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“Is your dad still calling you?”
“Yeah,” he answers, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Shane told Ezra about that, but not all of the other stuff.”
“He saw me at William’s house.”
His eyes snap to mine. “Ezra?”
I nod. “It’s why he was so mad at the cabin. Why he did what he did. I haven’t had a chance to tell you.”
“Fuck, Red. That would have explained a lot. I thought he pulled that stunt just to hurt you.”
A thread of anger snaps through me, and I realize I still haven’t fully forgiven Ezra for what he did.
It’ll take months of groveling for him to escape that.
Actions always speak louder than words with me, and starting a fistfight with Damon is not a good start.
“So what did you tell him about why you were over there?”
“I lied and said I was trying to find out what happened with you two on the weekends you were gone. I don’t think he believed me, but he’s dropped it for now.”
Damon knows his twin better than anybody, and what he says next is absolutely true.
“He’ll bring it up again. Will you keep lying?”
My stomach clenches, a sinking feeling taking over.
“What choice do I have?”
“Damn it.” He shifts his position to lay flat on his back.
With his eyes staring up at the ceiling, Damon exhales loudly, his chest rising and falling with breath.
“It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to go over there again, and maybe Ezra will be too focused on finally being with you to worry about it.”
I grow quiet, my thoughts racing through everything that’s been done.
“Do you think it will work?”
“It has to.”
He rolls his head over the mattress to look at me, and I wonder when the day will come that pain doesn’t flicker behind his eyes when they meet mine.
It’s probably best I don’t touch him, but I can’t help reaching over to cup my palm against his cheek.
Like Ezra, he leans into the touch, a silent communication between all of us that I’m standing with them.
I’m here, that touch says.No matter what.
“What about Tanner and Gabe?” I ask, knowing that if they suspect something is going on, they’ll blow up.
I’m still not entirely sure what they’re after, but I know it has a lot to do with Luca and Ivy’s dads. I’ve just been too tied up with Ezra and Damon to pay attention.
“As long as they don’t find out, they won’t tear us a new asshole for what we’ve done. We all have our battles to fight. And what we’re doing won’t get in the way of what they’re after.”
We both grow quiet, our eyes dancing together for several minutes.
“I love you,” I say without thinking that maybe I should keep it to myself.