Page 30 of Love Thy Brother
“That’s my point.”
“That he needs to fuck other people?”
“Other men, maybe. And I’m okay with that. It’s a shared hobby, after all.”
“That’s the weirdest take on bisexuality I’ve ever heard.”
“Is it?” Wherever Orla was, a door opened and closed. “Or is it just different to yours? What if Nash needs both? What if he loves me as much as he ever has, but he won’t feel whole until he explores that side of himself? And no, drunk-boning you ten years ago doesn’t count.”
I laughed into a cringe. “Hope you’re not bellowing that information out into a crowded room.”
“As if you give a shit.”
I didn’t. Wasn’t sure if Cam knew that particular juicy nugget of club history, but I wasn’t heartbroken over him finding out.
“I don’t give a shit,” I agreed, letting the rest of it percolate. Puzzling it out. Honestly, regardless of gender, I couldn’t see Nash and Orla having an open relationship. But I saw the sense in what she was saying. “You guys need a boyfriend.”
Orla treated me to another filthy laugh. “Oh really, brother. You think?”
She hung up, leaving me with the aftermath of the most mind-bending conversation I’d had for a while.
I tossed my phone on a nearby coffee table. It disappeared into the mess of bike and ink magazines.
Didn’t miss it. I leaned forward and scrubbed my hands down my face.“If we hadn’t made him promise.”
Maybe she hadn’t meant Cam.
“Everything okay?”
I let my hands drop.
River stood over me, a mug in one hand, an unlit cigarette in the other.
He doesn’t smoke. Not unless he was wasted or anxious as hell.
That was my first thought.
The second was how devastatingly beautiful he was. Like, stab-me-through-the-heart gorgeous. Messy hair hanging over his face. Brown eyes simmering with an emotion he didn’t seem to like.
Answer the question.
“All fine. Just chatting up your sister.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Is she okay?”
Was she? Fuck, I had no idea. And I couldn’t lie to River. Not again. I wouldn’t survive it. “She’s stressed about Nash. Thinks he’s tearing himself up for decking me in the face.”
River offered me the cigarette.
I waved it away.
He upgraded his offer to the tea. It was milk-less, but I needed that sweet elixir in my life like I needed goddamn air. “Thanks.”
River slid the smoke behind his ear. Somewhere along the line, he’d lost his pencil.
