Page 70 of Heat & Deceit
“No, but I know she does. I hate me too.”
“Don’t say that.”
He huffs. “Why not? I’m no good.”
“You’re letting those intrusive thoughts win.” I shake my head and flick his head. “Probably because you’re drunk off your ass.”
“Off my ass,” he says with a laugh. “My ass is right here.” He smacks his butt, and I roll my eyes.
“Always a funny guy, huh?”
“I should leave.”
“You’re not going anywhere like this.”
“No,” he says sharply, sitting up and grabbing my arm tight enough to bruise. His bleary gaze sets on mine. “I mean the pack. You guys would be better off.”
“The fuck, we would.” I scowl at him. “You’re pack and you’re not leaving.”
“We’ll be alone for the rest of our lives.” Ly releases a heavy sigh, covering his face with his hands. “I can’t do that to you guys,” he says, the words muffled.
“It’s not your decision. Javi and I have as much say as you do about the future of our pack. We’d rather have you than an omega we hardly know.”
“But what if—”
“Fuck the what if, Ly!” I suck in a breath and lower my voice. “Fuck the what if,” I repeat. “We’d be incomplete without you. You’re family.” It’s hard to be pissed at him, but a tiny burst of anger flares inside of me.I hate being mad at him for how he feels, but he’s so wrong.
“I’m so drunk,” he says, scrubbing his hands over his face.
“Yeah, you are.” I want to ask,Why’d you drink so much in the first place?But that conversation is probably better left for when he’s sober. “You need to sleep. No arguing.”
He grumbles but follows me out of the room. As soon as his head hits his pillow, he’s asleep. I sit on the edge of his bed, my jaw clenching as everything he said replays in my head. How can someone so amazing hate themselves so much? I may not understand how he can feel that way, but I know he needs our support.
A while later, Javi softly raps his knuckles on the door. I lift my gaze to meet his, and he tips his head toward the living room. Glancing back at Ly, I check to make sure he’s still asleep before getting up and following Javi to the couches.
“He okay?”
I sigh and shrug. “I don’t think so. He needs to talk to someone.”
“We’ll discuss it with him in the morning.” Javi drums his fingers on the arm of the chair.
“Carmine?”
“No worse for wear. She said he wasn’t so bad.”
I shake my head at that. “He was in pretty rough shape when I found him.”
“I figured, but she wasn’t too bothered by it.” His gaze shifts to meet mine. “What do you think of her?”
I think she’s complicated. I think there’s more to her than she lets on. I think someone’s hurt her, and I want to make them pay. I think she’s beautiful. I think about her too much. I think he does too.
“She’s...something.”
He squints at me. “Something.”
I nod.
Humming, his eyes drift around the room. “Something, indeed.”
