Page 22 of Ozzie

She sighs. “It sounds like he needs someone to set him straight.”

I laugh. “He does, but he’s too stubborn.”

“I have an idea that might help. Let me see what I can do. In the meantime, don’t kill each other!”

“No promises.”

She laughs. “Okay, I’ll be in touch and let you know if I’m onto something.” She ends the call, and I’m left wondering what she’s up to.

Durango and I spend the rest of the day ignoring each other again. I can only scroll social media for so long, and I’m bored out of my mind. As much as I want to send Ozzie a message, I don’t. He’s at work, and I don’t want to bother him there.

Durango makes us sandwiches for lunch. He takes his into his bedroom, leaving me alone to eat mine. After I finish, I go back to my bedroom and take a nap.

Voices wake me, and I sit up, wondering if John found us. But then I recognize the voices. Lightning and Ozzie.

I make my way out of the bedroom and down the hall as quietly as one can when using crutches. The three men are standing in the living room.

“I have to leave. It’s the only way to keep Piper safe,” Durango says.

“Bullshit,” Ozzie says as he steps forward. “You really dislike me that much that you’d rather move across the country than let me date her?”

Durango crosses his arms and leans against the wall as if this is a bother to him. “My priority is keeping her safe.”

Lightning steps in between them. “Look, I get she’s your priority, but moving to Seattle seems extreme. We can help watch out for her.”

“No,” Durango says. “And Piper might have texted Oz and told him that’s my reason, but it’s not.”

“She didn’t text me.”

“She told Alicia. Come on, Durango, have you talked to her? She doesn’t want to leave New York. She already uprooted her life a year ago when she came here.”

The two men stare at him, but he doesn’t say anything else. I make my way out to them on my crutches. “I don’t want to go. John will find me there too. He’s going to find me anywhere I go.” I shudder at that thought.

“She’s right. Until he’s behind bars, she’s at risk here or there,” Ozzie says.

“Yeah, well, there, I don’t have to worry about you,” Durango yells as he pushes off the wall.

“Finally, you admit your real reason,” Ozzie says.

Lightning puts a hand on each man’s chest, keeping them at a distance. “Stop it, both of you. Durango, Piper is an adult and can make her own decisions. You may hate the idea of them together, but you can’t control her like this.”

“Yeah, that’s right!” Ozzie says.

Lightning turns to him. “And you. Really? Out of all the women in New York, you had to pick his little cousin?”

Ozzie glances at me, then back to Lightning. “It was never a choice. The moment I met her, I felt different.” Heturns to Durango. “Since I met Piper, I haven’t been out with another woman. I haven’t wanted to. She’s all I think about when I wake up and when I go to sleep, and hell, we aren’t even dating. I swear to you, Durango, she’s not some conquest. I’m falling for her. I’ve been falling all this past year.”

My heart flutters. He’s falling for me. And he’s right. When we met, I felt it, too. I turn my gaze to Durango. He’s still glaring at Ozzie. Nothing he said has helped.

“Look, call Coff and ask him. He knows what a miserable SOB I’ve been this past year.”

Lightning lowers his hands, and neither man moves.

“Can you two leave? I need to think,” Durango says.

Lightning nods. “Sure. Let’s go, Oz.”

Lightning steps toward the door, and Ozzie stares at me. Sorrow emanates from his eyes as we both realize Durango isn’t going to change his mind.

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