Page 68 of Deceptive Games

“No. Never put my problems before your own. I’m glad you called me. I’m fine, honestly. Jense is freaking out about you not talking to him though. Can you maybe?—”

“I don’t want to talk to him,” he cut in, and I sighed.

“Regardless of what’s happened, he’s still your friend. He’s really worried about you. Just text him to say you’re okay. That’s it.”

“You tell him.”

“I have but he wants to hear it from you.”

Tension lined his brow as he thought about it before shaking his head. “I can’t or he’ll know I’m lying.”

“Then tell him you’re not okay but you will be. If you keep ignoring him, he’ll only show up to see for himself,” I warned, conflict on his face.

“I should. Do you mind if I call him?”

“You do that and I can text Caden and Ty to let them know you’re okay,” I encouraged, giving him a quick kiss as he climbed out of bed and moved into the hallway for privacy.

I took the time to glance around his room, noting that not much had changed since we were kids. There weren't a lot of personal touches because he barely spent time here, and my heart hurt as my eyes landed on the blood stains on the floor. We’d cleaned it as best as we could, but it was still noticeable.

Lifting my gaze to the window, I stared at the house next door. It looked the same as it had when I’d been a child, flickers of memories rushing at me of playing in the yard with Lukas, swimming in the pool, and Mom scolding me for running in the kitchen when she was baking.

I wondered if the family that owned it now had children who raced up and down the multiple stories of stairs, if they’d learned to swim in the pool like I had, or had pancakes for breakfast in the kitchen with their mom singing along to the radio.

My eyes jerked to the door when I heard Lukas let out a sob in the hallway, and I stopped myself from climbing out of bed and going to him when I heard him begging Jensen to come over. He was just upset and needed a minute.

I’d helped dress him, so I knew he had nothing on him to hurt himself.

My phone buzzed and Caden’s name popped up on the screen with a message.

Caden: How bad is he? Jense just ran out of here like his ass was on fire.

Rory: Pretty bad. He’d calmed down until he called Jensen. Hopefully having him here will help and not make it worse.

Caden: Does he need us too? Are you okay?

Rory: I’m fine. I think he’d freak out if you guys showed up too. I’ll call if we need you.

Caden: Thanks.

I looked up as the door opened and Lukas appeared, holding his phone out to me as he tried to get his emotions in check again. “Jense wants to talk to you.”

I stood and took the phone, pressing it to my ear. “Hey.”

“He cut himself? How deep? Should I bring bandages? My questions are upsetting him more and I can’t understand him properly,” Jensen said instantly, my eyes tracking Lukas as he moved towards the bed and curled up into a ball, facing away from me.

“He let me call Skeet for help, so he’s patched up now. He needed a few stitches, but most just needed cleaning and bandaging,” I explained, hearing the Camaro rev louder as he floored it.

“He needed stitches?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be there in two minutes,” he replied before hanging up, and I climbed back onto the bed to wrap my arm around Lukas to wait.

Tires screeched outside a minute later, and the front door slammed before footsteps thumped up the stairs and Jensen ran in, not hesitating to move around to Lukas’ side of the bed and lie down to hold him.

Lukas broke all over again as he sobbed into Jensen’s chest, and part of me wondered how often Jensen had handled situations like this on his own.

He managed to calm Lukas down with soft words and touches, raking his fingers through Lukas’ hair as he held him close.