Page 122 of Bound By Blood and Lies

ROMAN

The front door clicks shut behind me, and warmthimmediatelyhits my skin. My hand settles against the small of Fae’s back whilst we move through the hallway as a unit. I can hear their voices overlapping in theloungeand I already know the television is showing a Leeds United football match by how loud Riggs isbeing.

It feels weird being back.

I’mnot a coward, IknewI had to face them eventually,it’sas ifI blinked and four days have passed without my permission. Four days of missed calls, unreadmessagesand everyone else trying to hold together the life I walked away from. Ididn’tmean to disappear. Not really. I just needed the world to stop asking things of me for a while because every time someone looked at me, I could feel what they wanted.Reassurance.

But I didn’t have any of that to give.

I hear Fae sigh softly beside me as the living room finally comes into view. Tension crawls across my shoulders as every head turns toward us and the conversation dies instantly. Atlas looks up from his laptop; Victor pauses halfway through lifting his drink and Riggs lowers the remote as one by one their attention locks onto us.

Felix stands up and every muscle in my body tightens as my feet root to the floor, preparing for another fight. Fae told mehe’s spent the last four days beating himself up over what happened between us, but the truth is I was out of line with Robyn. I know that nowthatthe anger has settled enough for me toactually thinkstraight. If anyone ever stepped into Fae the way I stepped into Robyn, I would hold onto that hatred until my dying breath, so I honestly have no fucking idea how this is about to go.

He takes five quick steps towards me before grabbing the nape of my neck and my wholebody locks up. Every nerve under my skin sparks at once as he pulls me forward hard enough that I stumble slightly into him.

Instead of fists though, his arms wrap tightly around me and I grit my teeth.

Fucking prick.

The pressure of someone else’s skin against mine makes my skin feel like ants are crawling all over me. My hands stay limp at my sides as I stare blankly over his shoulder and contemplate telling him to get the fuck off me.

Honestly, I think I would have preferred the fists.

I glance sideways and spot Fae watching us. Her whole face softens. Her eyes are stupidly hopeful and glassy likeshe’s watching the ending scene of a Disney film instead oftwo emotionally constipated men struggling through physical affection.She looks damn right delighted by it. I cave against my better judgement and slowly lift my hands, awkwardly curling them around Felix’s back. His wholebody shakes against mine as I feel his breath stutter near my shoulder.

“I’m sorry brother,” he whispers quietly into my ear, “I’m sorry for itall.”

Heat rises in my throat as my own eyes turn glassy, “me too,” I choke out.

I’m sorry for the fight.

I’msorry for not protecting his sister or my mum.

I’m sorry for it all.

I awkwardly pat his back once, before clearing my throat and Felix huffs out a laugh before stepping away and dragging a hand over his hair. He walks over toFaeand they whisper something Ican’thear because Riggs snorts from the sofa. I narrow my eyes as I look at him.

“You over your little temper tantrum now then?”

Felix’s head whips around instantly, “can you actually fuck off for five minutes Riggs?”

“What?” Riggs says in a high pitch voice, “there was temper, and there was atantrum.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” mutters Victor.

“Watch your mouth,I’mbeing serious. My heartcan’tdeal with any more of this,” Felix rubs his chest.

“And I can?” Riggs points to his own chest with a confused look on his face.

Victor groans from the armchair, “one day I’m genuinely going to smother you in your sleep.”

Atlas ignores everyone else as his eyes flick over me quickly and I shuffle awkwardly on my feet, “are you okay?”

What the fuck kind of question even is that? My mum is dead. I shot my own father until there was barely anything left of him and now somehow,I’mexpected to take over his role in The Company like mywhole worldhasn’tjust imploded around me.

“No,” I say instead.

The silence in the living room feels deafening. Nobody speaks. Nobody even moves.It’slike the truth of it settles over the room all at once and leaves all of us standing in it without knowing what to do next. Fae walks toward me slowly before wrapping her body around mine. I grab at her greedily and pull her closer until thereisn’teven an inch of space left between us.My fingers curl tightly into the back of her top as I bury my face against her hair.