Page 23 of Fight For Me

“He needs a place to stay,” Reed argues. “He’s a grown man, he doesn’t want to live with his parents for the next three months.”

“You realize that’s hypocritical, right?” Will asks. “Your daughter is a grown—you know what, never mind. God knows you aren’t rational right now.”

Reed glares at him. “You’re seriously okay with your cousins living with this asshole?”

“They’re not living with him—”

“It’s close enough!” Reed shouts. “He’ll have access to their place whenever the hell he wants. You want Everly and Alex living in that situation?”

No. No I do not want that at all.

“They’re already treading a dangerous line,” Levi says. He’s calmer than Reed, but I can tell he’s not any happier. “They all want this fashion line to succeed more than anything. That makes them vulnerable.”

“The production team is going to be pressing for more access,” Daltrey agrees. “We all know that’s how these things work. Entertainment people are vultures, they’ll push and push. That’s a ton of pressure to put on these kids.”

“Having this guy right downstairs on top of everything else?” Levi shakes his head. “I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I,” my dad admits, looking worried. The sick feeling in my gut grows as my dad turns to me. “Youarelooking for a place to stay after the surgery.”

Yes, but notthatplace. Not mere feet away from the reason I’ve barely been home in the last two years.

“Why don’t you ask River?” My mouth feels dry and I wonder if they can all see the beads of sweat popping up on my forehead. “Or Will?”

My dad gives me an odd look. “Because River and Willhavea place to live. We thought of you because you don’t.”

“Figured we’d kill two birds with one stone,” Daltrey agrees. “Besides, you won’t be working, right? Will has the shop to run. But you living with them for a few weeks won’t interfere with your life.”

I could point out that River’s current job tending bar is his third since January and he’ll probably get sick of it and quit soon—like he has with everything else—but that’s kind of a sore spot for Daltrey and I don’t want to be a dick. But seriously, I cannot do what they’re asking me to do. It has disaster written all over it.

“Besides,” Levi adds. “River is the same age as Alex. Yes, they’re adults. But you’re…” he trails off. “More of an adult.”

Will snorts. “He’s saying you’re an old man, bro.”

“I’m saying he’s responsible,” Levi argues. “But yes, your age is part of it. I would rather have a thirty-year-old keeping an eye on things than a twenty-two-year-old kid.” He shoots a glance at Daltrey. “No offense.”

My uncle holds up his hands. “No arguments here. River is immature. He’d probably be taking the producer and the camera guys out clubbing within the first week.”

All eyes again turn to me, and panic swells in my stomach. How can I get out of this? I can’t think of a single good argument that doesn’t involve the words “I can’t handle being near Alex.”

But the more I think about it, the more I feel like I can’t refuse, and not just because I don’t have a decent excuse. I lean forward to flip through the pages again. The guy—Scott—is clearly a smarmy bastard. I stare down at one of the pictures. He’s walking into a club with a pretty blond girl on his arm. The info the investigator included says she was one of the contestants on a modeling reality show he produced last year. She’s only nineteen. Nineteen and probably desperate to start her career.

An image of Alex on his arm flashes through my mind and I want to punch something.

Can I really sit by and let her live in that condo with this douchebag? What am I going to do—stay in my parents’ house chilling with my teenage siblings knowing Alex is out there with him?

Maybe this is just what you need,a voice in my head reasons. Exposure therapy is supposed to be effective, right? Maybe the problem with Alex is that I’ve built her up too much in my head all this time I’ve stayed away. Maybe what I need is to spend some actual time near her, let myself see that she’s just a person, like everyone else, and not someone to turn my life upside down over.

And maybe all of that is just a bunch of bullshit my brain is trying to come up with to excuse the fact that a part of me—a really big damn part of me—is dying to be close to her.

“Wyatt.” I look up to see Reed staring at me, his gaze intense. “I can’t stop Everly from doing this show. It’s fucking killing me to think about her putting herself at risk.” He takes in a steadying breath. “I’ll feel better if you do this.”

“Fine,” I hear myself say, my stomach dropping to my knees as dread courses through me. “As long as Fox, Everly, and Alex are okay with it.” I sigh. “I’ll do it.”

Alex

It’s impossible to feel anything except giddy as I take in the view of what feels like the entirety of Los Angeles from the massive balcony in the swanky condo I’m going to be calling home for the next six weeks.

“Wow.” Rose comes up next to me, eyes scanning the horizon. “Is that the ocean way over there?”