“Shut up,” she laughs. “What does his text say?”
I look down and read it out loud for her.
Rocko – Hey, babe. I’m just leaving my place. Be there in 10.
Tully’s eyes widen. “Shit. This is really happening.” She stands up and looks herself over in the mirror. “Do I look ok? Is it too slutty? I’m not sure where he’s taking me.”
“You look amazing,” I tell her. “Just take a coat in case it’s somewhere classy, though I seriously doubt it. This is Rocko we’re talking about. He’s probably taking you to McDonald’s, so really, you’re probably extremely overdressed.”
“Damn it,” she scolds, looking at me in the mirror again. “You’re making me nervous.”
“No,” I laugh. “You’re making you nervous, and really, there’s nothing to be nervous about. You’re hot, you look incredible, and you’re a hilarious conversationalist. He’ll love you. Just keep your legs closed, but if you really must spread ‘em, remember to use protection. He most likely has crabs.”
A pair of pants flies through the air and smacks me in the face. “I’m not a whore like you. I’m not about to give it up on the first date.”
“Uh huh,” I say with a grin. “Liar.”
The next ten minutes are the longest minutes of my life. After four minutes passed, she started looking out the window. I’d catch her quickly peeking every thirty seconds or so until the familiar car from next door pulled up on the curb.
Tully practically ran outside, grabbing her phone, coat, and bag on the way, desperate to not give Rivers and Noah a chance to interrogate him.
I close the door behind me and find myself scowling at Alyssa’s back as I walk towards them. Tully meets Rocko at his car and he insists on getting out and saying ‘hey’ despite Tully’s objections.
Out of respect for his sister, Noah walks forward and shakes his hand, though I don’t doubt he had one hell of a tight grip. I hang back and Rocko offers me an awkward smile which I have to admit is better than his usual scowl. Rivers though, he storms straight up to him, barges Noah out of the way and slams Rocko against his own car. “You fucking hurt her and I’ll end you.”
“Woah,” Rocko says, holding his hands up in surrender. “Calm the fuck down, man. We’re just going for dinner.” Rivers doesn’t seem to accept that answer and Rocko turns to Noah. “Yo, could you do something about your boy? He’s frothing at the mouth.”
Noah steps back. “Sorry, man. Not my business,” he tells him. “And honestly, if you can’t handle Rivers then you’re not good enough to be taking my sister out.”
“Suit yourself,” Rocko says before making his move. He goes to deliver a devastating uppercut, but no one can beat Rivers when it comes to fighting dirty.
“Stop,” Tully demands, rushing around the car before Rivers can do any damage. Noah flinches, not wanting his sister to get hurt, but Rivers would rather die than allow that to happen. Rocko though, he’s probably more concerned about his ego than keeping Tully safe.
Tully grabs Rivers by the shirt and pulls hard, wedging him away from Rocko before sliding herself between them, keeping her eyes on Rivers. “Back off,” she demands in a low whisper. “You had your fucking shot. It’s not my fault you fucked it up, now let me move on.”
Rivers eyes stay locked on Tully’s for a long pause before he finally sees something that has him pushing away. “Whatever,” he says, walking to his car and indicating to Alyssa to hurry up. “Don’t come crying to me when he fucks you over.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she yells back at him.
And just like that, everyone is gone, leaving me and Noah standing alone, wondering what the fuck just went down.
I reach for Noah’s hand and lace my fingers through his. He tugs on my hand and my body falls into his as he wraps his arms around me. “Our pack doesn’t feel much of a pack lately,” I murmur into his chest. “Everything is falling apart.”
“I know,” he tells me, running his hand up and down my back. “Everything is fucked up.”
“Do you think they’ll ever get past this?”
I feel him shrug his shoulders and listen as he lets out a deep breath. “I don’t know. We’ll always function as a pack,” he says. “That will always come first, but when it comes to the way we gel as a group, I don’t know. If things get much worse between them, I don’t think there will be a way back.”
“That was what I was afraid of.”
“Me too, Spitfire. Me too.”
Chapter 14
“Henley,” dad yells loudly through the house at the crack of dawn that it startles me from a peaceful sleep. “Answer the damn door.”
My eyes blink open to find nothing but darkness. What the hell is he talking about?