could leave it ringing, but if it continued on, it'd wake her up. At the thought, I felt dread wash over me.

In that moment, I knew I'd rather sleep on pins and needles than wake her up.

I shifted a bit until I had the phone in my grasp. Involuntarily, my attention snaked back to Maggie,again.

Her expression had grown nothing, but peaceful, now. A faint smile was trained over those pretty lips. Before I could stop myself, my finger lifted to trail the length of her jaw, again. Her smile only grew as she leaned into my palm.

There it was, again. The palpitations left my chest caving. My own lips twitched at the sight before it fell. If she was awake, she would have chopped my hand off.

That was enough to center me back to reality.

With a sigh, I pulled my phone closer, squinting over the contact. It was Kade calling me, and I already knew why.

Over the past couple hours, my phone had been blowing up with articles I was tagged in, messages and calls from dad, Beatrice, and family members I'd never even heard of. Kade and Levi had reached out as well, but just like the others, they went ignored. I already knew what they'd all be about.

I rolled my eyes, accepting the call, anyway. If I didn't, Levi would probably convince Kade to come back to town to make sure I wasn't six-feet under.

A second later, both him and Levi filled the frame. I groaned at Levi's face then shifted to Kade. "If I knew he'd be here, I wouldn't have picked up."

It was morning for them, but neither one of them showed it. Kade was in the kitchen with something sizzling in the background; Levi was still laying down, but with what I assumed was a television, in the background.

Levi passed over me with a scowl. "So much for trying to be a good friend, and checking on your ungrateful ass. "

Kade's rolled his eyes. "You good?" he asked me, completely disregarding Levi. "We saw the videos. That shit was crazy."

I nodded, despite the squeeze in my stomach at the reminder. "Yeah, I'm good. Shit went south fast."

Levi sat up, and at the same time, I saw a flash of red hair cross his chest. Raven was probably with him, then. "I can't believe Maggie said that shit. Fuck." He paused to sweep a hand down his mouth that was trying to suppress a laugh. "I spit my wine out when I heard her. She seriously called Vance an unedited version of ET. And, what she said to Beatrice—" His laughter fell through before he could finish. "She's fucking crazy."

Despite everything, my mouth twitched at the reminder. I had to stop myself from looking back down to Maggie.

"Hell yeah she is," Kade agreed, an annoyed glint behind his cold expression. "If she would have shut the fu—"

I directed a glare at him. "I suggest you keep anything concerning her out of your mouth, Ryder." The words flew out before I could think them over.

Of fucking course, they both caught it.

Both men stared back at me with shock. Levi was the first to break it with an amused grin.

"Well, well, well," he taunted, moving his cocky gaze to Kade. "Look at what we have here, Ryder."

Kade's expression remained still, but there was no denying the amused undertone.  "A pussy-whipped fucker."

Frustration built at the bottom of my stomach at them. I jerked a glare over the two idiots in front of me. "Both of you can kiss my ass."

"Mhm? What was that?" Levi leaned in, feigning a confused expression. "Ryder, that sound like denial to you?"

"Sure as hell does. Real damn familiar, too," Kade agreed, cocking a brow. "Isn't that how we sounded?"

"You know," Levi started, a shit-eating grin stuck on his lips. "I'm pretty sure it was. You know, before—"

I had to refrain from throwing the phone at the wall. Instead, I let my fingers tighten around the case:,"Before nothing. Because this is nothing, and she's nothing to me other than an employee. She's annoying as shit, and quite literally the reason I wake up with migraines now."

Saying the words sounded right, but running them through my mind made me want to kick my own ass. My stomach turned before I pushed it away.

Kade looked unconvinced. He crossed his arms, his eyes hanging over me. "Really? So I guess you won't mind if I call her a—"

"Kade," I hissed in warning. "What if I talked about Kimberly? You'd be pissed."

That was hypocritical as shit, considering how badly I treated the girl when I first met her. The only piece of information I had on her was that she aided in the death of Kade's brother, and I went with it. After Kade kicked my ass, and told me a bit more of the story, though, I reeled back from my standard hatred. I felt shitty as fuck for giving it to her after so long, but I couldn't change the past.

Considering all of the bullshit I'd said to Kimberly before that, though, I didn't expect her to forgive me. I didn't want, or deserve it, honestly. But, she had my respect, whether eyes wanted it or not. When I had the opportunity, I knew that I had to give her an actual apology, too. Despite Kade threatening to beat my ass for it, I knew that she deserved one.

Regardless, though, she was Kades, which meant that she was apart of this dysfunctional ass family, now. If someone hurt her, then they hurt Levi or I, too. Raven was in those standards, too. No matter what, they would never be harmed without our retaliation behind it. Kade and Levi were my brothers, and I stood by, with, and for them, no matter what. That included their girls, as well.

A deadly glare crossed Kade's expression. "I've kicked your ass plenty of times over her, so if you want a fresh reminder, go ahead."

"Yeah, and I've had to break it up, and get my own ass kicked in a fight that wasn't even mine, so both of you shut the fuck up," Levi added with annoyance before moving his gaze to mine. "Hold up."

My head shook, immediately. "No—"

His head tilted, laughter skipping from him. "You do realize that you just compared his girlfriend to Maggie, right? So, by pussy-whipped standards, you just technically claimed Maggie as your girl." I nearly cursed him for using my own shit against me.

I blinked a couple of times as I thought over it. Fuck. He was right, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Shut up, Levi."

Kade was busy tending to something on the stove. "That soup," he started without looking at me. "You needed to know because of her, didn't you?"

I didn't even know how he pieced it together, but regardless, I shook my head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Jesus. Why did my voice sound like that? It was obvious I was lying.

"Uh huh," he responded with a shake of the head, and a chuckle. "Whatever you wanna believe."

The agitation was biting me in the ass; I knew that this was karma. "I'm not believing anything, I'm saying the—" I directed my eyes toward Levi, who was still staring. "Can you quit smiling at me like that?"

He lifted his hands in surrender, attempting to reel the grin back in. "Someone's defensive."

Kade reached up, then pulled down two plates. "Very."

"I'm not defensive," I snapped much defensively than intended. "You're both just jumping the shit out of me."

Damn. I was getting hot. Or, maybe I was blushing.

Why the fuck was I blushing?

"Don't be dramatic," Kade chuckled, pulling open a drawer. "We've never jumped you."

"Exactly." Levi nodded in agreement before he thought on it. His finger shook at the screen. "Wait, yeah we have. Remember the party at Niles?"

Kade considered it for a moment before nodding at the memory. "I forgot about that shit." With a shrug, he flicked his head at me. "You deserved it that time, though."

I did, but I didn't comment on that. I'd been cross-faded as shit at a party, and tried to drive home. Both of the fuckers jumped me, and beat my ass until I surrendered the keys. Kade had threatened to dunk me in the pool if I didn't get in the car. When I didn't, him and Levi threw me right in until I surrendered.

Fun times.

Kade and Levi were recounting over it, as well. We all chuckled at the memory before Levi started up, again, "Anyway, back to our lover boy here—"

Instinctively, my eyes fell to Maggie's resting form before raising to Levi with a scowl. "Can you quit being so fucking loud?"

Levi shot a glare my way. "Make me—"

"Hold the fuck on," Kade interrupted our pre-argument, peering closer. His brown eyes squinted at the screen.

I cast a hardened shadow his way. "The fuck are you staring at?"

Both of them were watching closely, now. I caught glimpse of black hair in my own screen before I shifted the camera back up to me. Shit. It was obvious it wasn't my own.

Kade leaned back, a smirk building. "She there?" It sounded like he knew the answer, already.

I shook my head, my fingers tightening around the phone. "Fuck no," I lied at the same time that Maggie released a snore so loud, it bounced off the walls.

"Oh, fuck. She is," Levi confirmed with a laugh. "And, she's sleeping on you? Fuck yeah, you're screwed."

Kade rolled his eyes with a chuckle of his own. He flicked his head at me. "You fuck her, or something?"

I bit back a curse. "I'm hanging up."

They didn't tell me anything like that about their girls, why the fuck would they expect me to about Maggie?

Not that she was my girl.

It was none of their business, though; I wasn't giving them anymore ammunition against me.

"Fuck me," Levi managed to force out past his laughter. "You should see your face." He smacked a hand against his forehead as his body shook with bunches of humor. "Jesus, it feels so good to see you get a taste of your own medicine."

I hated that he was right. "Fuck you," I bit out, anyway.

I saw glimpses of Kimberly behind Kade's tall figure before he glanced down to her. His expression melted as he pulled her in by her waist. "Morning, pretty girl. You sleep good?" I heard her grumble something in response, to which Kade chuckled, and kissed the top of her head.

I had to tear my eyes from the sight. Jesus. Was that how I looked at Maggie?

No. Of course not. I didn't hold a single sweet thought toward the brat, and I'd die on that hill. These two reminded me of that. All I felt was simply lust, and a trauma bond or two. Everything else had to by coincidence. Fuck that.

Levi swiped at the corner of his eyes, his body slowly recovering from the laughing fit. "I'm sorry, I just..." before he finished, his chest shook and trembled under another round of laughter. He was enjoying the shit out of my karma.

I cast a scowl before clicking the screen. "I'm hanging up. Both of you can—"

"Wait," Kade called out, his expression tightening with seriousness. "You need to be careful with your dad. If there was a time you really pissed the bastard off, it'd be now."

"Yeah," I grumbled. "I know."

I didn't know what my dad would do to get his revenge, but I had a couple ideas. Now that Maggie had let the word loose about my true parentage, I doubted he could harm my mother in the way he threatened to many times before. That only left me.

I didn't include Maggie, because he would never in his life lay a hand on her. It'd be taken before he could even breathe in her direction.

Kade nodded, his eyes shifting to Kimberly before he handed her a full plate. A moment later, he was sat down alongside her. He met my tired gaze with a head nod. "That favor working out?"

I nodded in return. "It is." All three of us knew of the contents, but it wasn't safe enough to discuss over the phone just yet. I glanced between the two. "Thanks."

"You know it wasn't a problem," Kade responded.

Levi shrugged with a small smile. "I mean...I'm still expecting a new car stereo in return, but a thanks will do for now."

I rolled my eyes at him. "And, you'll be waiting for a long time." I was lying; I'd bought it for him weeks ago, but was waiting until he got back into town.

"I don't believe it," Levi retorted, his smile growing. "It's okay to admit it. I know I'm your favorite."

Kade snorted around his pancake with a shake of his head.

I did the same, throwing a look at him. "Levi, I'd genuinely trade you for half a dozen stale donuts."

Kade nodded, shaking his fork. "Agreed."

"I'm not even worth a dozen?" Levi feigned hurt, palming his chest. "Wow. Just...wow."

I clicked the screen, again. "I'm hanging up, now. I've had enough of—"

"You've said that three times, and yet you're still here," Levi commented, his expression shifting to a grin. "I know you secretly missed me, fucker. Admit it."

I did. I missed having the both of them here. "Fuck no."

"Please," Levi snorted. "I bet you're kicking your feet in the air, and everything just knowing I'm here."

I massaged at my temples with a small groan. This fucker had given me a headache in under ten minutes. That wasn't even a record with him.

I flicked a nod at Kade, who was watching with an amused smirk. "I'll talk to you, and only you later." I went to hang up but before I could, Levi stopped me with a loud, "Hold on."

If I could reach through the phone to slap the shit out of him, I would. "Lower your voice before you wake her up," I hissed at him. "What the fuck is it?"

"I forgot." He mouthed a sorry, his lips tilted into a shit-eating grin. It drew back enough to be considered harmless. "I just—"

"Levi," I growled back in warning. I knew that look. It was always trouble. It was what landed all three of us in a jail cell so many times, I still remembered the officers by name.

His eyes went to Kade, who shrugged after my own followed up. "I'm not in this shit." His expression hung with amusement before his attention fell back to his plate.

Levi cleared his throat, running a hand down the length of his jaw. "You know...I just wanted to talk about how you make my heart so—" his voice rose so abruptly, it made me flinch. "Maggie, our boy's in love with you, and he's—"

My eyes widened at him. Shit. Shit. Shit. I slammed my thumb down on the phone so hard, I think it cracked. I managed to cut his speech off half-way, but it'd been loud enough already.

I cursed under my breath, combing a hand through my hair. A mix of anger, and annoyance flooded through my blood at Levi, and his idea of karma. That son of a bitch. I fucking hated him.

Maggie shifted over my chest, her eyes squeezing and twitching until they finally opened. I nearly jumped off of the bed just to avoid the fear, but it wouldn't change, anything. She was awake.