I elbow Zach in the gut, but he just grins. “Pig.”
“Oh, come on, I wasn’t talking about you.”
The bearded man looks at me. “You his old lady?”
A ‘fuck no’ leaves my lips.
The men all laugh.
Zach puts a hand on his heart. “Don’t be like that, Trillian.”
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Arrow,” he replies.
“Why do they call you—”
“Trust me, Trill, you don’t want to know,” Zach says, cutting me off.
Arrow grins then, and it brightens up his whole face. Damn. He really was something.
Rake’s phone beeps and he checks it, then scowls. “My sister sent me a photo.”
“Why the fuck are you scowling then?” Arrow asks.
Rake shows Arrow the photo and his eyes widen. “Fuck.”
Rake quickly moves the phone from his sight. “She’s too fuckin’ beautiful for her own good.”
His eyes then find me. “Kind of like you.”
I can feel my cheeks heat from the compliment. This man really was a charmer.
“Still not going to fuck her, Rake,” Zach says in a dry tone.
“But I want her,” Rake says, eyes on me.
Wow.
“Get in line,” Rex adds.
Shit, I forgot he was even there.
Zach half laughs, half makes a choking sound.
Arrow smirks. “You’ll want someone else in an hour, brother.”
Rake nods. “True.”
These men were crazy—a mix of charming and complete assholes.
“Everyone loves the cakes,” Zach says to me, changing the subject. “I think the ladies are going to come to you for every damn function now.”
I smile. “That’s okay, I don’t mind.”
And I don’t.
Chapter Thirteen
Xander
“How’s she doing?” Persephone asks me, leaning on the side of the doorframe. I’m sitting in Summer’s living room watching TV and thinking about Trillian.
“She’s okay,” I say. “I think she realises that sometimes bad shit happens without reason, and it’s something she’s going to have to move on from.”
“That was our niece,” she says quietly. Persephone is Ryan and Reid’s sister and Summer’s sister-in-law. When we first met, we hooked up a few times until I found out she was working at a strip club and hiding it from me. We fucked a few times casually after that, but she knows I would never consider anything more permanent. It just wouldn’t work out for us. I liked her, but I didn’t love her.
“I know,” I reply, sighing. “It kills me to see the sadness on her face and watching her blame herself for something that wasn’t in her control.”
Persephone walks into the room and sits down next to me. “She’ll be okay. Reid’s looking after her.”
I nod. “I know.”
She puts her hand on my face and turns my head to her. When she moves to kiss me, I pull my face away. “Sephie, I can’t.”
She sits back and frowns. “Why?”
“Because I met someone and I don’t want to screw things up with her,” I tell her, wanting to be honest but not wanting to hurt her feelings.
“You met someone?” she asks, sounding shocked. “Who?”
“It’s not that unlikely,” I murmur at her astonishment. “A girl I met when I was visiting a friend. Remember, I told you I was going to a town called Channon?”
She nods. “So you were there for a couple of days max, and you already think she’s the one?”
I scowl at the disbelief in her tone. “I think she’s someone worth exploring things with, yes.”
“Well, fuck me,” she mutters under her breath, sagging back against the black leather couch.
My lip twitches. “Pretty sure we just discussed that that wasn’t going to happen anymore, Sephie.”
She sighs. “Guess I’ll have to find a new fuck buddy, now.”
“I guess you will.”
We’re both lost in our thoughts after that until she finally stands. “Going to be hard to replace you, Xander. No one fucks like you.”
I burst out in laughter. “Good to know.”
She walks out but turns back to me as she reaches the door. “Xander?”
“Yes.”
“She’s a lucky woman.”
I smile, but she’s wrong. It’s me who is the lucky one.
*****
The next evening, I stare at Trillian’s number on my phone, but don’t press the green button. I know she deserves an explanation from me. I called her a few times, but she was usually busy with work and school. I stayed with Summer for a few nights before going back to my own house. Back where I started and nothing has really changed. I miss my dad, Summer still isn’t herself, and what I really want is to be with Trillian. It seems like nothing is going right. I’ve been working a lot at my bike shop keeping the business going and checking in on Summer. I want to go back to Channon, but how long could I stay before I have to leave again? I’d called Zach a few times, and he promised me Trill is fine and he’s looking after her, like he always does, he pointed out.
She doesn’t even need me, does she?
I thought she’d be calling me every day, like my exes did, but she’s been silent. She’s fiercely independent and I like that, but I also miss the hell out of her.