Series: Webs We Weave Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 162520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 813(@200wpm)___ 650(@250wpm)___ 542(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 813(@200wpm)___ 650(@250wpm)___ 542(@300wpm)
“But it’s something.” He knows.
I cup his hand in both of mine. “I’m okay. I’m okay.” I hold on to his reddening gaze. “You believe me?” It’s the truth.
He nods. “I don’t believe you’re lying to me, but I know you’re not telling me something that’s been bothering you. And honestly, it’s starting to worry the shit out of me.”
“Don’t be worried. Just…trust me.” My raspy voice almost cracks. “Please.”
He rubs his mouth back and forth, searching my features. “You’ve been avoiding alcohol for weeks. If you’re pregnant—”
“Rocky.” I want him to drop this right now.
“I need you to know, the things that scare you, I want to face with you. You don’t need to do this alone.”
I love him. My love for him slams abruptly, powerfully, against me. He thinks I’m terrified to have a baby, and so naturally, I’m pushing him away. It’s a decent guess.
Affection bleeds through my gaze, and I know he can see it. He laces our hands, and I whisper, “Typically, when I’m scared, all I want is you.”
I feel terror. The next thing I think is his name. My Rocky. He’s my security, my safety, my shelter.
He nods, letting this sink in. “You want me to drop it?”
I’m tormented with this whole ordeal. I can’t hide my twisting, contorting face. I can’t muster any sort of reply.
He sees. “Anything that hurts you like this is a plague to my fucking system. I can’t look away.”
“I’m not your problem.” I cast him an apology in my eyes.
“You are my problem. And not because you’re my sister’s bratty best friend.”
I release a tight breath, and I wonder if he knows. If he’s assumed now that I’m protecting her and shooting my own foot in the process, but I’m too afraid to ask.
“It’s because I love you, Phoebe. I’m in love with you. Do you understand that?”
I nod strongly, quickly. “I love you, too. I hope you know how much.”
He bows forward and cups my face. “It’s not too late to tell me.” His lips inch higher. “Better yet, scream it.”
I grind away a stupidly dopey smile. “So all the ancestors of your past can hear?” I skim his lips. “Phoebe loves Rocky.” I try to taunt, but it comes out all too truthful.
“That’s all you’ve got?” He skims my lips.
“Phoebe loves Rocky.” I say it deeper.
His eyes devour all of me. “Rocky loves Phoebe.” We’re a hot second from colliding into a devoted, desperate kiss when the bookcase swings open.
Nova has arrived. My oldest brother immediately diverts his gaze from me and Rocky. “Is this really the time for that?”
“We’re just talking,” I defend.
Nova is disbelieving.
I send a bug-eyed look at Rocky. “You’re not going to clear our names here?”
“Am I guilty of something?” He checks the cell signal on his phone. “I don’t care if Nova thinks we were about to fuck.”
“That’s my sister,” Nova warns.
“Nooo,” Rocky says dryly, widening his eyes. “I had no clue. Thank you for the family tree.”
Nova sends me a look. “Your boyfriend.”
Yeah. I smooth my lips together, trying not to smile. I chose Rocky, and I do love his serrated edges, even if they unfortunately really aggravate Nova.
“You’re early,” Rocky says to him. “I told you to come at four thirty.”
“It is four thirty.” He stays wedged in the doorway. He kicks up a foot against the spun bookcase wall, keeping a lookout. “Phoebe.” He calls me over, and when I’m at his side, he digs out a sheathed knife. It’s already strapped to a leather band.
“Is this for Trent or our dad?” I whisper.
“Whoever.”
“Okay, but you know I’m not going to stab Rocky.”
“I know,” he emphasizes slowly, speaking hushed like me. “Still doesn’t mean I think he’s good for you.”
I crinkle my nose. “It might be the other way around.” I peer back as Rocky searches for any cell signal in the hidden parlor. “He’s a better boyfriend than I am a girlfriend.”
Nova frowns. “I don’t believe that.”
“You don’t want to believe it. It doesn’t make it any less true, Nov.”
“When have you been a bad anything to any of us?”
I cradle this compliment close to my heart, easing a little. “This relationship is just new territory for me, I think.” I’m trying to balance being a good best friend to Hails and a good girlfriend to Rocky. He deserves the same loyalty I give her, but it’s been conflicting.
Nova shoots Rocky a harsher look, then asks me, “Did he tell you you’re a bad girlfriend?”
“No. No, it’s just my insecurities at max level.”
“Fuck them.” Nova nods to me.
I nod back. “Yeah, fuck them.” I intake the power in those crude, simple words. He wraps an arm around me in a stiff Nova hug. It makes me smile.
I love my brothers. One of which is still MIA. “What time did you tell Oliver to get here?” I ask Rocky on my way back to the couch. I plant my foot on the armrest and hike up my light gray cotton shorts, exposing more of my thigh.