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That’s why I had to learn to be the calm one. To be the quiet one. To be cold. Somebody has to be the person to tame the chaos surrounding him.
It’s why the guys always watch him to gauge what’s going on with both of us. I’m a solid wall when it comes to what I’m thinking, while Damon is a neon sign laying it all out for everyone to easily see.
“Are you going to keep being a complete ass to her?” he asks, his shoulders heaving with heavy breath.
I rub at my jaw, stretch it to ease the pain, and pull my hand down to rub the blood between my fingers.
“I told her I’d apologize for that every day for the rest of my life.”
He grins.
“Sounds like something she’d require. Red isn’t one to let that go until you’ve learned your damn lesson.”
Which is why she’s a queen, even if she won’t accept the truth.
“Yeah, I know.”
“Did she hand your ass to you?”
My grin matches his.
“I had to kick in her front door and bedroom door to get to her. Then she yelled at me so loud her brother came in and tried to beat my ass.”
Damon’s head lifts, a stare that is identical to mine pinning me in place.
“Dylan tried to fight you?”
“To protect her.”
His brow cocks, the expression almost lost to the swelling in his face.
“About time.”
“We’ll probably need to teach him to fight. I was able to throw him off way too easily.”
Nodding at that, Damon exhales heavily.
“I know you love her, Ezra. It’s impossible not to. And if this is what makes both of you happy, then I’m okay with it.”
Relief floods me, my shoulders withering as I blink sweat from my eyes.
“Thank you.”
Dropping his face into his hands, Damon sits still for several minutes, the chaos swirling and snapping again.
There’s nothing I can say to calm that storm, to stop the spinning. He just needs to get to a point where he can let it go.
Eventually, he lifts his head again and asks, “Do you need me to talk to her? Tell her that I can live with this?”
I nod. “She won’t do this if you don’t.”
Pain flashes across his expression. Not that I don’t understand. I’d be torn as fuck if I had to tell Emily that I give my blessings for her to be with another man.
“I’ll talk to her,” he says as he pushes up to his feet.
Taking a few steps to leave, he stops in place and turns back to me.
“Treat her right, Ezra. I think you already know I’ll kill you if you ever hurt her.”