Page 30 of Back to You
Ronan moved closer.He didn’t want to intrude, but it was clear something was up, and if there was anything he could do to help, he wanted to do it.
“Calm down.I don’t understand anything you’re telling me,” Vincent said in a voice that should have been soothing, but Ronan could hear Peter yelling.
“I walked in on him with someone else!In my bed, Vincent!Mybed!”
Ronan winced.He couldn’t say he was surprised, considering what Vincent had told him about the boyfriend.
“Oh, Peter,” Vincent said.“I’m really sorry.”
“He had the gall to tell me it was my fault,” Ronan heard Peter say.“Please.I know you’re on a date, but I need you.”
Vincent glanced at Ronan.It was clear he didn’t know what to do, and Ronan never wanted his mate to have to choose between him and his best friend.They had different relationships, obviously, but neither of them was more important.After everything Peter had done for Vincent while Ronan was gone, it was the least Ronan could do.
“We can go,” he told Vincent.
Vincent’s smile was relieved.“We’ll be right there,” he promised Peter.
This wasn’t how Ronan had expected their date to go, but it didn’t matter.Someone Vincent cared about—someoneRonancared about—was in trouble.
* * * *
VINCENT HATED LOU.He hated that the asshole had interrupted his date with Ronan, but even more so, he hated that Lou was hurting Peter.
Of course he was cheating.That was a very Lou thing to do, and Vincent couldn’t say he was surprised.He was glad that Peter had found out now rather than later down the road, even though he’d hoped to convince Peter to dump the asshole.There was no way Peter was going back to Lou, which was a good thing, but Vincent wished things had gone differently.
“What can you tell me about Lou?”Ronan asked as Vincent drove.
They’d taken Vincent’s car since he knew where he was going, but Ronan hadn’t hesitated to climb into the passenger seat.Vincent hadn’t even attempted to tell him he’d deal with it on his own and that he didn’t have to come.He wanted his mate with him, and not only because he always wanted Ronan with him.As far as he knew, Lou had never been violent, but Vincent wouldn’t put it past him if it meant keeping Peter.The dickhead was convinced he was a gift from the gods and that Peter should want to be with him no matter what, and he wouldn’t take it well when Peter dumped him.He’d been trying to keep him, and so far, he’d succeeded.
Not anymore.Lou was out of Peter’s life today, and Vincent would make sure he stayed there.
“Not a lot,” he told Vincent.“Peter has always been secretive about him.”
“That doesn’t sound like Peter.”
“Which is one of the reasons I thought that Lou wasn’t right for him, and that’s even before I found out how much of an asshole he is.He spends all of his time putting Peter down, you know?He never wants Peter to do anything fun or spend time with me because, apparently, I’m not a good influence.
“Influence?We’re not talking about high school kids here.”
“Yeah, I know.I think it’s because I was trying to convince Peter to dump him.Lou never liked me because I was someone Peter could rely on other than him.When Peter had a problem with Lou, he came to me.When Lou realized that, he tried to get between the two of us.”
“Did he manage?”
“He’d have had to try much harder.You know me and Peter.We were close before everything happened, and we’re even closer now.I don’t think I would’ve survived losing you if I hadn’t had him.”Which was probably one of the reasons Ronan wanted to help.He’d always liked Peter, and while they’d never been as close as Vincent and Peter were, they’d been friendly.
Ronan nodded.“I’m glad you had him.I never want you to lose him, and I’m willing to do what I can to help.”
“Even though Peter can be an asshole sometimes?”
“He’s an asshole because he cares about you.He never hesitated to tell me when he thought I was being a dick.He never gave me the shovel talk, but he made clear that if anything ever happened, he’d stand with you, and I respect him for that.I never had a close friend like that, but I know how much the two of you mean to each other.”
“Thank you.”Vincent hadn’t expected anything different from his mate, but it was good to know that deep inside, Ronan was still the person he’d been years ago.What Fulton had done to him hadn’t touched that.
“What do you think Lou is going to do when we get there?”Ronan asked.
“That’s anyone’s guess.He’s going to try to stop Peter from leaving, but I don’t know what he’ll do to make sure he doesn’t.”
“Well, I’m willing to shift if I have to.”
