Hothouse Flower (Addicted #4)(74)

“That defeats the f*cking point of a road trip. If it was up to you and Rose, we would have started in California.”

She pauses and then says, “Now that sounds like a good idea.”

I roll my eyes again. I let out a deep sigh. “Can you promise me something?” I ask her.

“That depends. Does it involve breaking a promise to my sister that will unleash her diabolical wrath?”

“Promise me that whatever it is, you’ll be f*cking safe. And be careful on your way out to us. My brother can’t live without you. I’m expendable, you aren’t.”

“You can’t honestly think that about yourself,” she says softly.

“Just promise me, Lily.”

“I promise, but Ryke—he needs you. You’re his brother.”

I shake my head. To Lo, I’m equal to Connor. We met Lo at nearly the same f*cking time. In fact, Connor has some months on me. For f*ck’s sake, Lo made us flip a coin to determine who would be his best man at his wedding. I didn’t get it by f*cking default because I’m related to him. In less than a year, I’ll be standing by his side as he’s about to get married, all because of luck.

A flip of a coin.

He can so easily push me out of his life, and the only reason I’m still here is because I refuse to go, no matter how hard he shoves.

But Daisy…I know in my heart she’s something that can drive me away from him. I’m going to fight against the moment, but I also mentally prepare for it. “Sure,” I tell her. “Listen, do whatever Yada Sisterhood thing—”

“Ya-Ya,” she corrects me.

“Whatever,” I say. “Just don’t let Rose f*cking cut you. Stick up for yourself.”

“Is that what you’ve been telling my little sister?” she asks, flipping the switch.

“I tell her a lot of f*cking things,” I say. “And yeah, that’s one of them.”

“Good,” Lily says. I can practically see her nod with resoluteness, in this goofy f*cking way.

“Are you wearing an animal on your f*cking head?” I ask her.

“You know what it’s called.”

“No I don’t.”

“It’s a Wampa cap.”

“That Star Trek shit?” I say, knowing that it’s Star Wars. I like to give her a hard time.

“Star Wars. Lo would kick you for that.”

“Good thing he’s not f*cking around.” My brother, a f*cking comic book geek with looks that could murder and simultaneously melt women. It’s so f*cking weird. Who would have thought? Nine years ago, not me.

There’s a long pause before she asks, “How is she doing?”

I glance at Daisy who rocks on her feet, antsy as she stands in one place for so long. Her bandaged cheek is on the other side. The only marks visible are the bruises beneath her eyes. I remember her smile as she came, her laugh and the genuine happiness that blanketed over her. I wish this bad f*cking thing didn’t have to happen for her to make these hard decisions about modeling, but I am glad she’s finally made them.

“She’s going to be okay,” I tell Lily. “She looks good.” She looks f*cking beautiful.

“Thank you, for what you did,” Lily says. “We all appreciate it, you know.”

I don’t pick my words that carefully. I just f*cking say them. “I’d do anything for her.”

“Is it different this time?” she asks me.

“What do you mean?”

“In Cancun a couple years ago, you kind of saved Daisy back then too. I just wondered if you feel differently now.” What is she getting at?

“Say it f*cking bluntly or don’t say it at all.”

She sighs. “Why do you have to be so mean?”

“I didn’t think I was,” I snap.

“Do you like her more now than you did then?” she says straight out.

“She was only sixteen back then,” I tell her. “I didn’t hang out with her that much.” The truth is way more complicated than that.

“Just say it bluntly or don’t say it at all,” Lily rebuts, with ten times less force than me.

I almost smile. “She means a f*cking lot to me, Calloway.” It’s still not much better but it seems to appease Lily.

“Have you told this to Lo?” she asks.

“What would it f*cking matter? He sees what he wants to see.” I’m the intruder, the f*cking guy he opened his arms to, the guy he let in his life. If I stick my cock anywhere near Daisy, he will be affronted as though I f*cked with his family, his friends, his world.

“He sees what you give him,” Lily says softly, “and you’re not giving him a lot to work with, Ryke.”

I run my hand through my hair and sigh. I’m so f*cking scared to open up about my history with my own brother. That’s the f*cking truth. I did wrong by him for so long, and if I start talking about it, I feel like I’ll just push him away more. I’ll give him no reason to be close to me. I have years of hate underneath my belt, no f*cking love.

So why express that? What f*cking good will that do?

I just want to forget it all and move on.

Daisy reaches the front of the line.

“I have to go,” I tell Lily.