Page 30 of Fall For Me
“Ha! You really think that?” Carter asks.
“Sean’s not wrong,” Aiden pants, slowing down his speed from a jog to a walk. “You do seem to have it easy.”
“Did everyone forget that I was shot?” Carter argues, curling his bicep.
Aiden smarts back, “But did you die?”
“Yeah, actually, I did . . . twice.”
My head rears back at his admission. I knew we almost lost him, but fuck, I didn’t realize it was that close. The air in the room shifts, and a melancholy mood settles over everyone.
“Anyway,” Carter continues, breaking the silence. “All I’m saying is just because someone’s life appears to be fucking gravy doesn’t mean that it is.”
“Hey, Sunshine! What brings you here?” Aiden asks, stopping his treadmill.
My head whips around and my eyes widen. Holy fucking shit! This is not happening right now.
“Thought I’d take my brother to lunch,” Cammie replies, stepping further into the gym.
“Did you just call my sisterSunshine?” Carter asks, glaring at Aiden.
Oh, fuck. Oh, no. This is like seeing a car wreck in slow-motion before it even happens.
“Yeah. She’s always happy like sunshine.”
Goddammit, Aiden Brodie. I want to palm my face, but I can’t look away. Carter drops the dumbbells and crosses the gym as Aiden steps off the treadmill.
“I have an exceptional memory, Brodie. What was it you once said? Sunshine pussy makes you all happy and glow inside? Now you’re calling my sister Sunshine? You keep your whore hands off my fucking sister!” he yells in Aiden’s face.
“Carter!” Cammie runs over, placing her hand on Carter’s arm, but he shrugs it off.
“Please don’t do this here,” she begs.
I fully expect Aiden to jump over a weight bench and run around the room like he normally would when he’s fucking around, but he stays in place and lifts his chin. His head snaps to the side when Carter throws a right hook.
Aiden stands there, stunned for a few seconds, but then he spits out a mouth full of blood, looks Carter in the eyes, and says, “Fucking worth it.”
All hell breaks loose, and fists start flying.
“Stop. Stop. Stop. You’re his fucking coach now, dude!” Cal yells, pulling Carter back as his fists swing at Aiden’s face.
I rush to grab Aiden, pulling him back.
“You have no business fucking around with her. You hear me?!” Carter points at Aiden. “No fucking business! You don’t have any idea what the fuck she’s been through!”
“Carter, stop!” Cammie cries, trying to push him back.
“And you.” He sneers down at his sister. “He’s a fucking kid, Cameron! A 24-year-old punk kid. You’re a 32-year-old grown ass woman!”
“You’re right, Carter. I’m a grown ass woman, capable of making my own choices. You wanna call him a punk?” She tosses a hand in Aiden’s direction, then places both hands on her hips. “The only person acting like a goddamn punk is you!”
“He’s using you!”
“I’m using him!” She tosses up her hands.
“What in the hell is going on in here?” Coach’s voice booms over the yelling.
In his presence, a pin could drop, and it would be deafening.
