Page 114 of Lovers Like Us

I bite down. “But you could’ve still toldme.”

“Like you would’ve told me if that had been my siblings. If that had been Eliot or Tom or Ben or Audrey—like you would’vesharedanything withme?”

I gape. “I’ve fuckingtried. For years, Charlie, I’vetried.You never answer, you never reply. You hang up on me, so I stopped. You want me to start filling you in when they call me? I will, I fuckingwill.”

Charlie grinds his teeth, pain leeching hisface.

What isit?

What did I do? I feel like I’m close to an answer that I’ve never seen. Never held. “Charlie—”

“I’m not your wingman or yoursidekick.I don’t needyou.”

I breathe heavily like we’re running for our lives in the same endless circle. “Then you don’t need me, but being a good brother, a good cousin, even, means protecting the people we love. And what you did could’ve killedher.”

He nods slowly. “Just say it, youcoward.”

“You’re ashitcousin.”

Charlie charges me. I let him tackle me to the asphalt. I even let his fist bang into my jaw. Then I return the blow. We’re all anger and fists and unspoken pasts andpain.

I don’t see clear until hands wedge underneath my armpits and thrust me backwards. I spit a wad of blood onto theice.

Charlie’s cheekbone swells, and Oscar seizes him around the waist. Restraining mycousin.

Regret gnaws at me. From behind me, Farrow wraps his bicep around my collarbone, the embrace protective andcalming.

Oscar looks between Charlie and me. “You two get that out of your systems? The moment we step onto that bus, it’s a no-fightingzone.”

We’requiet.

“Maximoff,” Farrow says, his even-keeled heartbeat thumps against my back. Soothing me, and I take these deep breaths that ache withregret.

“We’re good,” I mutter, but afor nowhangs in the air. Because even with fists and fleeting hugs and half-hearted apologies—our discord never seems toend.

* * *

We return to the bus,and Charlie darts for the bathroom. Beckett springs up from the couch and follows. Door slams, and an ornament attached to the ceiling thuds to thefloor.

Jane, Sulli, and Luna are on one couch beneath a giant fleece blanket. WatchingBabes in Toylandon the screen. I meet Janie’s big blue eyes that saycalm down. Benice.

I’ll try not to be ahardass.

Akara’s voice escalates from the privacy of the second lounge. “No, you can’t talk your way out of this! There’s no defending it!” Donnelly, Quinn, and Thatcher must be in there, and I’m guessing they’re on the phone with J.P., Luna’s bodyguard who fuckedup.

Farrow and Oscar glance at eachother.

“I’m not going back there. I’ve had enough drama.” Oscar camps out on the driver’s seat and slides the door shut, blocking out the first lounge. Bus is stillparked.

“You need ice?” Farrow asksme.

“No.” I crack a reddened knuckle, and we both sit on the available couch. So close together, my thigh presses against histhigh.

Luna gawks at my bloody lip. “I didn’t think you’d fight withhim.”

“It’s fine.” I rake a hand through my thick hair. “What’s not cool is that you ditched your bodyguard. You know how unsafe that is? Paparazzi could’ve run you off the road, you could’ve beenhurt—”

“I was safe,” she says quickly. “No paparazzi tailed me, and I traded my Kia for that used Jetta. I had a plan. AsolidA-plus plan. And J.P. would’ve snitched on me to Mom and Dad. They both would’ve saidno,and I wanted to be…here with all ofyou.”