Always Crew

I frowned, but I wasn’t frowning enough to sit up because he was right. I had thirty more sleeping minutes to go.

I heard murmuring from the other end, then Cross looked at me. His face tightened, even with his hair sticking up, and he still looked good. He had stopped shaving very recently, so he had a nice patch of gruff hair there, enough that it was distracting me that he was on my phone and not looking happy about it.

“Fine. I’ll tell her.”

He hung up, tossing the phone onto his nightstand.

I waited.

He shook his head. “Not yet.” He wasn’t the only one checking the other out. His voice came out rough, “Sleep or something else before I have to tell you who was on the phone?”

There’d be no sleeping now, so I smiled and pulled down the bedsheet.

A wolfish smile took over his face and he was over and on top of me within seconds.

We went two rounds, long past my alarm, and Cross was just coming out from the shower. I was tugging my shirt down and met his gaze in the mirror. “You have to tell me now.”

His whole face tightened, but he sighed. Reaching for a towel, he raked it over his head. “That was your brother.”

I don’t want to say my heart stopped. That would’ve been an exaggeration, but it paused. My chest tightened. That was more accurate because Channing calling that early in the morning was never a good sign.

I had my hair pick in my hand, but I set it back down and flattened my palm against the counter. I needed that foundation to stop the shaking. I looked down at it, too. “No one died, or you would’ve told me that right away.”

“No.”

I waited, breath suspended.

He was silent, and that fact alone told me it was still bad.

I closed my eyes, still waiting.

“You know your brother. You know how he is when it comes to you and… Your dad is here again.”

“What?”

“He’s already here.”

“What?”

Cross sighed before moving into the bedroom. He went to the closet, and I followed, his voice trailing out to where I waited by the bed. “Channing got the call by a cop buddy of his. Your dad’s in Cain. Channing thought the Red Demons had put him up somewhere. He didn’t want you to be caught by surprise, so he called for the heads-up.”

My dad was here.

Okay, then.

He hadn’t called. He’d probably call, or maybe he wouldn’t call.

I no longer knew what I was feeling or if I was feeling anything at all when it came to him. I mean, he’d already been here. Then he left, now he was back again? But not because of me. Because of… Because of why?

Why was he here?

Cross came back, his eyes gentle and studying me. “You okay?”

I stiffened, but nodded. “Yeah. I mean, yeah.”

What did I say here? I had no clue.

Cross grimaced, his mouth curving down. “I could skip my classes? Ride along with you? I’m sure Brock would be okay with that.”

I shook my head, clearing my throat. “No. No. That’s fine. That’s okay.”

“Bren.” He moved closer, but he didn’t touch me.

I was glad he was giving me that space.

His head bent, and he was within touching distance. He did that on purpose, letting me make the choice or not.

He said, “You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

I moved to leave since I was dressed and ready. He caught my hand, pulling me back. No words were shared, just a last look, and I gave him another nod. “I’m good. I promise. This stuff with my dad, it’s just complicated, but I got a handle on it.”

Then, pulling my hand free, I left the room.

Jordan was just coming up from the basement. He had a nine a.m. class, but it was early for him. Seeing me, he paused, still on the stairs, grimacing.

I braked. “What?”

That look said enough.

“I seriously need some coffee,” came from behind him, and his eyes closed. He took a second before he stepped out into the hallway. He cleared the stairs, and I was blessed with the vision of Jessinda Hinkley herself.

She paused, her mouth falling open. She’d been fixing her bra strap, with her hair needing to be combed through. A red tank top over jeans that were more like a second skin, high heels, hoop earrings, and even though she had washed her face, there were still remnants of eyeliner underneath her eyes.

I was guessing Jordan had gone to a party last night.

Jordan coughed, clearing his throat, and gestured over his shoulder. “I—uh—coffee. I can do that. Bren? You want some?”

Jessinda was Tab’s sister. I was pretty sure this was sister code violation.

She closed her mouth, coughing, too, and came up the last few steps. She glanced at my feet before giving me a once-over. “I… Yeah. So, you and Jordan live together, huh?”