“What’s up?” He towers over me, his Mohawk adding to his already impressive height. “Did something happen?”
“Nope. Nothing happened.” I lift my hands and slump back. “Everything’s fine.”
“You don’t fool me,” he mutters, shaking his head. “Does it have to do with Dylan not being here tonight?”
“I’ve no idea why he’s not here tonight.” I shrug. “He probably couldn’t find a babysitter for his brothers.”
Zane sinks down on his heels and looks up at me, his almond-shaped eyes serious. “What’s going on between you and Dylan?
“Nothing’s going on between us,” I lie again.
“I don’t believe you.”
“And I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Look.” He puts a hand on my knee. “I love Dylan like a brother. That fucker has had my back for a long time now. But I swear, if he hurts you, there’ll be hell to pay. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Don’t, Zane.” I stand up, and he lets his hand fall. “None of this is his fault. It’s mine. Letting go is difficult, that’s all. I’ll live. Don’t worry about me.”
“But I do,” he whispers as I turn my steps toward Audrey and the other girls. “I sure as hell do.”
Chapter Twelve
Dylan
Zane is standing in my living room, looking pissed as all hell. His Mohawk is growing tall again, dyed a deep purple, and his dark eyes are flat and angry. He’s already refused a beer, and it just shows how fucked up my brain is that I didn’t remember he doesn’t drink anymore—not after he ended up in a coma from alcohol poisoning a couple of months ago.
“Care to explain what the hell you think you’re doing, fucker?” He glances at Dakota, who’s kneeling on the carpet, playing with Miles and Teo, and lowers his voice. “Are you out of your mind?” he hisses.
“What?” My head is pounding, and I’m so cold I don’t think I’ll ever feel warm again. It’s evening. I’ve finished work, returned home, and I’m slumped on the sofa, pretending I don’t feel like a double serving of days-old roadkill. “What are you talking about?”
“Tessa, that’s who I’m talking about.” He jabs a finger at me. “And you know it.”
Okay, fine, so maybe I guessed that much. I was just hoping to avoid this conversation. “What do you want me so say, man?”
“That you’ll stay away from her and stop making her sad. That chick would’ve jumped into a fire for you, and you go and give her hope and then break her heart again. Stay away from her.”
Just like Asher told me I should. Fuck.
“Did she say that?” My chest tightens, like I can’t draw enough air. Not see Tessa again? Not sure I can survive that. “Did she say she wants me to stay away from her?”
He shrugs, sucks on the barbell in his tongue. “Not in so many words.”
“Look, Z-man… She’s only helping me out with my brothers.”
“You slept with her.”
“Christ, Zane. It’s not like I forced her.” I rub my aching forehead. My whole body is a giant throb. “She wanted it, too.”
Dakota turns her head and shoots me a look that could cut through glass.
Ow.
“That’s beside the point,” Zane mutters, running his hands over the shaved sides of his head. “Don’t you fucking get it?” He sits on the chair across from me and waves a hand in the air. “After the way her parents behaved, and that motherfucker of an ex… She needs space. She needs calm. She doesn’t need you fucking with her head to scratch an itch. Plenty of chicks who can do that for you, fucker, and Tessa is my friend.”
Bitterness wells inside me. I thought I was his friend, too. I know it’s childish, but it stings. “I wouldn’t hurt Tessa.”
“Guess what, genius? Too late for that.”
Fuck.
“Keep away from her, Dylan.”
“Yeah? And what will you do if I don’t? Disown me?”
“Seriously, fucker?” Zane sits up, scowling. “You wanna fuck with me? I’m gonna punch the living daylights out of you.”
“You can try,” I mutter. “Asshole.”
“Hey, hey.” Dakota scoots over to us and sits between Zane’s legs. Her plaid skirt rides up over her high black stockings and military boots. “Enough. Now make up.”
I sigh and lean back, raking my hands through my short hair. I don’t want to fight with Zane, or think about what I should and shouldn’t do with Tessa. My body is heavy, my thoughts sluggish, and darkness waits to draw me under. I fall through emptiness, spiraling down, images from the past flashing around me. I see Mom holding Teo. I see Dad reading his newspaper at the kitchen table.