Norman had the hardest time when we were locked up. His insecurities ran rampant, his depression went into overdrive, and it sure as fuck didn’t help that it took Franc forever to pull his strings and put the three of us together. Norm got jumped multiple times, he was assaulted, probably more than he shared with us, and every phone call with Justine broke his tender heart. He barely survived his thirteen months and as soon as Norman got out, he tried to kill himself. The only reason he’s here now is because he was staying with his parents and his dad found him.
Norm moved in with Lucky after that, and he stayed until Pete and I got out a few months later, then he moved into my grandma’s house with me.
He didn’t try that again, but I know he’s serious when says he couldn’t go through anything remotely similar to what we went through before.
Which is also why we decided to have this littleinterventionwith Leonor tonight, because the shit she’s hiding feels way too much like some sick deja vu.
“We are forever, Norm.”More than he knows. “Lucky has always said that, and we’ve all believed it. If I thought for one second?—“
The front door swings open, my head spinning on my neck toward the sound and the second Leo comeslimpinginto the living room, all hell finally breaks loose.
Pete grabs her as soon as she drops her bag, Lucky races to slam and lock the door before he’s practically up her ass, Norm hollers about ice and the first aid kit, and my cool, calm and collected ass is launching over the islandandthe couch before I land and help Pete get her situated.
“I’m fine,” Leo grumbles as Luck and I each take a boot and start unlacing. “This is excessive.”
“Where the hell have you been?” Pete growls, plucking straw or something from her hair.
He frowns as he pulls more out of her bun, his citrine eyes locking with mine before I really start looking her over.
Leonor has scratches on her face and arms, and her tank top is more trashed than it probably was when she left. My stare moves over her body, analyzing every inch and when I notice how dirty her hands are, I let go of her boot and turn one over to reveal a scraped palm.
What the fuck happened?
Lucky is barking all kinds of shit so I doubt she’d hear me if I asked, but I can feel her staring at me. And like always, Leo basically reads my mind.
“I fell.”
I nod as I notice tears in the knees of her leggings, prodding a little to see the delicate fair skin underneath is scraped too.
She fell hard judging by the look of her, and it wasn’t inside that haunted mansion she still insists on going to.
“I was outside, looking for Dirt Sack Danny.”
Lifting my head briefly, I find Leonor still staring at me, completely ignoring the way Pete is picking shit out of her hair while he bitches. She’s not paying any attention to Norm while he takes care of the scratches on her face, or Lucky while he rips the hole in her left knee wide open and starts to panic over her injuries. No, my sugar is still staring right at me, watching as I slowly finish unlacing and removing her left boot to find a swollen ankle.
If I were anyone else, I’d think there was something more in that look on her pretty face.
There isn’t, though.
Nothing other than Leo knowing that I know she’s lying, and waiting to see how long it takes for the others to catch on.
Because Leonor Allan isn’t interested in a guy like me.
Or so I’ve convinced myself.
“Why were you looking for Dan?” I arch a brow as I peel her sock off then go back to playing doctor.Jesus this is rough.
“I was going to let him know I was leaving. He was still there working outside and I locked up, so I wanted to make sure he knew in case there was a reason for him to go back in.”
So much bullshit.
We all know that property, at least well enough to get the gist of the layout and for our girl to come home looking like this, itwasn’t just a fall outside. She was running through that damn field when she bit it.
Andthatis the exact second everyone else catches on.
“Bullshit,” Lucky says as he leans back on the coffee table at the same time Pete gets up off the couch and heads to the junk drawer.
Guess it’s going down now.
