Page 4 of Crash & Burn

“Don’t.” I refuse to let him finish that sentence because I’m not talking aboutthatright now, and this doesn’t have anything to do withhim.

I notice Eddie stiffens at my tone, and Mateo freezes mid-step.

I close my eyes and lay my head back on the couch cushion behind me. I feel the couch next to me dip as a rush of cold lands on my fingers and shoots up my arm, burning for a few seconds. I let out a hiss just before my hand slowly becomes numb.

I turn my head and open my eyes to find Mateo looking at me.

His anger and frustration has faded.

What is left hurts me more.

Pity.

I shake my head to push the tears I feel prickling at the back of my eyes away.

“He didn’t just look at me,” I repeat my previous statement as I take over holding the makeshift ice pack over my hand.

“Okay,” Mateo responds. He stands back up and sits down on one of the stools I have at my kitchen island, next to where Eddie is standing. “Start from the beginning. What happened?”

Chapter 2

Eddie

How the hell did I get caught in the middle of this siblings’ quarrel?

When I agreed to give Mateo a ride to band practice earlier today, I knew it was going to be a late night. With the first night of our Midwest series coming up in just two weeks, and Mateo being such a perfectionist, I wasn’t expecting to be home any time before 1 AM, but I didn’t thinkthisis where we would end up.

At his little sister’s apartment.

His little sister who isdefinitelynot so little anymore.

And who apparently punches guys.

In the face.

In her free time.

I should’ve stayed in the car because I have absolutely no business being here.

I almost headed back to the car to wait for Mateo, but Mia got here before I could escape, and when I saw her it was like she froze me in place.

All I know now is I’m invested.

Not in her.

In this situation.

Right?

I haven’t seen Mateo this pissed off since he almost kicked Theo out of the band three years ago when he caught him looking at Mia’s ass a little too long.

She had come to one of our shows at a bar near her college campus with a group of her friends, and the night ended with me having to hold back Mateo from kicking Theo’s ass.

And it’s not like I’ve never sneaked a peak over the years, especially right now, in her leather skirt, but hearing what happened to the last guy who paid too much attention to her ass, and being best friends with her older brother, I will keep my wandering glances to myself.

I’ve known Mia for seven years, but I have exchanged maybe fifteen words with her. I haven’t physically seen her since that show three years ago, and I could not tell you anything about her aside from what Mateo said in passing.

I know she graduated college last year, nannies for a living, and I remember Mateo saying something about her liking photography.

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