Never Mine (Book One)

Chapter 34

I smack his arm. "He said that, huh?" I demand. "How do you know it's not the other way around?"

His laughter increases, and he puts a consolatory hand on my knee. "We both know the guy," he says in a matter-of-fact tone.

I nod, smiling at my goofy brother. Wow, how I've missed him...

The elevator chimes as its doors slide open and Wyatt emerges, still pale and sparkling from tonight's festivities.

"Shit, Wyatt," Luke says, cringing. "I thought you were taking so long 'cause you wiped that crap off in the bathroom or something. You got rid of the only cool part," he adds, referring to Wyatt's missing crimson contact lenses and purple-stained mouth.

I'm taken aback by his language and stifle my giggle. I see the ways Wyatt's left his mark on Luke. He sounds just like him.

"Go get us all some hot chocolate, punk," Wyatt says gamely.

Luke stands immediately, high-fiving Wyatt as he makes his way to the free beverage counter in the corner.

Wyatt takes the seat beside me, reaching for my hand. With our fingers intertwined, I feel peace wash over me. I rest my head on his shoulder, and he gently glides his fingers up and down the length of my forearm with his free hand.

"I didn't know you hang out with Luke," I say, watching my brother prepare three styrofoam cups of cocoa.

"We may have broken up, but that didn't mean I stopped caring about the rest of your family. Or you, for that matter," he says quietly. "He's a good kid, and when Alex started getting so messed up, I felt like he might need me. I always wanted a brother anyway." He tenses with the mentioning of Alex, and I know that seeing the path he's chosen bothers Wyatt as much as it does me. They were like brothers.

"I tried calling Alex, but his phone went straight to voicemail, and my dad's not picking up either," I say, lifting my head to look at him. "Thank you for being here with us. I don't think we could handle it without you."

He shakes his head, tipping my chin toward him and softly pressing his lips to mine. He pulls away, brushing his nose across the tip of my own. "You're stronger than you think, B," he says firmly. "Any word on Tanzie?"

"Not yet," I say, shaking my head. "I don't know if there's even much to tell us, really."

Wyatt nods, remaining silent. His eyes are dark, with one still swollen and discolored from the blow it took earlier. Whatever he's thinking is something he's not willing to articulate just yet. He's always measured.

Luke takes cautious steps over to us, balancing three hot chocolates in his hands. We each take one, nursing them in silence.

"Excuse me," Wyatt says after a few moments. He takes several strides down the cold hallway, retrieving his phone from his pocket.

"I wonder when they'll let us see her," Luke mutters. He stares at the floor, undoubtedly feeling as miserable as I do.

"I really thought she was dying," he confesses, catching me off guard with his candor. "There was this sound in her throat as she was trying to breathe. It was like... like there was a rattle in there, going crazy every time she tried to get some air."

This is new to me. I haven't heard anything of the sort when I've gone to see her, and this development has me uneasy. I know Luke can sense my tension, but he doesn't acknowledge it.

"You did the right thing by calling the ambulance," I say, reassuring him. He nods, punching the inside of his left hand with his right, repeatedly.