Page 61 of Always Love You More

“You need something in your stomach for the ibuprofen, and those bruises could use all the help they can get.”

He’s swallowing the pills when a knock quietly sounds from the door. I rush over to open it.

Johnny looks past me, his eyes finding Jameson. “We’ve gotta go.”

“Is he—”

“Still asleep,” Johnny answers.

I let out a breath. “Okay, good.”

He lowers his voice so only I can hear him. “Everything go all right last night?”

I nod, a smile pulling at my lips.

Johnny studies me like he’s searching for something. Then he moves his gaze past me, and I feel the heat of Jameson’s body come up behind mine.

“We good to go?” he asks.

Johnny gives me a knowing look, and I turn away from him to grab my bag.

“Yeah,” he answers. “Be quiet leaving.”

Jameson nods before Johnny moves out into the hall. I throw a few things into my bag while Jameson waits for me by the door. He steps away as I approach, letting me go out first, and lightly places his hand on my lower back.

The house is lifeless as we make our way toward the front door, being extra careful when we slip through the living room.

The ride over to the garage is short and quiet. All of us seem to be processing what happened last night and anticipating what we’ll be met with when we get to the garage.

I’m not sure how Jameson’s father is going to react to the fact that I got between them. To that fact that me and Johnny witnessed a scene between him and Jameson that is normally kept behind closed doors. Whatever he does, however he reacts, I’ll take it, because I don’t regret what I did. Levi can throw whatever he wants at me, and it’ll still be worth stepping in and protecting Jameson.

We pull in through the gates, and I immediately scan the parking lot, looking for one car in particular. I tense when I see it—the shiny black car Jameson’s father drives, parked up front in his usual spot.

I know that Johnny and Jameson see it, too, but if Jameson is nervous to see his father, he doesn’t show it.

The bell over the door chimes as we walk in, causing Billy and Luke to turn from where they were talking at the front desk.

Luke’s face instantly drops into a scowl, and as we get closer, Billy mutters, “Jesus, Jameson.”

Luke turns his attention from Jameson to me and my brother. “Why are you coming in with them?”

Jameson shakes his head, offering no explanation.

“Did something happen at the fight?” Luke pushes.

“I’ve gotta go check in,” Jameson says, looking anywhere but at them.

“This has to stop,” Luke mutters. “This fighting. I don’t understand it.”

“It’s all good,” Jameson tells him. “I won.”

“I don’t care if you won,” he says, his voice ringing out through the empty space. “I care that you’re hurt.”

“He back there?” Jameson asks, ignoring the worry pressing in around him.

Luke’s shoulders drop in defeat. “Yeah, he’s back there.”

Jameson starts toward the hallway, and Johnny takes a step behind him. “I’ll go with you.”