Page 23 of Embers in the Dark

I watchBaylee’s gurney roll away to her CT scan and once she’s out of view, I bring my eyes back to Rios’s menacing glare. The person I once used to see as my best friend is nothing but a shadow of himself now. It feels like years ago we were sitting on my couch playing video games instead of just a few hours. I was trying to forge a path back to our friendship; but after the asshole remarks he just threw my way, I’m fucking done trying to play nice with him.

“Honestly, Rios, fuck off. If Baylee wants to stay with me, I’m not turning her away. I shouldn’t have to prove I’m a good person to you of all people. It’s not my fault you’re too stubborn to see that nothing is going on.” I rub the space between my eyes, hoping to stop the throbbing headache I can already feel clawing its way through.

“Like hell it isn’t. Why the fuck did she call you then and not me?” he whispers, hoping to keep anyone from looking over at us as we remain outside Baylee’s ER room, where her parents are waiting for her. I really hope they can’t hear him. Everyone remains clueless that Rios and I aren’t on the best of terms since last fall. I’d like to keep it that way.

“Maybe because you’re a pain in her ass and she didn’t want you breathing down her neck,” I throw back.

It feels good to tell him exactly what I’m feeling. For so long I was holding things back in an effort to smooth things over with him. However, I’m completely over this friendship, because Rios is being a prick on all levels. There’s something freeing being able to finally say what’s been on my mind all this time.

“She’s staying with me and that’s final,” he orders.

“You know what? How about you stop acting like she’s a child and talktoher and not over her. I’m not dealing with you and your fucking tantrums. You’ve been a pain in my ass for too long. I won’t interfere with your relationship with Baylee, but I’m done trying to fix ours. Continue being the asshole. You seem to fit the role so perfectly,” I say back.

“She’ll stay with me. And when I bring it up, you better give her the out or this friendship is over,” he tells me.

Right then the doors open and Baylee’s gurney comes rolling back. I straighten and give her a small smile. She eyes us again, sensing something isn’t right between us. Rios and I have never been ones to fight. Even as kids, we always got along, so this is unusual for us.

Months ago, when Rios forced my hand to take Abby on that date, Baylee was in the dark to the truth behind the whole thing. No one filled Baylee in on the fact it was never a real date and that I was never interested in Abby romantically. To this day, she probably thinks I was interested in some way, when in reality I was simply trying to save my friendship with Rios. I never confessed, instead keeping my distance.

The moment she gets wheeled into her room, Rios rushes back in and I slowly follow behind. I lean against the wall, watching from afar, as the family interacts. I feel like this would be a good time to excuse myself, but if Baylee is staying with me I need to drive her back into the city.

As if reading my thoughts, Rios chimes in, “Baylee, you’re staying with me.”

It takes everything in me to keep from rolling my eyes. Why is he such a selfish prick? If there’s one thing his sister does poorly with it’s authority. I swing my eyes over to Baylee and her eyes narrow.

“Says who?” she challenges her older brother.

“Says me,” he orders.

“Danny, last I checked I have a dad and he’s right there.” She points to their father to her right. Her dad snorts and it’s hard to keep a smile from forming on my face. Even after the night she’s had, that fire is still in there.Thank fuck.Somehow, it confirms that Baylee will be okay after all this.

“Why would you stay with Malloy? You’ll be more comfortable with me,” Rios protests.

“I absolutely would not. Your apartment is small and you don’t have a spare room. Mom, didn’t you say Tucker has a spare room at his new place?” She swings her gaze toward her mom. Mrs. Rios nods and Baylee looks back over at her brother. “Listen, I’m a big girl and I’m more than capable of making this decision for myself. I’m not asking for permission. I’m telling you I’m staying with Tucker. What’s the big deal?”

I can see Baylee’s ready for a fight. That Rios stubbornness runs deep, and the fact her brother is fighting her on this is just more of a reason she’s going to resist. He’s being an absolute ass and he has an agenda of his own here. But, after what Baylee went through tonight, I wouldn’t mess with her. She’s taking her power back, and I love to see it.

I’m leaning against a far wall, watching everything unfold between the Rios clan, trying to let them have their space. But, of course, leave it to Danny and his asshole tendencies to bring me right back to the fucking center.

“Tucker, tell Baylee she can’t stay with you. Problem solved,” Rios says in front of everyone.

Rios, like his sisters, was always this force to be reckoned with, while I was the easygoing friend. We jived from the moment we met as kids. But right now, I’m looking right into my best friend’s eyes and I can’t think of a reason I want our connection to continue. Everything leading to this moment is in the past; making sure Baylee feels safe is my purpose now.

This man in front of me isn’t the Daniel Rios I considered my best friend all these years. This isn’t the guy I would run into a burning building with. This isn’t the man I consider a brother. He isn’t the person I look at and remember laughing with on the couch for years over dumb shit. All I see is jealousy and anger swimming in those brown irises. I see someone that only wants to be rid of me for reasons I still don’t comprehend.

Smoothing things over between us is the last thing I want now. So, I swing my gaze over to Baylee and simply say, “Nope, Baylee is coming home with me. I’ve already got all the things she needs to spend the night at my place. I guess you just need to grab the rest of her belongings from her place to get her officially moved in, Rios.”

And that right there is the last nail in the coffin on my friendship with Daniel Rios.

CHAPTER 9

Baylee

“Well, this is it,”Tucker says as we walk into his apartment.

I’m fighting to keep my eyes open after being up all night. I take in the open concept of his space. It looks nothing like I’d imagined, yet it’s exactly somewhere I can see Tucker Malloy living.

The kitchen is to the left of the front door, with a moderate-sized island in the center. He has four barstools tucked to one side where I envision him sitting in the morning while eating breakfast. It’s so tidy, with sleek cabinets and state of the art appliances. Nothing like the bachelor pad I imagined on the drive over, with dirty dishes scattered about.

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