Page 81 of Beautiful Scars

I pull out my phone, showing them my favorites list. "I have an excellent relationship with every delivery place in town. Speed dial and everything."

"That's it." Jayce shakes his head. "No way. You're learning to cook. This is unacceptable."

"I'm really good at microwave meals too," I offer, which makes them both groan.

"Basic life skills, Sunny." Z bumps my shoulder with his. "You can't live on takeout forever."

"Watch me." But I'm smiling, caught up in their playful energy.

"Nope. Starting tomorrow, you're getting cooking lessons." Jayce points the wooden spoon at me. "Non-negotiable."

"Will you teach me how to make your soup?"

"If that's what it takes?" He grins.

Z watches our back and forth with something soft in his expression that makes my heart do a funny little flip. For a moment, I can almost forget why I'm here. Almost.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Levi

ColtandIpullup to the house as the first rays of light start creeping over the hills surrounding the property. I'm gripping the steering wheel so hard my fingers ache. The call from Z the other night left me with a lot more questions than answers. There's so much he hasn't told me and it pisses me off.

Colt sits shotgun, silent. He gave up a few hours ago trying to get me to talk. He knows my temper's resting on a hair trigger. It took a full day and a half to get things settled, and ready for us to clear out, and another ten hours of driving. I'm tired and ready to get some sleep and answers.

"Take it easy," he murmurs as I kill the engine. "Whatever's going on, you have to remember you trust Z. He's your brother. I'm sure he has a good reason for doing things the way he has."

I grunt in response, too wound up to form words. I toss him the keys and he hops out of the truck and starts directing the guys who followed us into parking spots. Most of them have never been here before and I want to make sure they're familiar with the place and settled in as quickly as possible.

The house is quiet, only a few lights coming from the back of the house are visible, but as I let myself in the back door I catch the sound of voices. And then—a high pitched, musical laugh.

Sunny.

The sound strikes a chord inside me. It's a sound I never thought I'd hear again. I follow it into the kitchen.

I freeze when I hit the doorway, gut-punched by the scene in front of me. Sunny's leaning against the counter, arms crossed over her chest, wearing nothing but an oversized white T-shirt with a familiar logo emblazoned across the chest. It's one of Z's favorite band shirts. Her long blonde hair falls in messy waves around her shoulders and down her back. She's barefoot and seems completely at ease.

She laughs again. My breath catches as I watch her eyes crinkle at the corners as she grins at Ty. FuckingTy.The guy I hired three years ago and have never heard string more than five words together at one time unless absolutely pressed. But here he is, standing center stage like some wind-up toy with no off switch. He's so invested in being the morning's entertainment he doesn't even notice me standing here.

And then there's Z...

Standing next to the sink, dumping an ungodly amount of sugar into a cup of coffee with a stupid grin on his face. He's shirtless, wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and looks like he just rolled out of bed. He drops a spoon in the mug and offers it to Sunny. "Here you go, your morning cup of sugar. Just the way you like it," he says.

It feels like I'm intruding—getting ready to walk into a private moment I have no right to disturb. It's intimate. It's cozy. It's making my blood boil.

"Morning, Levi." Z says without turning, without taking his eyes off Sunny.

Of course he knew I was here.

"We were wondering what time you guys would get here.”

The smile slides off Sunny’s face the second he says my name. Z leans in and murmurs something into her ear I can’t quite hear. Whatever it is, she rewards him with a soft, sweet smile.

When she turns toward me, the smile is gone and her face is shuttered and unreadable. The guarded look she wears twists something deep inside my chest.

Realization slaps me in the face. This is her new normal. Here. With him.

"You've got to be kidding," I spit out.

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