I shove my legs through a pair of cotton panties that I wouldn’t have been caught dead in months ago before tugging on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Both belong to Ryan, both too big for me, and I can’t even be bothered to care.
I shove past him, swinging the door open so fast the doorknob would probably dent the plaster if he didn’t catch it before it hit.
“Mia?” Concern laces his tone, but I ignore him as I climb right back in his bed.
I’m pissed, but I’m not foolish enough to think I can make it down the hall to the room they offered me unscathed. People are always milling about, keeping their distance, or offering me food or an opportunity to join them in some frivolous activity.
“What’s going on?” Ryan asks as he climbs in behind me on the bed.
I rip the covers up to my shoulder, burying my face in them and both loving and hating that they smell like his skin. I’m surrounded by him constantly, and most days, it’s a relief knowing he’s right there beside me. But today it just grates on my nerves.
I stiffen when he clasps my shoulder, trying to pull me so I’ll either turn over to face him or snuggle against him.
“Don’t,” I hiss, and he releases me immediately.
“It was only a suggestion,” he offers. “We can stay right here tonight if that’s what you want. I’ll make us a plate from the kitchen, and we can continue our movie marathon.”
I don’t turn and yell at him. I don’t open my mouth to explain why I hate everything about what he’s just offered. I don’t tell him to leave, that he needs to get a life rather than being perfectly fine holing himself away.
I don’t do any of that, but when he sighs and rolls to his back as he begins telling me about going stag to his senior prom because the girl he wanted to go with had the flu, I let my eyes flutter closed, and I fall asleep to the only comforting voice I’m beginning to hate for no other reason than knowing I don’t deserve his kindness.
Chapter 5
Scooter
Shitty moods and silent attitude aren’t new for Mia. The only difference is that today, I’m somehow the focus of her irritation when normally it’s focused on Max or the pillows that don’t feel just right. She prefers my chest to anything else, but she didn’t want me near her at all this morning.
I let her sleep, which she does more than anything, but after watching the TV on mute for eight hours, only leaving the bed to make us lunch before she rolled over and went right back to sleep, I couldn’t take it any longer.
I used to find solitude in my room, needing the peace and comfort that those four walls awarded me after a long day’s work, but today it was just too much.
I left Max with her, instructing him to come get me if there was an issue. The fucker better because he’ll have an ass whooping coming if I go back to my room and find her upset. Suggesting the party was a mistake. I see that now, but she’s going to have to leave that room, eventually.
“How’s she doing?” Rocker asks, interrupting the insistency filling my legs to go check on her.
“She’s the same,” I mutter before titling my beer back up to my lips.
I’ve given myself a two-drink maximum tonight, refusing to get sloppy drunk like I normally would on New Year’s Eve. I should be drinking vodka so she can’t smell it on my breath. I shouldn’t do anything that may trigger a bad memory for her, but I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself if I started with the heavy stuff.
“Did you try to convince her to join us?” Rocker angles his head toward the younger crowd, the kids of the original Cerberus crew. “They seem like a lively bunch having fun.”
“She wasn’t interested.” That’s the watered-down truth, but I don’t feel like discussing Mia with anyone.
“Oh, shit,” Jinx chuckles as he slides up to us. “Did you see who just walked in? I got a hundred on Dominic.”
I look over at the front door, watching as Tug walks in with Dominic’s daughter on his arm. She’s gorgeous in her own right. Hell, even though they’re way too young for me, I can see the beauty in all of the women. Jasmine is the oldest of the group, having been adopted by Dominic when she was young, going by the gossip floating around the clubhouse.
Jealousy seeps into my bones when I look at the group Rocker indicated earlier. So many of them are paired off and completely in love. Even at twenty and twenty-one, those kids have found their soulmates.
I shake the thought away, taking another long pull on my beer before turning my back on the group. It doesn’t take long before Tug walks toward us. I knew he’d seek me out first thing. He was friends with Max and Mia going way back, and I know he’s worried about her. He checked up on her a few times by text while she was still in the hospital, but it’s been radio silence since we returned. I figure Max has been keeping him up to date.
Predicting where Tug is heading, Dominic makes his way to our group first, and like the sneaky assholes that they are, Rocker and Jinx slink away toward the pool tables. I’m not usually uncomfortable around any of the original members, even though they’re technically my bosses, but the last time we gathered like this was Snatch’s daughter’s wedding, and Tug literally got caught with his pants down. In addition, Max was there participating as well. I don’t know the finite details, but the gist isn’t pretty.
My palms begin to sweat as Tug joins us. Dominic hasn’t said a word as he lingers, but he shakes Tug’s hand when he’s within reach.
“Glad to see you guys here tonight,” Dominic tells my teammate.
Tug nods. “We wouldn’t miss it.”
They chatter back and forth for a few more minutes, and I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a more awkward conversation before in my life.
Dominic excuses himself and walks away, and when I turn back to Tug, he releases a whoosh of air from his mouth.
“That was intense,” I say with a chuckle that doesn’t even begin to ease the tension surrounding the man.
“How’s Mia?” Tug asks rather than bitching about his girlfriend’s dad.
“About the same,” I tell him just like I did Rocker a few minutes ago.
“I never thought she’d let you walk away from her,” he says absently as his eyes focus across the room on Jasmine.
“She didn’t.”
Tug frowns, turning his attention back to me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he snaps.
“She’s here,” I tell him softly, unsure of why I’m whispering. Everyone here, except him clearly, knows that Mia came back with me from Florida
“She’s here?” His head jerks around, scanning the room as if he’s certain she’s going to pop out and surprise him.
“She’s in my room,” I explain.
“No, shit? I can’t imagine that went over well with her parents or Max.”
“It didn’t,” I huff. “I can barely get the man out of my room long enough to get some sleep myself.”
It’s the truth. Max hovers more than a dog waiting to be fed.
“What? Max is here?”
I nod, wondering if he started drinking before they showed up. This shouldn’t be news. From what I gathered, Max, Jasmine, and Tug have had some sort of relationship going on for a while now. Surely his sister being in New Mexico would be something he brought up to his lovers.