Page 84 of Crash
“You’ve had a hard-on for her since we were kids. About time.”
“She’s had a rough time of it,” I murmured, sinking down onto the bench. “It ain’t been easy.”
“Yeah, that’s an understatement.”
“She had a go at Ash for telling us about it. He’d never let on that we knew,” I said, remembering the day I’d let it slip. She’d looked absolutely mortified.
“So don’t mention it,” Dean said. “That’s kinda common sense.”
“So you do have some?”
“Who’s the asshole now,” he retorted with a grin.
“I’m worried that being apart from her is doing more harm than good.” I shook my head like it’d clear the confusion. “Then I think maybe she was relying on us too much, and the distance would be a good thing.”
“But it’s not?”
I shrugged. “I dunno.”
“It’s only been a couple of days.”
“I know, it’s just… It’s only been a couple of days and I already feel like this.” Like the world had lost its color.
Dean stared at me like I’d just dropped my bundle. “Shit, Linc. She’s got your balls big time.”
Yeah, maybe she did, but I wanted to give them to her. Metaphoric balls, that was.
“You gunna invite her up here?”
I shrugged. “The thing with Vee is that she’s been hiding herself away from the world ever since she was attacked. The world terrifies her, Dean. The first time I spoke to her since we were kids she had a panic attack.”
“Fuck, but she’s better now, right? You’re together.”
“She’s made so much progress,” I replied, staring at my hands. “But asking her to come here? It’s a simple thing for most people, but Vee isn’t most people.”
“You think pushin’ her too much will fuck up what you’ve found with her?”
I glanced at him and shook my head. “You know, sometimes I wonder if I got all the brains in the womb, then you say shit like that.”
He clapped his hand on my shoulder. “I fuckin’ love you too, asswipe.”
Grinning, I shoved him with my shoulder.
“Look, it’s only been three days,” he went on. “Give it some time.”
Standing, I sighed sharply before striding across the mats. “You wanna spar or what?” I declared, facing my brother.
“Hell yes.” Like lightning, he was on his feet and assuming the position.
For once in his life, Dean rubbed two brain cells together and was right on the money. I had to give it some time.
There wasn’t much else I could do.
**
I stood at the window in my hotel room and stared at the view of Sydney’s CBD. Hundreds of lights shone across the night, and in the distance, I could see the curves of the Harbor Bridge peeking through the array of glowing skyscrapers.
I’d let the lease on my apartment lapse when I went back to Melbourne, and everything had moved so fast that I hadn’t had time to organize anywhere to move back to. I didn’t care for bunking with Dean, and since I could well and truly afford it, I got myself a room at a mid-range hotel in central Sydney. Josie had offered to find me a sublet, but there was no point.
