Page 94 of Loving Wild

“Something you said the other night, Lou, has been on my mind all week. You asked me if dealing with Gabe’s exes hurt more than being away from him, and the honest answer to that, is no. Nothing hurts more than being away from him, but I’ve needed this time to work that out.” My eyes slice to Dani. “Sorry, Dan, for saying this in front of you, but your brother’s so fucking hot, my brain has to constantly battle my vagina as to who’s running the show when I’m around him, and this week, I needed my head to do the thinking.”

Dani shrugs. “Been hearing it all my adult life, about all of my brothers. Even before then, before I knew what hot meant. Even heard my mates’mumstalking about them,” she adds with a shrug.

My eyes dart to Jess and Sam before landing back on Dani, and try as I might, I can’t fight the thought that Dani’s comment just planted in my head, and I instantly wonder if Gabe ever fucked one of her mates’ mums.

I take a long swig of my drink and put that one away to deal with never, or until it wakes me up at three a.m. one random morning.

“And what did you decide?” Dani’s voice butts into my thoughts, and I’m not sure I like her tone. “Becausemybrother is a fucking mess, and the only reason he’s holding it together with any semblance of sanity is due to his conviction thatyou’removing back in with him on Sunday.”

I feel everyone shift slightly but keep my eyes fixed on Dani. I narrow them, and this time it’s me who tilts my head to the side.

“Do you know the reasons why I felt the need for space this week? Do you know the things he said and did last Sunday? That he lied about where he’d been when he left me on one of the worst nights of my life?”

“No,” she snaps back. “I just know my brother’s hurting, and he’s expecting that hurt to end on Sunday when you go back to him.”

“He was the one who told me to fucking leave.” I lean towards her but keep my voice lowered. “AfterI found out he was drinking with Alysa Hawkins, leaving me alone on the night my husband attacked me, he told me it was probably best if I left.But, before I could do that, he threw a glass, which smashed against the wall behind me.”

I watch as Dani looks between Jess and Sam.

“Did you know this?” she asks each of them.

“Yep,” Sam says. Jess just nods.

“Why did no one tell me? I saw what he did when he came here, but I didn’t know about that.”

“Because you think the sun shines out your brother’s arse, Dan. And even if we had told you, you’d have found a way to put the blame on Lauren,” Sam tells her straight.

Dani huffs out a long breath before taking a long sip of her drink. When she’s done, her eyes come back to meet mine.

“I’m sorry, Lauren. My brother’s a dick, and apparently, so am I.”

I look at her with raised brows for a few seconds.

“Are we good?” I ask.

“We’re good,” she replies.

“Good,” I say with a nod.

“Phew,” Lou says.

“Thank fuck for that, now continue, tell us what you’ve decided,” Jem demands.

“I’m going back tomorrow,” I announce with a grin. That earns me cheers and applause. “That’s the last time I talk about it tonight,” I call out above the noise.

* * *

Gabe:Hey, babe. Miss you.Have a good night x

Gabe:But not too good x

Gabe:Just like, a reasonable amount of fun type of good x

Gabe:Ok, you’re obviously already having fun, so I’ll go now x

Gabe:Actually,just thought,don’t drink too much, I have plans for us tomorrow and don’t want you hung over x

I read through the string of texts that are coming through as I sip my drink.