Page 18 of Griffin (Stone Brothers #5)

SEVENTEEN

GRIFFIN

A s expected, Crusoe and Theo left the kitchen looking as if a hurricane had blown through.

There was even egg on the kitchen window.

I fumbled around for a bowl and poured myself cereal only to discover they'd used all the milk.

I really needed my own place. I'd stupidly told Shay she should live with me like some silly little kid.

It made sense that if she broke free of the asshole she was married to, then she'd be looking for some independence and freedom.

It made sense, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow.

It would be harder to protect her and make sure the asshole didn't come near her again once she was out of his control.

That need to protect her had grown so intense I wasn't sure how to deal with it.

All I knew was I was going to do everything and anything to make sure that fucker never hurt her again.

I picked at the dry cereal and debated whether or not to text her. I was acting like a fucking lovesick teen. I'd never questioned shit like that before, but I didn't want to scare her off. It was the last thing I wanted, and the last thing she needed was some jerk texting her all the time.

I heard shuffling around upstairs. Theo was getting up to go out for a bike ride.

He was supposed to be training, but lately, his late-night partying was getting in the way of it, and it was showing in the competitions.

He hadn't won a race in several months. He needed to settle the fuck down, but it seemed he was heading in the opposite direction, away from settling down and closer to spinning out of control.

His heavy steps plodded down the squeaky stairs.

He was groaning the whole way down. He reached the kitchen.

A cloud cover was dimming the amount of sunlight streaming in through the small kitchen window, but he still squinted painfully.

His hair was bunched up like a bird's nest, and he looked as if one wrong move would make him puke.

"You got egg on the windows," I said as I picked up a piece of cereal.

Theo lifted his hand. "No, don't mention eggs. Don't even mention fucking chickens because those suckers are the ones to pop out the eggs." He headed straight to the kitchen sink, turned on the water and splashed it on his face.

"Thought you were training with the team today," I said.

"What are you my fucking personal secretary? I'm going. Just going to be late."

He sat down and stared at the empty coffeepot across the way. "Aren't you going to make some coffee?" he asked as he rubbed his temple.

"Nope. I was too disgusted with the state of the kitchen."

Theo thumped the table with his fist. His face scrunched up. "Shit, that was loud. Well, guess if there's no coffee, I'll go up and shower."

"Do whatever the hell you want."

"Fuck off, Fin, and I thought she was married." He grabbed the cereal box and shoved his hand into it. A cascade of cereal came out with his big fist.

"Yeah, well it's complicated." I looked up at him. "You going to tell me what's going on?" I asked.

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? You don't think the partying is getting a little out of control for someone who prides himself on being a topnotch athlete? You're spiraling, bro, and you fucking know it."

"Are you a fucking psychologist now? I'm fine. Nothing to talk about."

Crusoe walked in right then. He'd fared a lot better after the long night but then I knew Crusoe. He usually cut himself off early, so he wouldn't feel like shit in the morning. Theo used to do the same.

"Lacey Michaels is getting married." Crusoe scratched his belly and looked around at the kitchen. "Theo, you said the clean-up fairies would come in the middle of the night and take care of this shit."

I looked over at Theo. Crusoe had dropped a bomb and then moved right on to the mess in the kitchen, but it was the bomb that had caught my attention. Theo looked miserable, and in more ways than one.

"That's it, bro, isn't it?" I asked.

Theo shrugged. "What do I care? She left me without looking back, so I sure as hell ain't going to give a flying fuck about her getting married." Theo walked out.

Theo and Lacey Michaels had been a couple in high school.

They were one of those couples who everyone just assumed would end up married after graduation, but Lacey got accepted to an East Coast college, and that was the end of the relationship.

Theo was devastated and there was more to the story but he refused to talk about it.

One thing was certain, he'd never stopped loving her.

Crusoe moved some of the dirty dishes aside, so he could make a piece of toast.

"When did he hear?" I asked.

Crusoe looked up through a tangle of dark hair. He pushed it back, away from his eyes. "Hear what?"

"God, you're a fucking idiot."

"Oh, that thing about Lacey. We were at a race last month, and remember that guy, shit, can't remember his name, but we all called him Crane because he had that freakish long neck."

"Jimmy Roberts, yeah, what about him?"

"He used to live next door to Lacey's family, and her parents still live there.

Crane asked Theo if he'd heard that Lacey was marrying some rich doctor.

Theo looked as if someone had slammed him in the gut.

He came in fifth. I almost think Crane did it on purpose cuz he knew it was going to take Theo right out of the running. "

"How would Crane know that Theo still had a thing for Lacey? It's been years since he's even seen her."

Crusoe shrugged. "Don't know. Just thought that he did it on purpose. Even if he didn't, it fucked up Theo's ride."

"Well, that explains why he's partying so hard. You know, you could help him. You're both always out together."

Crusoe turned and looked at me as if I'd just asked him to cut off his own balls. "I'm not going to be a mother hen to my buddy. He's fine. Let him get it out of his system."

"Just last week he was bitching and groaning because one of his sponsorships was pulled. If he keeps coming in fifth, then he'll lose all of them. He's supposed to be out training today."

"Is he?" Crusoe grabbed the piece of toast, dropped it fast on the plate and waved his fingers to cool them. "Look, I'm not going to lecture him about his partying. I'll leave that to the two grannies of the bunch, you and Jaxon, but honestly, he'll get past this soon. It'll be fine."

"Yeah, if you say so." I got up from the table.

Crusoe leaned against the counter and chewed his toast. "Can you imagine?" he asked.

"Imagine what?"

"Having your balls in such a twist about some girl you dated in high school or having your balls in a twist about any chick at all?"

I thought about last night and my time with Shay. "Actually, I can."

Crusoe's eyes widened. "Yeah? That woman from work? Theo said she was married. But man, she could dance."

"Yep. I'm going out to get some decent coffee. Clean up this fucking mess."

"Yes, ma'am," Crusoe called back.

My phone rang when I reached my room. Ballerina came up on the screen. "Hey, Ballerina." I could feel my face break in half with a smile. I had it bad.

"This isn't something I've done in a long time.

" She giggled nervously. "Actually, I don't think I've ever done this, call a boy, that is, but I guess since I'm calling Greta I'm not really calling a boy.

And speaking of boys, oh boy, do I sound like a raving lunatic right now.

I was just wondering if you wanted to go?—"

"Yes, I do," I answered enthusiastically.

Shay laughed. "I haven't even said where yet. What if I was about to ask if you want to go to the landfill and watch garbage trucks dump their loads?"

"It'd still be a yes."

"Well, then, I was going to see if you wanted to get coffee. We'll leave the landfill idea for another day. I can pick you up. And there's another first for me. Asking a boy on a date and volunteering to pick him up. I'm kind of liking this new me."

"I'm liking all of you. I'll be ready in twenty minutes. Does that work?"

"It sure does. See you soon. Oh and Fin, thanks."

"Thanks for what?"

"Don't know. Just felt like I needed to say it. Be there in twenty."