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.I was glad she wasn’t here to see it.“Shit, that’s right.Okay, hold on.Where are you?” I told her that I was waiting outside my room and she said to stay there and that help was on the way.A few minutes later, Audrey appeared down the hall and smiled at me.“Catch,” she said, throwing something at me.It was a set of keys.I caught them and jogged after her.“You can take Will’s truck.We’re borrowing a vehicle from Stryker for the time being.You really need to get a car,” she said.“Yes, thank you for stating the obvious,” I said, and then regretted it.“I’m sorry, I’m just worried.” She gave me a brilliant smile.She had great teeth.“I totally understand.” The green truck was out front and I hopped up into it and gunned the engine.I thanked God Stryker’s apartment was just outside of campus and it only took a few minutes to get there.I parked in the lot, taking up two spaces because I didn’t care.I got out and then I was running into the building and up the stairs.The door banged open and I went for my girl.“Ow,” she said as I hugged her hard enough to crack her ribs.I didn’t care.I was just so glad she was okay.“I’m sorry,” I said in her ear as I stroked her hair.It was still wet from the shower and dripping down her back.The only part of her visible was her face because the rest of her was covered in enough towels for a beach party.Someone cleared their throat and I looked up to find Stryker watching me.I looked back at him with steady eyes.I wanted him to know I was all in.I loved his sister and I wanted to take care of her.He searched me for a long time and then his eyes flicked to Trish.“Can you stop with the eyeball pissing contest?” she said and I made a face.“Pissing eyeballs.That’s not an image I really want in my head,” I said and she stuck her tongue out at me.“Are you cold? We should probably get some dry clothes on you,” I said.Before I could ask, Stryker handed me a t-shirt, pants and underwear.They were all pink and I didn’t have to guess who they belonged to.“You can take her in the bedroom,” he said, stepping back.Like he was handing over custody.I tried not to think about it too much as I gathered Trish up and helped her to the back of the apartment where Stryker and Katie’s bedroom was.I’d never been in there, but I didn’t spare a second to look around.I had more important things to deal with.“Let’s get you dressed,” I said, and slowly unearthed Trish from the mound of towels.“Where are you?” I joked as I piled more and more of them on the floor.“I’m right here,” she said, giving me a tired smile.She looked like she needed to sleep for several days.I’d seen her just this morning when we’d enjoyed some naked time.I could still taste her on my lips.Now, though, she looked worn out and… older.Much older than her almost-nineteen years.At last I got the towels and her clothes off.I found a blanket at the end of the bed and decided to wrap her in that once I got fresh clothes on her.It was a job peeling her skinny jeans from her legs, as well as her boots.She shook uncontrollably when I got her naked, so I rushed to get her clothed again.I felt a lot better when she had dry clothes and was bundled up like a human burrito in the spare blanket.Of course, it too was pink.The room was a mishmash of girly pink and Stryker’s more industrial style.Somehow it worked.Just like their relationship.“Do you want to lie down?” I asked and she nodded and then yawned.I helped her swing her feet up on the bed and she scooted backward and cuddled into the pillows.I made absolutely sure she was covered and not freezing before I gathered up the towels and left the room, closing the door softly.“She’s taking a nap, I think,” I said to Stryker as he looked up from the stove.It smelled like he was making soup or something.He turned the burner off and nodded.“Good.She’s going to need it.” I asked him what to do with towels and he pointed to the hamper.I tossed them in and then wasn’t sure what to do.He leaned against the counter and I saw that Trish wasn’t the only one who needed a nap.Stryker had dark circles under his eyes and he was paler than normal.“You okay?” I asked.He looked up as if he’d forgotten I was there.“Oh, yeah.Sure.”“It can’t be easy.The baby and the wedding and now this,” I said.I wasn’t super good at talking to people about stuff like this, but I was going to give it a shot.“I guess,” he said, pushing off from the counter and going to the fridge.“Want one?” he asked holding out a can of beer.“No, I’m good.” I was underage and it was also the middle of the day.“I don’t like to drink in front of Katie because she can’t and it makes me feel like an asshole,” he said, popping the top.“So I get it when I can.” He sipped and seemed to relish the taste.“If you don’t mind, I’m going to just hang out here and wait for her,” I said, even though it was going to be hella awkward.I didn’t care.I could endure it for Trish.I could endure just about anything for her.He shrugged one shoulder.“Suit yourself.” Going to the couch, he crashed down on it and turned on the television at a low volume.Guessing it was okay, I went over and joined him, but sat in one of the other chairs.“You don’t say a lot, you know,” he said, turning his attention to me.“Yeah, I know.Takes me a long time to get comfortable with other people, I guess.”“But not with my sister,” he said, pointing at me with his can.“No.Not with her.” I couldn’t help but smile when I thought about how easy it was to talk to Trish.Like we’d known each other our entire lives but had lost our memory of it.“You love her,” he said.A statement.No hint of a question.“Yes,” I said with full conviction.“I love her more than I’ve ever loved anything.I loved her the very first second I met her.” Stryker took another sip from his beer and nodded.Was he grilling me? Silently?“My sister doesn’t trust easily.I guess you know a little bit of why.Nearly every single person she’s ever counted on has abandoned or disappointed or hurt her.”I kept silent.I was waiting to see where this was going to go.I hoped it ended up in my favor.“The very fact that she even told you anything about her past is a fucking miracle, to be honest and it tells me two things.One, that she trusts you, or she’s starting to and two, that she loves you.”My heart landed on the floor.It had fallen out of my chest in shock.“Wait, what?” I said.I needed him to rewind and say that again.He looked at me without blinking.“She loves you.” I opened my mouth but no words would come out.Again.“She’s not going to say it.We both have a problem with those three little words.” He cracked a small smile.“Trish called me out when she knew I loved Katie.I tried to deny it, but I was being a dumbass.I’d loved her the whole time.I was just too stubborn to admit it.” That sounded familiar.Like brother like sister?He sighed.“What I’m trying to say is that she cares about you.A lot.And I know you care about her.I’m hoping you’re going to be willing to stick around.To go the distance.To fight for her.” I licked my lips, ready to jump in and tell him I’d do all of those things, but he wasn’t done.“She’s not an easy person to love, that’s for damn sure [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]