“I was fine.” He gave me a small eye-roll. “I told you I would be.”
“I know, but I could’ve driven you. It wouldn’t have been a problem.”
“I was sick, Dom, not dying.”
“Shadow, I would’ve done it even if you were one hundred percent healthy.”
Ryan blushed. “Trust me, you wouldn’t have beenhappy to be in that car with Xander for an hour. Really, I was doing you a kindness.”
“Rude.” Xander shoved off the wall and prowled over. “I’m a fucking delight.”
“Angel Delight?” Ryan quipped back almost immediately. “Because your resolve to behave is about as solid as that is.”
Xander nudged Ryan with his shoulder. “Excuse me, but I was in the Royal Marines. I wasverywell behaved.”
“Please.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “That’s like Dom trying to tell me the army has changed him. He’s just as keen to break the rules as you are, so don’t give me that shit.”
My attention darted between them during this exchange, and I marvelled at the easy camaraderie they shared. The jealousy I’d been expecting was there, but it wasn’t as strong as the other emotion.
Happiness.
I was happy that Ryan had made such a good friend. That he felt comfortable enough to bicker with Xander. It made him happy, that much was clear.
And that made me happy. Very, very happy.
“Speaking of Dominic,” Xander said, gesturing at the soup in my hands. “Why don’t you take that from him?”
The pot had barely left my fingers when Xander grinned widely at me. “I’ve waited a long time to do this.”
I didn’t even have time to blink before his fist collided with my jaw. The hit was hard enough to send me flying back into the wall and sliding to the floor.
“Xander,” Ryan roared, his voice breaking with the remnants of his flu. “What the fuck, man?”
My head was still spinning as Ryan put the soup down and dropped to his knees. The next thing I knew, his hands were gently cupping my face. “Dom, are you okay?”
I was more than okay. Ryan was voluntarily touchingme.He was touching me.I never wanted him to stop. I’d let Xander punch me a thousand more times if this was the end result. “I’m fine. I deserved it.”
“Damn right you did,” Xander said, his easy smile a stark contrast to his words. “But it’s okay. All is forgiven now.”
“All is not fucking forgiven,” Ryan snarled, glaring up at his friend. “You could’ve hurt him, Xander. What the fuck?”
“I wouldn’t have hurt him badly,” Xander said, exasperated. “Besides, I didn’t hit him as hard as I originally planned to.”
I smirked inwardly. “You didn’t?”
“The soup helped.” Xander held a hand out to me. “Plus looking after Ryan while he was sick. Had to do it once and I know what a whiny fucker he can be when he’s ill. If you stayed through all of that then you deserve to be in my good books.”
Ryan’s fingers dropped from my face as he stared at Xander’s outstretched hand. From how he paled, I knew what he expected me to do. What I absolutely would’ve done ten years ago.
Knocked the shit out of Xander and escalated the situation past the point of return.
But this was the new me. I reached up and accepted Xander’s hand, letting him pull me to my feet.
“That was you holding back?” I said jokingly, rubbing at my jaw. “Shit, man, I don’t want to be on the receiving end of you at full strength.”
“Then don’t ever hurt Ryan again,” Xander said bluntly. His humorous mask slipped for a moment, and I found myself staring at the cold monster beneath. It was there and gone in a blink. “And I won’t have a reason to.”
“You shouldn’t be punching people at all.” Ryanshoved his way between us, his arm going around my waist. I froze. Did he realise he was touching meagain?“You’re a boxer. You could seriously hurt someone, Xan.”