Page 65 of Milked

“Stop it!” Finn snapped. “He had no history of hurting her. How would you know? You can’t report every single argument a couple has. Besides, the police wouldn’t have listened.”

“But if I told my parents, they would’ve made her…”

Knox placed a gentle hand on my knee. “And do what? Ordered her to come home? A young woman of twenty-five? Not likely. The only one who’s at fault is her boyfriend.”

“If I’d known how bad it was, I would’ve dragged her ass kicking and screaming. She would’ve hated me, but at least she would be alive! And don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel the same if you were in my shoes.”

Neither of them said anything because they knew I was right, so I continued with my story.

“I had to run. After her funeral, I did. I had to get out of that small town and forget I even had a sister—my twin.” I wiped my nose with the back of my hand, forgetting I had tissues. “A big city, far away, was what I needed. My parents begged me to stay, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t because I saw Rowan everywhere I went, but I couldn’t face my parents anymore, knowing I’d kept my sister’s lie from them.”

“They still don’t know?” Finn asked.

I shook my head. “They just know Bryce went nuts after getting really drunk. I, ah… haven’t talked to them since the trial six months ago. I came back for that… for her, but I stayed away from them, unable to face them.”

“Jesus…” Knox whispered. “Ryder, they’ve got to be worried sick.”

“They know I’m alive. I send them a text periodically.”

“That’s not enough, Sweet Boy. They know you’re alive, but they don’t know if you’re okay. You should tell them the truth and how you feel about all this.”

“Maybe… not yet. It hurts too much right now. Ever since she died, I’ve been missing half of my soul. I’m empty inside. Incomplete. Until…”

I grabbed my coffee, still hot, and drank several sips, unsure of what I wanted to say exactly.

Finn kissed my cheek, but I didn’t react except to look down at my feet.

“Until what?”

“Until… you and Knox.”

Chapter 22

Knox

Mystomachsuddenlyflipped,and my breath caught as I looked at Finn, who also met my eyes. Was Ryder feeling the same way we did?

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He looked down at his hands wrapped around the travel mug, not looking at us. “You both are filling up my soul again. Maybe it’s only sex for you, but I don’t think so. Still, it means so much more to me than that. Yes, it’s been a blissful distraction, but…”

Finn’s sweetness wrapped around Ryder as they pressed their foreheads together. Finn was rarely sweet unless it was with those he truly cared about and loved. “But what? Tell us.”

“Even though I’m in so much fucking pain right now, I’ve also been healing. I’ve been finding joy, connection, and… love.”

Any doubts I had that Ryder only used us as a distraction were instantly assuaged. It was okay if he needed us for that, but as emotions and feelings grew, it was a relief to know he was feeling the same as Finn and me. It was reassuring, making me want to push forward with this relationship. I had no doubt Finn felt the same.

“I realize it’s fast and—”

“Rye-baby?”

“Hmm?”

“We feel the same as you.”

Ryder looked up with wide, hazel eyes so bright in the sunlight. He glanced back and forth between Finn and me. “You mean…”

“We’ve fallen hard for you, Sweet Boy,” I said.

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