My Brother's Girl

35| The Old Friend

Wyatt
THORNE

My mind has been going ever crazy since Lia hung up on me. I was terrified about what she was doing. I could tell by the way she was talking that she was wasted; and Lia rarely ever got like that. Then she said she was going home with some random guy. It didn't make me mad—it made me terrified.  I had no idea who that guy was. I knew that we weren't together, but she was still my best friend. 

I had stopped by Down the Rabbit Hole on the way to her place to see if she was there. The bartender, Roger. said she left thirty minutes before I got there. With a blonde guy. FUCK. I headed to her place; breaking every traffic law there was. 

If something happened to her, I was going to lose my mind. I've already come to realize that I was crazy in love with her. I probably have been since the very beginning. I couldn't imagine a world where she wasn't okay. Or where she didn't exist. I trusted her not to put herself in harms way, but who was this mysterious guy? That's what I didn't trust. 

I finally pulled into the garage at her apartment. I hoped to God she was here. Then it dawned on me. I didn't have a fucking key to her place. The tires on my car squealed as I drove up the ramp of the garage. When I got to the top level, I turned into a spot and jumped out. I started running towards the elevator when I heard a familiar voice. 

"Wyatt! Over here!" 

I turned towards the voice and frowned. I started waking over to the black sedan. I looked in the passenger window as I got closer and saw Lia passed out in the front seat. I looked to the 'mysterious blonde'. "Grant? Is that you?"

He shifted uncomfortably on his feet before offering me his hand. "Yeah. It's been awhile." 

I shook his hand as I tried to make sense of this night. I remembered him as a friend of Logan's. He came by our place a few times. I hadn't seem him in a long time, though. "What the hell—" I glanced from Lia back to him. "What's going on?" 

"I'll explain everything. But we should get her inside first. I got her this far but she passed out before I could get her apartment number." 

I nodded and gently lifted Lia in my arms. Grant grabbed her purse and followed me to the elevator that led to her floor. During the elevator ride I couldn't help but think about how good it felt to have her in my arms again. I missed her so much these past few days. Sleeping seemed impossible without Lia in the bed beside me. Not having her with me—hearing her jokes and her laughter—it didn't feel right. 

The elevator dinged and told us we finally arrived. We walked in silence until we got to her door. 

"Her keys are in her bag," I said to Grant. "It's the square gold one." 

"Got it." 

He quickly unlocked the door and held it open for me. I carefully maneuvered Lia through the doorway and went straight towards her bedroom. 

"Help yourself to anything in the fridge," I called out. "I'll be out in a minute." 

I laid Lia down in her bed. She sighed contently as she sank into the plush mattress. I stood there for a moment and looked down at her. She was beautiful. She was wearing that same black dress she had on the first night I saw her when I got back to town. Her hair was loose and curly. I wanted nothing more than to run my fingers through it. To lay beside her and pull her against me. But I couldn't do that. Not until we talked and I begged her to take me back. I didn't care if I had to get on my fucking knees. I fucked up; and I was willing to pay for it. 

I walked to the end of the bed and removed the heels she was wearing. I covered her with a blanket and gave her a kiss on the cheek. After one last look at her, I left her room and closed the door behind me. I saw Grant sitting on the couch drinking a beer. I grabbed one for myself before I joined him.