Page 18

Liam shook his head, then stopped immediately and cringed. “I only had one.”

Randy appeared in the doorway with a fresh pair of gym pants slung around his waist. “It’s not just Liam. Dead Reid is sick too.”

Liam moaned, then moved over the bed again, angling himself over the trash can.

Looking up at Randy, I frowned. Poor Liam.

Randy gestured with his head for me to come there, so I did. When I got there, he said, “That was our friend Ren. He said Dean’s been feeling off.”

“Like Liam?” I asked.

“Not exactly,” Randy said. “Skin itching…” He lowered his voice. “Almost like he can feel the familiar on him again.”

My eyes rounded.

“It’s not there though. He’s fine.”

“Randy, Liam—”

“I know,” he said. “I wonder if this is remnants of the familiar? It’s making them both sick.”

“Or Jax is doing something,” I said, anger bubbling up inside me.

The bed creaked, and Liam laid down again. Big tough Randy took Liam’s garbage can from the room. I smiled after him as I did so. He disappeared for a few minutes while I ran my hand through Liam’s hair and then he returned with a clean trashcan.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Randy bristled. “You should see the shit that Liam has cleaned up for me.”

He shivered at the memory, and I had to stop myself from smiling. “I wasn’t judging.”

Liam rolled onto his stomach. “I think I’m okay now. I’m just going to sleep some more.” In no time at all, his chest raised and lowered in a steady beat.

Randy put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. We left Liam’s room, closing the door behind us until we made our way back out into the living room. Gabe shifted when we walked in, as if he was on the verge of waking up. I cleaned up after us from last night as Randy rummaged around the kitchen. “There’s literally nothing to eat in here.”

“Are you surprised?” I asked. “We haven’t been here in the longest time.”

He grunted in a non-answer that only proved how hungry he was. “Why don’t you go grab something?” I asked. “I’m sure Gabe and Travis will be up in a little while. Liam probably doesn’t want anything.”

“Did someone say food?” Gabe asked from the couch.

“Yes,” I whispered as I picked up the beer can that lay on its side next to his couch. Travis’s wind that morning had sent everything everywhere. I felt as if I was stuck in a college movie. I never had the experience myself, but this was what I imagined it would look like after drinking the night before. Evidence everywhere, yet still hungry the next day.

“Can’t you see that I’m still trying to sleep here?” Travis asked, his voice still sleepy.

Gabe grabbed a pillow from his couch and threw it at him. “Food, Mate.”

Travis sighed and put the recliner down on the chair until he was sitting straight up. He shook his head and ran his hands down his face. “Alright, but I’m going with Randy or he’ll just pick healthy shit.”

“I would not.”

Gabe laughed, his eyes still closed. He looked as if he’d been fighting about getting up for a while and still hadn’t given up the hope that he might fall back asleep if he’d just keep his eyes closed.

“Fine,” Randy said, “but we’re leaving now. Get your ass in the Jeep.”

“It’s my Jeep.”

Randy shook the chair Travis was still in. I stared at him. “Damn. Don’t poke the bear,” I said to Travis.

Randy smiled at me, then came over and kissed me on the nose. “Just hungry.”