Page 160 of Love Thy Brother
“You don’t need them yet.”
“It’s fucking freezing in here.”
“All right, all right.” He crouched and retrieved a plastic bag from under the bed. It held my boots, jeans, and one of Oscar’s T-shirts.
I frowned at the T-shirt. “I was wearing that?”
“I guess so. I don’t remember.”
Neither did I. But when a nurse that wasn’t Skylar came and disconnected my spent IV, I put it on all the same. “What happened to Cam’s jacket?”
“You weren’t wearing anyone’s jacket when we found you.”
“That’s where I found the powder. In his pocket from the raid. I don’t even know what it was.”
Rubi fiddled with my hair again. “Don’t think about it. I’ll get Nash to check there’s no more.”
“Don’t tell Cam that part.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
We lapsed into silence. Me drifting while Rubi couldn’t seem to sit still. I was too fucking wrecked to absorb his agitation, but it got under my skin anyway.
“Wanna talk about it?”
Anxious hazel eyes met mine. “Talk about what?”
“Whatever’s got you all jittery.”
“I’m not jittery.” Rubi crossed his arms, hiding his restless hands.
Couldn’t hide his face, though. Or his heart.
Not from me.
I stared him down and he rose, pacing the small space around the bed.
“You can’t go back to your house.”
I knew that. My house was a literal deathtrap, and whatever miracle Nash was going to pull before Oscar got back wasn’t happening today. “I was kinda hoping you’d put me up for a few days, boo.”
Rubi stopped stomping around and whirled to face me. “A few days?”
“Maybe a week? I don’t know how long it takes to fit a boiler. I skipped out on that part of my dad’s house building masterclass.”
No lie. Cam was the construction overlord. If it didn’t have an engine, I didn’t give a fuck. Never had.
“Riv, you’re not staying with me for a goddamn week.”
Rubi’s sharp tone cracked like a whip.
I flinched. “Okay. I’ll stay with Orla.”
“You’re not listening to me.” Rubi’s big body blurred and he appeared in front of me, gripping my chin with more force than my aching bones were ready for. “We’re done with being temporary. If you come back to my house, it’s forever.”
“Forever?”
“That’s what I said. You need me to repeat myself?”
