Page 82 of Point Proven
Not waiting for a reply, he turned around to the kitchen, the sound of the fridge opening filling the otherwise quiet space. Continuing to move my hand, my leg bounced, and my other hand readjusted my cap to catch a few fallen strands of hair.
Liam reached over, placing his hand over the top of mine before brushing his thumb across the back of my knuckles. He didn’t offer a word, but he didn’t have to because I knew what his touch carried—reassurance.
Oren rounded the corner of the couch, handing Liam the can of Coke before turning to me. Holding out a Sprite, he tipped it to me. “For you. I know… know you didn’t want one, but you always have it when you come over.”
Wrapping my hand around it, I set it against my thigh. “T-Thank you.”
“Anytime,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I’ll go see if he’s awake and let you guys talk?—”
The resounding jingle of a collar interrupted him, nails clicking against the ground from down the hall. Rounding the corner, Mercy raked her eyes over us before sprinting over, nuzzling her face between Liam and me.
Liam laughed softly, scratching the top of her head. “Hey, Mercy girl.”
Matching Liam, I smiled as I provided her equally as much attention. Tongue lapping at my hand, a chuckle left me. “Hey, girlie. Missed you too.”
Her butt wiggled, tail slapping against the couch with our acknowledgments. Turning to glance down the hall, she loosened a handful of excited barks as if urging Thorne to hurry.
“Baby, Mercy is dying over here! Oh, also, you have some company.”
Baby? Are… Are they okay?
Sluggish footsteps echoed, and Thorne stepped out into the living room. Clad only in a pair of grey sweatpants and black slippers, the gauze on his stomach became my focus. Glancing between Liam and me, he rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.
“What time is it?”
“11:00.” Oren bit his lip, shifting on the balls of his feet. “Imayhave let you sleep in.”
Eyes squinting from the natural light slipping in from the windows, Thorne lifted a brow. “For five hours?”
“Well, I got up around seven, and you were snoring peacefully. Plus, Mercy was tangled up next to you. I didn’t want to wake you when you haven’t been sleeping well.”
Grumbling, Thorne moved forward, the gap between him and Oren disappearing. And just when I thought he might yell, considering how upset he’d been after that mission, he merely craned his head down, brushing against the side of Oren’s face with a sleepy kiss.
Glancing at Liam, my smile mirrored his, and I relaxed into the cushions a little bit more. If… If they were okay, would Oren forgive me?
Oren released a softened giggle, swatting him away. “Stop. We have guests.Guestswho want to talk to you about some stuff.”
“Since when have you cared about guests and PDA?” Thorne’s gravelly voice roared to life before his lips briefly met Oren’s mouth. Pulling back, his hand trailed down, squeezing Oren’s ass once before he stepped away. “Liam. Simon. What brings you to our humble abode? Or ‘fairy house,’ as Oren calls it.”
Slightly dazed, my best friend stood there like an idiot, beaming with his entire body, before his attention floated to me. Expression faltering slightly, he gestured to his art room. “I’ll… I’ll let you all talk. If you need anything, I’ll just be there.”
“Wait, what?” Brows furrowing, I opened my Sprite, taking a sip.
Mirroring me, he crossed his arms over his chest. “You… You said you were here to talk to Thorne.”
The shifting of mugs in the kitchen earned Liam’s attention, and he chuckled as he watched Thorne pull a carton from the fridge. “Is thatmatcha?”
“Don’t start with me, Bennett.”
Liam raised his arms in feigned innocence. “There’s nothing wrong with a man drinking matcha. I guess I just didn’t?—”
“Didn’t what? Hm?” Thorne leaned back against the countertop. “You want to finish that sentence?”
Pursing his lips, Liam failed to hide his grin. “I think you alreadyknow.”
As their conversation faded into the background, I gripped the can tighter. “Oren, I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean you couldn’t be here.”
“No, it’s okay. I hurt you,bothof you, and I can give you that privacy to discuss what you need. And… And for what it counts, I’m not upset at what you did, Sai. I would’ve done it too, and I’m sorry. For… For prolonging all of it.” His hands wrung in front of him, and he stiffened. “It’s my fault, all of it, and… and I wanted you both to know that before you start talking.”
