Page 14 of Loving Wild

“Multiple times, to me anyway. I’m not sure what you said to your brothers, I went to bed. The last thing I needed last night was any more drama or to witness any more violence.” I meet his eyes with a steely stare of my own. Yeah, I might’ve looked after him while he was sick in the early hours, but that doesn’t mean all is forgiven.

“Fucking hell, Ren. I don’t know what I can say. I know sorry’s not enough, but that’s what I am. I’m sorry.”

He rolls off me and onto his back. We lay side by side, both staring up at the ceiling.

“How areyoufeeling?” he finally asks. Rolling back on top of me but supporting his weight on his elbows, his eyes dart all over my face. “The side of your face is bruised,” he says while brushing his thumb gently over my cheek.

“I ache,” I tell him. “My fingers are tender, and I’ve got a couple of lumps like golf balls on my head.” I shrug. “It’s all superficial on the outside. It’s the inside that hurts,” I admit. “You both hurt me in ways I never imagined I could be hurt yesterday.”

He brings his forehead down to rest on mine.

“I know I keep repeating myself, but I swear, I’ll do everything I can to make this right. I promise to do better.”

He smells like toothpaste—which is a good thing considering how many times he threw up last night—and shower gel and shampoo. He smells of all things Gabe. It’s delicious, but I refuse to become intoxicated by his heady aroma like I usually do. He fucked up, and it’s my duty as a woman to make him pay.

A phone rings somewhere in the house. Mine’s on the chest of drawers beside the bed, so I assume it’s Gabe’s.

“Did everyone leave last night?” I ask.

“Everyone?”

“Your family and Jo were here.”

He shifts his position and meets my eyes again.

“I reckon so. I’ve no clue what time it was when I woke up on the sofa, but there was no one else here then. What time did you go to bed?”

Gabe’s phone rings again before I can answer.

“That’s yours. Someone obviously needs to talk to you.”

He rolls off me and out of bed, his hand going to his head and rubbing it as he walks out of the room wearing just his boxers.

He has a ridiculously fine arse, so of course I watch.

“I’m too old for this fucking shit,” he mumbles while pressing his laced fingers down on top of his head.

“Make some coffee while you’re up,” I call out.

“I’m fucking dying here, Ren. If you loved me, you’d make the coffee.”

My stomach flips at the wordlovedand continues performing backflips as I respond. “Love you? I don’t think I even like you right now, Wild, so just die quietly would you, but not until you’ve made coffee.”

He doesn’t reply. Silently, I stare out of the bedroom door he left open. Within moments, he fills the space and leans against the frame, phone to his ear.

“Yeah, It’s Gabe Wild. I had a message to call you,” I sit up as he speaks into the phone.

His eyes hit mine, then trail a path to my chest. I know without checking, my nipples are erect and obvious through the vest I went to bed in. I shake my head and roll my eyes.

“Okay, when was that?” he asks, his gaze landing back on mine.

“Can I ask where?”

I pull my knees up and lean against the headboard, already knowing this call is about Jason.

“Yeah, four will be fine. Thanks for letting us know.”

He ends the call and moves towards me.