Rule (Marked Men #1)(79)

I tossed the phone somewhere on the floor, careful this time not to hurl it at the wall and crawled under the covers. I assumed since I was pretty plastered that sleep would suck me under in no time but I was wrong. I tossed and turned for over two hours until I finally gave up and realized I wasn’t going to sleep unless I changed something. I had spent the last month cozied up next to Rule’s solid bulk and sleeping in an empty bed when I was feeling shitty just didn’t hold the same appeal. I shoved the covers aside and rummaged through one of the dresser drawers that Rule had started stashing some of his things in when he stayed over. I found his favorite Defiance Ohio t-shirt and striped down and put it on. It was worn, soft and mostly it reminded me of him so when I crawled back into bed I finally fell into a fitful rest knowing that I had to get a handle on whatever was going on before I went crazy or turned into an insomniac lush.

Chapter 15

Rule

“Hey you gotta a minute?” I looked up from the drawing of an old school pirate ship I was working on when my brother’s voice surprised me from the doorway of my room. I was concentrating so hard that I hadn’t heard him come in and my mind was a million miles away because for the second night in a row Shaw had come up with some lame ass excuse to hang by herself rather than with me and it was pissing me off. I was making an active effort to act in a way I thought all good boyfriends were supposed to act. I was being considerate, attentive, deferring to her wishes and not pushing for anything so generally being a giant pu**y and letting her call all the shots and it wasn’t getting me a damn thing, even in bed. I wanted to be a guy that wouldn’t give her a reason to walk away, that would make her happy so that she didn’t have to battle my mood swings and crazy outbursts of crazy. I was trying with limited success to be a guy that she wanted to keep around especially since Davenport was still floating around and unhinged but for whatever reason my new and improved attitude seemed to be achieving the opposite result. I had spent the last two nights tossing and turning because I was so used to her soft form curled up next to mine and I was too irritated to just call her and tell her I was over it and just coming over anyway because I knew it was what we both wanted.

I tossed my pencil at Rome’s head and indicated he could come in if he wanted. “What’s up?”

He threw the pencil back at me and dropped heavily on the bed. He stuck his long legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles while reclining back on his elbows making himself right at home.

“Still no word from Shaw?”

I bit back a growl because just thinking about it made me want to hurt things. “She says she has too much homework due tomorrow so she’s just going to head home after work and do it.”

“Huh.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing just huh.”

“Shut up Rome, your huh never means nothing.”

“Well it’s just odd that she hasn’t been around much the last couple days. Did you have a fight you didn’t tell me about?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

I scowled at him. “Yes I’m sure we didn’t have a fight. Did you just come in here to harass me or did you actually want something?”

“Trying to change the subject?” I called him a nasty name and spun back around in my chair.

“If you’re just going to be annoying I have to finish this back piece I’m working on for a client.”

“I got my medical release today. The doc from Carson called a little while ago. That means I’m going wheels up at the beginning of next week.”

I spun back around. He was trying to look relaxed but I could see the tension around his mouth and eyes.

“Your shoulder is going to be up to it?”

“That’s what they tell me.”

“How about you? Are you going to be up to going back to it?”

“I guess I don’t really have a choice. I would feel better leaving if I knew things with you and Shaw were straight and she didn’t have some lunatic stalking her, and that mom had agreed to get some help but I guess miracles only happen in the movies.”

I grunted and rubbed my hands over my hair that seemed to be getting longer by the minute. I was tempted to shave the mohawk back but for whatever reason in my head Shaw shouldn’t be with a guy rocking hair like that so I was keeping it normal and natural even though she told me on a regular basis how much she missed the hawk.

“Shaw and I are fine so don’t worry about it, as for mom, well there’s nothing I can really do to help you with that. Promise me that you’re going to be safe. No more driving over bombs.”

“That wasn’t in the plan the first time. Look I’m going to tell mom and dad, you know they’re going to want to do something since no one knows when I’ll be back or what condition I’m going to be in.”

“Rome I can’t go through that with mom again.”

“I’ll tell dad to set something up at a restaurant or something. I’ll make sure he knows it has to be a family event which means you will be there and so will Shaw. I’m not asking little brother I’m telling you. I’m about to go back to the desert for who knows how long and I deserve a good family memory to take with me. Everyone can just suck it up for one night, I deserve that.”