“What the fuck are you doing out here, you crazy woman?” He barked. I knew he was mad, but I couldn't help but smile, just so glad to have him home and safe. “Stop smiling, and get your cute butt in here Liv, before you freeze to death.” He ordered.
I stood, still smiling like a dork, and ran for him, landing hard against his front with an ‘umph’, but uncaring. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him like never before, squeezing the stuffing out of him, needing to tell him, without words, how much I loved him.
“Fuck Princess! What happened? Are you ok?” He asked more softly. He lifted me up and into the kitchen, slamming the door closed behind us. Then put me down and hugged me back.
“I just missed you….a lot.” I replied, my words muffled by his shirt, but I refused to relinquish my grip on him yet. I knew he had no idea why I was being so weird, but I did. I knew what happened to him and I hated it. If there was a damn thing I could do to change how his sister’s life ended, I would do it regardless of the consequences, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do anything but love Kyle, so that was what I would do.
“I missed you too, Baby, but this seems like more than that. Did something happen?”
“No. I’m fine. Just hug me Kyle, please.” He tightened his hold, and I relaxed against him, trying hard to push into him just how much he meant to me. I needed him to know how much I loved him.
When I knew it was getting beyond weird I forced myself to release him and step back, but I really didn’t want to. I just needed him close for a while longer.
“Where are the guys?” He asked as he studied my face hard once I stood opposite him. Not wanting him to read anything from me, I moved to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottled water.
“Cole went to practice, and Kade’s at work. Matt’s in the gym. You want one?” I offered.
“Matt’s in the gym?” He asked, his face turning from studying me, to just plain worried.
“I knew it was bad.” I sighed. “I tried asking if he was ok, but he just shrugged me off. He’s not ok is he?”
“It’s not like him to hit the gym at this time.” Kyle hedged. “I’ll check on him. Stay inside. No more alfresco lounging today. It’s fucking freezing out there.”
“Yes sir!” I called, with a mock salute for effect.
“That salute sucked, Princess.” Kyle laughed as he headed off to the gym. Determined not to let myself spiral when Matt may need me later, I grabbed my laptop and latest English assignment from the counter, and headed to the office to focus on anything but my past.
KYLE
I was still annoyed as I headed to the gym. She had been sat outside, in fucking 26 degree weather. I had no idea how long she had been out there, but I was sure if I hadn’t have come home when I did, she’d have stayed out there way longer than was good for her. She did that sometimes, got swept up into her thoughts and lost all sense of reality. It was like she checked out when her thoughts went dark. It happened often when we got her home after she was taken by TTK, her flashbacks constant and terrifying. She was getting better at controlling them, but they still came regularly. It was why we had all agreed one of us always needed to be close enough to keep a watch on her. So I was even more worried to realise Matt had abandoned her to hit the gym in the middle of the day. The deviation from his routine, which Matt was a stickler for, was concerning, and I was worried about what had triggered him.
I walked into the gym and found him on the treadmill, going hell for leather, sweating his ass off. The look on his face was anger and pain, emotions I knew only too well. He hadn't even seen me come barreling in, which was not a good sign.
“Matt?” I raised my voice enough to grab his attention. His gaze moved over to me, and he tried to mask his emotions a little, trying to hide from me. He should know better.
“Hey bro. We’ve been waiting for you. Olivia will be glad you’re home.” He said as he lowered his speed enough to be able to talk with me. The fact he wasn’t ready to step off had me even more worried.
“Yeah, I saw her. She was sitting outside.”
“Fuck. Sorry Ky. I checked on her a while ago, and she was in the kitchen, reading. I should have told her not to go out there. Is she ok?” He asked guiltily.
“She is, but it’s not like you to leave her like that. What’s going on?”
“Nothing man. I’m good.”
“That’s why you’re sweating your ass off in here, for the second time today?” I gave him a look that told him not to even bother trying to bullshit me. I had to stare him down for several minutes before he cursed in spanish and slammed a hand on the machine to stop it.
He stepped down and grabbed a towel from the shelf at the side, taking his time as he wiped the sweat from his face. I just let him be, knowing he needed a minute to get it together.
Finally he
