“I’m not a failure, Rohan.”
“I never said you are!”
“Then stop treating my choices like they are a mistake,” I beg, my voice catching unintentionally. “And if Iammaking mistakes, maybe be supportive instead of making me feel like I can’t come to you in case things go wrong.”
“We’re not gonna go wrong!” Cal exclaims at the same time Rohan says, “Of course you can come to me!” They both exchange exasperated looks, blaming the other for my emotional outburst.
Something passes between them because a moment later, Cal straightens.
“I love her,” he announces, just as two more Ironhearts step out of the bar. “I won’t quit loving her just because you disapprove, Moore, so do what you need to do to get over it and get on board with the fact that I’m dating Alia.”
Rohan’s jaw ticks, his teeth grinding hard enough that I wince.
“Treat her right?” he bites out.
“I’ll always put her first.”
Rohan nods once, stiffly, his shoulders tense.
“I trusted you and you lied to me.”
“I’m sorry. I tried to stay away but, fuck, it almost killed me, man. I’ve never felt about any woman the way I do about Alia. But I breached your trust—I get that. I hope I can earn it again.”
“Where do you want it?”
My cousin’s question confuses me as I flick a gaze between him and the man I love.
“Want what?” I ask, but Cal seems to understand anyway, signaling to Novak. To my surprise, Theo comes and maneuvers me a couple feet away.
“What’s happening?” I glance up at him in worry, but he grins.
“They’re making up,” he snickers. “Don’t worry, Al, it’ll be over before you know it.”
What?I don’t have time to voice the question because Cal points to his left cheek, the one I’ve kissed countless times, and says to Rohan, “Make it quick.”
I yelp, throwing off Theo’s arms when Rohan knocks Cal to the ground. Dropping to my knees, I inspect Cal’s face. My fingers tremble, too afraid to touch his cheek. It’s flushed red, which servesto throw flint into my protective fire. Jumping to my feet, I swerve around to face Rohan.
“How could you hit your friend?” I scold, slapping his shoulder. “You could’ve hurt him!”
“I’m hurt too!” Rohan barks, his voice cracking at the end. “He lied to me.Youlied to me.”
And that’s when I see the hurt simmering beneath his massive, bearlike exterior.
“Ro. I was afraid of what you’d think.”
“I’ve only ever wanted to protect you, Aloo. I didn’t do a good enough job when you were married to that asshat and—”
“You’re the best big brother I could’ve ever asked for. But I need you to let me learn my own way instead of pushing me inside a protective bubble that doesn’t let me explore who I can be.”
“I wasn’t!”
“Yes, you were,” I insist, keeping my tone even and kind. “You appointed yourself my protector and added it to your list of responsibilities. You hovered anytime we were together—as if you were getting ready to take a bullet for me. I love you, Rohan. I’m so lucky to have you. But seeing how worried you got over the little things made it hard to make mistakes around you. Not because I thought you’d judge me, but because of how much it affected you when something went wrong for me.”
“I want you to be safe.”
“I know. But safety doesn’t equate to happiness. Nor is it freedom. I can be safe inside a cage, but that’s no way to live, is it?”
A rough, tortured sound rumbles in his chest as he frustratedly rakes a hand through his hair. “You’re. . . happy?”