Page 38 of Has-Been
“Seth, this isn’t Has-Been’s fault.”
Has sighed, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ear, and I watched as my brother glowered at him, like he wanted to rip his hand off for even touching me.
“Shhh it’s okay, babe. All that matters right now is you. I shouldn’t have risked taking you away from here.”
“I can’t stay locked in a room forever, and this could have happened any time I left.”
Seth frowned, his eyes moving unseeingly, as if he was puzzling something out.
“We were in the middle of nowhere… what were the chances that this was an opportunist… whoever this is, he knew. He knew you were there. If it’s the bastard who was messaging you-”
“It was, he said so.”
“Fuck,” Has-Been muttered, taking my hand again and squeezing it. “Somehow he’s tracking her, or he’s tracking us.” His eyes met Seth’s and, despite the animosity, I saw them puzzling things out together.
“You don’t have the same phone as before, so it’s not that.”
Seth wasn’t talking to me, not really. He was working things out. Plotting. His eyes suddenly lifted, and he was looking at Has again.
“But you had yours.”
Has-Been pulled the phone out of his jeans pocket and stared at it.
“Whoever hacked Ice could have accessed any of our numbers, and could be tracking any of us. Just in case though, Ice needs to take a look at this, right?”
Seth nodded as he took the phone from him.
“Sweets, let’s get you settled in your room first, then we’ll get him on this.”
“Only if Has stays with me.”
Seth grimaced, and I saw his fists clench.
“I’m not okay with this. One of the old ladies should stay with you.”
“Why, because I’m a pathetic virgin who can’t possibly be around a man in case my virginity accidentally evaporates?”
I saw the same awkward embarrassment on all three faces as I spoke.
“Wait… you’re… I mean, you’re still…”
I rolled my eyes at my brother.
“Yes, I’m still pathetic, thanks for focusing on that. Can I go now? I want to get clean, and I want Has to hold me while I sleep. You know, Seth, you can judge him all you want, but he’s been a perfect gentleman, no matter how many times I tried throwing myself at him. That’s because he’s been trying to honour you, and this club. He’s not the bad guy, but there is one out there, and you need to stop him.”
Twenty-Five
Iwassoproudofmy feisty girl, as she effortlessly handed Stitch his ass, and then reached for me, so I could help her off the damn bed. Doc handed us a bathrobe, and I carefully wrapped it around her, and fastened it, so she could get to her room without eyes on her. Not that she was fucking walking anywhere right now though.
“Gonna carry you, babe, is that okay?”
She nodded, and right in front of her fucking brother, I kissed her forehead, and lifted her into my arms, cradling her against my chest.
“Keep me posted, but obviously I don’t have my phone now, so yeah, you know where to find me.”
I thanked the doc, and headed for the door, which he pulled open for me. I couldn’t believe Stitch was actually letting me walk out of the room with her, but I wasn’t about to delay getting her comfortable. The hall was dark and quiet, but as I approached Elise’s room, she suddenly clutched me tighter and started shaking her head.
“What’s up, babe? I need your keys.”
