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Jack

I close the door behind me. “What the hell was that?”

Ian appears downright disgruntled as he lounges on the loveseat on the far side of my office. He sits forward and places his elbows on his knees, aggressively threading his hand through his hair as he studies the ground before he flops back onto the couch. “Fuck, like I said, it’s complicated.”

“I’m going to need more than that. Maggie is Gisella’s friend, and I would prefer not to be required to make sure you both behave when you have to be around each other at various social events in the future.”

Ian takes a few swallows from the beer I handed him. “It was a hookup gone wrong.” He pauses thoughtfully. “Or maybe right. I guess it depends on who you ask.”

“And if I am asking you? ”

He shrugs. “It changes with how I feel that day. Right now, it’s gone wrong.”

I sit at my desk and take a sip from my beer. I can’t quite understand, but I think I get the idea enough that I don’t push him any more. I hope they figure their shit out for Gisella’s sake.

Ian and I are very much alike. Nate always jokes he has to be the happy, positive one of the group to counteract Ian and my seriousness.

Ian and I were in the military together. We kept in touch after we parted ways. I hadn’t spoken to him in a few months when he called me out of the blue, saying he needed a job after being discharged. He stayed in after I left to do mercenary work, told me one of his last missions went catastrophically wrong, but he didn’t discuss it further. Even though he hides it well, he struggles with whatever happened. I hope he finds someone to talk to about it, preferably professionally. But at the very least, personally. I know things like that can’t be forced.

I tell him about the pictures. He’s just as dumbfounded as the rest of us.

“How is Ella handling it?”

I shrug. “All things considered, she’s handling all of this remarkably well. She’s definitely had her moments when she’s broken down, but she’s so fucking strong. Some days, I’m in awe of her.”

His deep chuckle has me deadpanning. “You’re so fucking smitten, it’s gross. It looks like all of Nate’s romantic bullshit he’s been spewing for years has finally sunk into your thick skull.”

“Your time will come, asshole.”

If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn he glanced in the direction of the living room. But I don’t press him, and he changes the subject.

We sit and talk about various things for another hour or so before he stands to leave.

“We going to have a problem on the way out?” I feel obligated to ask before we leave my office.

“Not unless Mags starts one.”

“Mags… Interesting.”

Ian ignores me as he walks out in the hallway. I’m grateful when we make it to the door with nothing more than a dirty look sent his way from the couch. I say goodbye to him and head to the kitchen to get some dinner.

“Maggie, you have to tell me at some point.”

I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but the open concept of my house makes that nearly impossible.

“I will. Just not right now.” Maggie sounds desperate for understanding as she answers Gisella.

I watch Gisella reach over and grasp her friend’s hand. “Okay, I’m here for you when and if you want to talk about it.”

Maggie places her other hand on top of Gisella’s. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

I bring my plate of food to our bedroom to let them enjoy their evening without me hovering. Maybe there’s a baseball game or something I can watch in bed.

Two hours later, I’m half asleep when the TV being turned off wakes me. The bed shifts as Gisella climbs into bed. Rolling toward her, I open my arms. I kiss the top of her head as she settles herself in her usual place on my chest, and I curl my arm around her shoulder .

“What a bizarre evening.”

What an understatement. “No kidding. I gathered you didn’t get any information from Maggie about what the hell that was between her and Ian?”

Gisella shakes her head against my chest. “Nope. I didn’t want to badger her too much. Did Ian tell you anything?”

I debate if he will be mad at me for telling her, but I don’t want to withhold anything. “He said they hooked up at some point.”

Gisella’s head pops up in surprise. “Really?”

I gently push her head back to my shoulder, kissing the top of her head once she is back in place. “Yes, really. But he didn’t give me any more information than that. Now let’s go to sleep.”

She hums against my chest as her hand runs down my torso and under the blanket. Her fingers slide beneath the band of my boxer briefs, and my body quickly responds as she strokes her soft hand up and down my shaft. “I have a better idea.”

I grab her hand from me and pin both of them above her head as I roll on top of her. Pressing against her wetness, I kiss her hard.

I like her idea better than sleeping, anyway.

I jolt awake in the middle of the night when my phone vibrates from the nightstand. It stops as I pick it up, but starts again a few seconds later.

“What is it?” Gisella asks sleepily from where she’s cuddled under the blankets at my side.

“I don’t know, baby. Go back to sleep.” My sleep-filled eyes finally focus enough to see that it’s Tyler. I sit up in bed. There’s no good reason he should be calling me at almost midnight. “Tyler, what’s wrong? Is your mom okay?”

After hearing who it is, Gisella sits up next to me. The moonlight filling the room exposes the concern on her face.

“My mom is fine. I was working that event in Germantown with Matt.”

Rustling comes through the phone, followed by muffled shouts.

“Tyler, what’s happening?”

“Matt was shot, Jack. I think they were trying to shoot me. He saved my life.” His voice is panicked, and my stomach drops at what he’s saying. “They’re taking him to Vanderbilt now.”

I look over at Gisella as she gasps and grips my bicep. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Hanging up, I climb out of bed, adrenaline pumping.

“I’m coming with you.”

“No, Gisella. Stay here. I’ll call one of the other guys to sit outside. But I need you to stay here,” I tell her adamantly.

She follows me into the closet, where I pull on a pair of jeans. “But I want to come to be there for you.” Tears are streaming down her cheeks. “For him. He sounded so scared.”

Seeing how concerned she is, I immediately soften. I stop buttoning my jeans and place both hands on her cheeks, tilting her face up to look into my eyes. “I know you do. I have no idea what I’m going to be walking into. I don’t want you anywhere near it, and I can’t keep an eye on you with everything else going on.”

Her voice breaks. “Why would he think someone was trying to shoot him? Tyler wouldn’t hurt anyone!”

I hug her to me, my lips pressing to the top of her head. “I don’t know, baby. But I’m going to find out. ”

I finish getting dressed, give Gisella one last kiss as I tuck her back into bed, and call one of the guys to sit outside my house.

Once they arrive, I pull out of my driveway and call Nate. It barely rings twice before he picks up. “This can’t be good.”

“It’s not. Matt was shot. Tyler was with him. They’re on their way to Vandy.”

“What the fuck?” he barks, shock evident in his tone.

“I’m heading to the hospital.”

“See you there.”

He disconnects, and I call Ian to make the same request. After he agrees to meet me and Nate, I make the rest of the drive, lost in thought.