A Little Secret (The Little Things #4)

Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

GRIFFIN

S cratching my jaw, I head into the gym. It’s early and so cold my balls want to retreat into my body as I slip on my coat’s hood. The roads are icy, and it’s still dark outside. So dark, if I didn’t know this was the only place I was sure to find Everett so I could talk to him, I might’ve even stayed at home in Finley’s bed. We stayed in the same room last night. We’re out in the open. Me and Fin. The air is clear. Mostly. No sneaking around. No lies. No alibis. The memory of her tight little body wrapped around me this morning makes me nearly groan, but I force it back and tug the heavy glass door open.

There he is. Just. Like. Clockwork.

It’s arms and chest day. Everett grunts as he does a bicep curl. The veins pop out beneath his skin, proving he’s already earned his pump.

He’s been here for a while.

As I approach, the rhythm of his curls staggers, but he doesn’t look at me. Not directly or in the mirrors lining the gym’s walls. Nah, he’s pretending I don’t exist.

Real mature, man .

Tucking my hands in my coat pockets, I ask, “Hey, can we talk?”

Metal clanks together as he sets the free weights down and adds another forty pounds to each side of the bench press without acknowledging me.

Yeah, the guy’s pissed.

He should be. I not only went back on a promise I made when we were kids, but I did it without giving him a heads-up, and, knowing how this guy operates, it’s the worst way I could’ve handled everything.

Stepping closer, I squeeze the back of my neck. “Ev, I know I fucked up.”

He scoffs. “You think?”

“Not about kissing your sister, but?—”

He scoffs again. “Is that all you were doing, Griff? Kissing her?”

My head falls forward, and shame fills my gut. At this point, it’s familiar, but it doesn’t make the feeling any less potent or crippling. Doesn’t mean he needs to be an ass about it, though.

“I know I should’ve told you I was going to make a move before I went through with it,” I admit, “but it just…happened, all right? And then, she wanted to keep it a secret, and…I’m sorry.”

“Let me get this straight,” he challenges, giving me his full attention. “You’re not sorry for failing to ask me permission, but you’re sorry for not keeping me in the loop when you crossed a line? That’s the angle you’re gonna take?”

I shrug, unsure what else to say. “Guess so.”

“Good to know.” He turns back to the weights and lies on the bench press, preparing to work his chest. I make a mental note of the amount of weight he’s using, then get into position to spot him without waiting for a request .

The guy might be pissed, but he isn’t Superman.

“Look, your sister’s a grown adult, and whether or not you want to admit it, you have nothing to do with her dating life, and you sure as shit shouldn’t have any say in it.”

“And here I thought you were apologizing,” he mutters under his breath as he grips the bar.

“I’m apologizing as your friend, not your sister’s boyfriend,” I clarify. “You know I’d never hurt her.”

He glares up at me, his knuckles turning white as he squeezes the bar in his hands. “And what happens when you leave? You sure that won’t hurt her?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“What about the Tornadoes? Your contract? What then?” He lowers the bar toward his sternum, his nostrils flaring. “She’s already done long distance once.” Everett shoves the bar back up. “You really think she deserves to be dragged through that hellhole twice?”

“It isn’t up to you,” I remind him. “It’s Finley’s decision, and it’s not like I coerced her or some shit. She cares about me, too.”

“Of course she does.” His face reddens as he does another rep, staring at the ceiling. “She’s had a thing for you since she was a kid.”

“Then what’s the problem? You hated Drew, but even with him, you didn’t put up this much of a fight, which, if we’re being honest, is a low blow, Ev,” I mutter. “Why do you not want me with Fin?”

His jaw locks. “I never gave a”—another rep—“shit about Drew because I knew it wouldn’t last. I knew he wasn’t the one for her.”

“And I am?” I challenge.

He lowers the bar again, then shoves it up, making sure to keep his elbows from locking. Gotta give the guy credit. He must be tapping into his inner Hulk or some shit because he’s bench-pressing more weight than I’ve ever seen.

Still refusing to look at me, he grunts, “You have. The power. To break her.”

“I won’t.”

Setting the bar back onto the hooks, he pulls himself to a seated position and stares up at me. “But you could.”

“But I won’t.”

He pushes to his feet and meets me chest to chest. Eye to eye. We’ve always been pretty matched for height and weight, but after the last thirty minutes Everett’s spent imagining all the ways he could kill me while channeling all the pent-up energy into weight lifting, the guy’s muscles are fucking swollen. It makes him look at least fifteen pounds of pure, lean muscle heavier. And right now, he also looks like he wants to rip off my head.

“But you could hurt her,” he repeats vehemently.

I stay quiet, letting his words hit their mark. He’s right. I could hurt her. I won’t, but I could. And that’s the problem. I get it. I get his need to protect her. To keep her safe. To look out for Fin and everyone else around him. It’s who he is. He can’t just…turn it off. Even with friends and family. Especially with friends and family. And here I am, putting him at odds because we’re best friends, but his sister is his sister. And I could hurt her.

“You know me better than that, Ev,” I murmur. “I wouldn’t have pursued Fin if I thought there was even a chance she’d be hurt in the process.”

“And what if she breaks you?” he demands. “You’re my best friend, and Finley’s…Finley.”

I cock my head. “Afraid she’ll get bored?”

“Afraid she’ll be impulsive and do something she shouldn’t. ”

“Like sleep with your best friend?” I offer.

“More like dump your ass.”

I chuckle. “Give me a little more credit.”

“Fin’s young. She has her whole life ahead of her.”

“Yeah, and by some miracle, she wants me in it for the time being. You really blame me for shooting my shot?” His attention shifts from one of my eyes to the other, bouncing around my face until his head dips in a sharp nod, his molars still grinding. “Why now?” he questions. “I know she was with Drew before, but you’re leaving…”

“I couldn’t fight it anymore.”

Another nod. Not like he accepts my reasoning, only my sincerity, but I’ll take it anyway.

“And what happens if you can’t fight for her?” he pushes.

“I’ll always fight for her,” I promise. “Always. No matter what. No matter the cost.”

“You sure?”

“If anything, this conversation with you should prove it firsthand,” I argue. “You’re my best friend, and I knew this would hurt you, but I still went after her. I saw the opening, and I took it. And you can be pissed at me all you want, but you know me. You know I’d do anything for her. Anything. ”

His attention darts over my features again as he searches for whether or not I’m telling the truth. When I realize how much he looks like Fin when he does it, my mouth twitches, and I promise, “Not gonna hurt her, Ev. You have my word.”

“Fine.” He backs away and sits on the bench. “You gonna spot me again or what?”