The Bucket List (A REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE)

BONUS CONTENT

***THIS CHAPTER TAKES PLACE A FEW DAYS AFTER ALBANY TOLD SEVERIDE THAT THEY NEEDED TO TAKE A BREAK. IT WAS WRITTEN AS A BONUS CHAPTER FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND WELL BECAUSE YOU ASKED AND I COULDN'T REFUSE***

***BC: STEVEN***

"You're being an asshole," Thomas muttered for the fifth time.

I sighed and just about managed to stop the words from falling past my lips. There were a lot of things I wanted to say to him but I didn't need him to start an argument. I already had enough things to worry about. Like for example; how the hell was I going to make things up to Albany?

I fucked up and I knew that she was pissed at me for it, but if she could only answer her phone or read my text.

"Why is only Severide allowed to know where Albany's staying?" Thomas asked after a few minutes of silence. "How many times had he been over? How many times had they gone out while Albany's completely ignoring us?"

"Severide is too busy to go on dates," I told him. "You know whenever Kat shows up that he pushes everything aside to handle whatever shit she caused."

"Do you think Albany is ignoring us because he lied to her?"

I slowed the truck and turned my head to look at him. It took me a few seconds to realize that he was waiting for a reply. I pursed my lips as I focused on the road again. There were a number of reasons she could be ignoring us.

I couldn't help but wonder if the distance she had place between us was because of what had happened between Thomas and Kieran. Thomas had a temper, we all knew that. . . all except for Albany which unfortunately found out the bad way.

"I didn't mean to hit her," Thomas whispered. "It was an accident. I was so fucking angry at him, Steven. All I saw was red."

"I know."

But does Albany understand that? So far there were three logical reasons for her to be ignoring us. A) Severide didn't tell her that he'd been married before, B) Kieran hit her and he's the reason for her broken arm and C) I forgot about our date.

Relationships had their ups and downs, but were those reasons enough for her to want to break all ties with us? I knew that we couldn't go back to being friends because too much had happened between us already. Our relationship wasn't exactly normal.

Was that the reason why things weren't working?

Thomas's phone pinged, breaking the silence. He muttered a curse under his breath as he stared down at the screen.

"Severide wants to see us."

"Why?" I asked.

Another ping sounded. "He said it's about Albany."

"At his house?" I glanced at him.

"Yes."

I sighed again as I changed direction and headed towards Severide's home. Half an hour later we stopped in front of the gate. Luckily we didn't have to wait long because a moment later the gates opened. I parked the truck behind Kieran's bike.

"Behave," I hissed at my brother before I got out.

Severide's housekeeper was already waiting for us by the door. She gave us a smile and then pointed in the direction of the living room.

"They're waiting for you in the living room. What would you like to drink?"

"A beer, thanks," Thomas ordered.

"Nothing for me."

With a nod, she walked off, leaving us to make our own way to the living room.

Kieran was leaning back in one of the single couches and staring up at the ceiling with a glass of what looked like bourbon in one hand. I frowned. This had to be serious for him to be drinking.

My eyes shot over to Severide when he moved. He leaned forward to place the paper he'd been reading down on the coffee table but he stayed silent until both Thomas and I were seated.

"Since we have you started drinking again?" Thomas asked Kieran. "I see you want to go back—"

"Shut up, Thomas!" Severide yelled before I could utter a word.

"I'm just saying." He took a sip of his beer. "Is Albany also joining us?"

"No."

There was a strange note in his voice that made me frown. I studied him silently but his face gave nothing away. My eyes darted over to Kieran. He looked exhausted. Our eyes locked for a few seconds but before I could make sense of any of the emotions, he looked away.

"Albany wants us to take a break."

The air got locked in my throat as Severide's words penetrated my mind. "A break?"

"We talked the other night and—"

"So you have been seeing her!" Thomas exclaimed. "Are you trying to get her—?"

"I'm not you!" Severide got to his feet. "I'm not the one whose plan is to knock her up and stake claim to her."

I tensed. "So it was true." All eyes snapped to me. "Albany said that she heard you and Kieran talking at the hospital," I explained as I looked at me brother. "She asked me if I was in on what you're planning."

Thomas's face flooded with colour and for the first time he said nothing. He didn't try to deny anything. So, that was another thing to add to the list.

"I can't fucking believe you," I muttered as I ran a hand through my hair. "Why would you fucking do that?"

"Because he doesn't want to share her," Kieran spoke up. "He wants her all to himself."

"A few weeks ago it's exactly what you wanted too."

Kieran pursed his lips. "Yes, but I had other plans that does not include pregnancy."

"You—"

"Can we not do this!" Severide interrupted. "Albany wants a break and we need to respect that."

I stared at him. He took a seat again but instead of reaching for the papers, he rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in his hands. His shoulders sagged and a tired breath fell from his lips.

"What aren't you telling us?" Kieran asked him.

For a few minutes Severide didn't reply. He finally straightened and glanced around.

"She said that she's scared that something's going to happen that would make her choose between the four of us and that's something she doesn't want to do." He looked at me. "Albany said that you need to think about anything other than the now." He looked at Kieran and then Thomas. "And you two need to work things out. The constant fighting needs to stop."

"And what about you?" Thomas asked. "What are you supposed to do?"

Severide swallowed. "I need to learn how to prioritize."

A break. At least it wasn't the end. All we had to do was work on the things she pointed out. I frowned. I thought about the future from time to time. Somehow I had a feeling that her words were related to the question she asked me that night.

I swallowed. "How long is this break going to last?"

"How ever long she wants it too."