Page 84 of Wreck Me

“I support you. You’re right. I’m sorry, Kins. I love you.”

Dallas is next, joining in on what is turning into a huge-ass family hug that I didn’t realize I needed as much as she probably does.

“I’ve got you, little sis. I’m sorry for being such an overbearing ass. Blaire calls me out on it, too.”

Kins chuckles against my shirt. “Yeah, but she likes it. I don’t.”

“That’s true,” Dallas agrees.

With a huff, Sawyer joins in, wrapping his tree limb arms around all of us.

“We’ll get through whatever happens. It’s hard to be sorry when I’m just trying to protect you, but I understand you need to live, and I’ll work on being more supportive. I just love you so much. And I really will kill anyone who hurts you.”

“Oh, gladly. With a smile,” Dallas adds.

Liam nods his head in agreement. “Facts.”

“Yep,” I agree, because it’s true.

“I love you too,” she laughs. “But let this be your lesson so that you aren’t this way with Grace, Sawyer. She’ll run hard and fast, and I know you don’t want that.”

“We good?” Sawyer asks, and we all agree.

I may have spent the last twenty-five years not really knowing my place, but I know at the end of the day, my family and I are a team and that we’ve got each other’s backs no matter what. While we’ll all be able to cash in when we need each other, it’s time we all focus on our own families that we’re creating, and mine is at home waiting for me. A place I can’t wait to move him into.

The drive back into town passes in a blur. For the first time in my life, I’m hopeful about what’s to come. I’m eager to get it started and fight for what I want. And that’s life with Finn.

As I enter my house, he’s not exactly how I pictured—in my bed naked with his glasses on—he’s pacing in the small living room, hair disheveled, barefoot, wearing a pair of plaid PJ pants that hang low on his hips, and a plain white T-shirt. He freezes as he sees me, the blood draining from his face as he looks me over. I took a brief glance at my face in the sun visor when I hopped in my car, but I know the swelling has gotten worse as the minutes go by, especially because I can barely see out of it, my eye practically swollen shut.

“Holy shit, are you okay?”

“Looks way worse than it is, I promise.”

“For fuck’s sake, Carter, it went that bad? You said I didn’t have anything to worry about! Go sit your ass down, let me get some ice!”

“It’s fine! I’m fine.”

“You’re not fucking fine! Look at your eye! It’s already bruising! What the hell happened?”

I have to laugh at Finn’s over-the-top reaction. He’s going to have one hell of a time acclimating to how physical my brothersand I are if he’s going to fit in. Maybe I should take him to Dom’s with me, get him some lessons. Probably a smart idea.

A tub of Tillamook ice cream gets tossed into my lap with a hand towel, and I look at him with my good eye, confused.

“That’s all you have that’s frozen, so put it against your damn face and talk. It went that bad? Shit, I should have been there with you. Which one had the issue? I’m so damn sorry, Carter.”

“It didn’t go bad. Will you calm the hell down and let me talk?”

“I’m sorry, you’re right. Coming home with an eye that’s swollen shut should give me the warm fuzzies; it clearly went great. I’m going to head to bed now,” Finn deadpans.

“They don’t care that I’m bi or in a relationship with a man. They were actually relieved when I said I was bisexual because every single one of those fuckers thought I was about to drop a bomb that I knocked some random chick up.”

“For real? So you got in a fight with what? A door?”

I laugh under my breath, which causes me to wince. “No, this definitely came from one of Sawyer’s haymakers.”

“What the fuck, Carter, it’s not funny.”

“Listen, everything went great. They’re happy for me, and they can’t wait to meet you. We all started talking and Kinsey said she wanted to move out of our parents’ house, something I told her I would back her up on if she decided to. So, I followed through on my word to her and Sawyer didn’t like it.”

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