7. Rhys

CHAPTER SEVEN

Rhys

I’m annoyed.

I guess that’s just the permanent state I’m going to live in for the rest of my life—or as long as Everest is in it—because, once again, this is all his fault. Elton is supposed to be having a good time partying it up before he leaves for Spain tomorrow, but he’s just standing here. Everest disappeared a bit ago, saying he had to go to the bathroom, but he hasn’t been back to find Elton.

The hate I feel for Everest only intensifies, but I shouldn’t be surprised he’s such a massive piece of shit. Selfish, inconsiderate, fucking?—

“Maybe he just got lost,” Elton says, nibbling on his bottom lip as he leans against the bar. “It’s a big club.”

I nod because I guess that could be believable if Elton’s ass wasn’t parked at the bar. “Maybe.”

“I should go after him. I?—”

“Just remember not to push too much,” I remind him as I sling a towel over my shoulder. I say this to be nice. I don’t want Elton to get his hopes up over a guy who’s going to let him down, just like he let me down.

Elton’s eyes flash with amusement. “Oh, so you do care now?”

I snort, even though a part of me curses myself for saying anything. No. I absolutely do not fucking care about Everest, but Elton’s my best friend and I care about him . I roll my eyes to appease him, not wanting to get into it during work, mostly because I hate it when we fight. “Sure.”

“So, I have a favor to ask.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Another one? You’re really racking these up.”

Rolling his eyes, he slaps my arm from across the bar. He thumbs over his shoulder at a pretty blonde fluttering her lashes at him, cheekily biting her straw as she lingers at a nearby table. “I met this girl while I was looking for Everest and she’s perfect. She’s a vet tech and wants three kids.”

“Jesus,” I chuckle, shaking my head at him. “Did you also get her social security while you were at it?”

He rolls his eyes and nudges me. “Look, she and I are going to find a quiet place to talk.”

“Sure. Talk .”

“Can you keep an eye on Everest? I’m sure he found some friends or something, but I want to make sure he gets home safe.”

I groan internally. The likelihood that Everest actually did run into some friends is slim to none. Elton is smart, so he must know that this is pure avoidance on Everest’s part, but his optimism isn’t letting him admit it to himself. “Yeah, man. I’ll get his ass into a car before my shift is over.”

“Appreciate it,” he says. He looks over his shoulder once more, waving at the blonde before turning back to me. “Okay, well, the future Mrs. Hill and I have our deepest, darkest secrets to discuss.”

I shake my head with a laugh as he joins the woman and they both head toward the front doors. Thoughts of watching over Everest disappear the busier it gets, and I’m swept up in a rush of making drinks. I don’t know how much time has passed when I feel like I can come up for air, and it just so happens to be the same time I spot Everest.

And what the actual fuck is Knox Sanders doing here?

God, I hate that guy with every fiber of my being. Apart from being a cocky as shit, rude asshole, he’s also the guy who tried to sell drugs to Everest when he was fourteen. In a way, he played a part in the hand I’ve been dealt but, surprisingly enough, pure hatred isn’t what hits me.

A sudden rush of pure protectiveness knocks me sideways instead. It flairs when I see the way Everest tips his head back and laughs at something Knox says. It morphs into something hot and urgent when Knox wraps his arm around the back of Everest’s neck and kisses his cheek. That slimy fucker has always had the feels for Everest, and I swear, if he touches him one more time?—

I stop at that. What the actual fuck ?

Besides knowing Everest isn’t into guys, why should I even care if Knox is feeling him? It has absolutely nothing to do with me. I turn my back on them quickly, cursing myself for the lingering uneasiness this is all bringing. It’s a strange feeling that accompanies me through the hour that follows as I try to drown myself in my work to avoid the urge to… I don’t know? Do something about Knox and Everest?

When it gets to a point where I can’t take it anymore, and my mind is too jumbled to think straight, I slap my hands against the bar top.

“Smoking!” I yell at Britt, who nods curtly before relaying the information to Skylar. Sneaking out from behind the bar, I head to the back of the club where the door to the alley is. I pat my pockets to make sure I have the keys to get back in this way. When I get outside, I pull out a cigarette, perching it between my lips and lighting up quickly.

I’m so annoyed. I don’t want to give a shit about Everest—really, I don’t—but it’s getting so tangled up in my mind, and it’s only been a week with that kid back in my life. Things would have been much better if he could have just fucked off by himself and left me in peace.

A part of me knows I don’t have any real grounds to hate him, though. He was just fourteen when all that shit went down, and what did I expect him to do when I was arrested? Tell the cops they were his? Throw himself between us? But still, I can’t get over it. It’s a festering irritation in my stomach that bubbles whenever I see him, but what takes me off-guard is another emotion coursing through me. It’s… No . It’s ridiculous. It can’t be. I’m not concerned about Everest, even though my brain suddenly brings to the forefront a memory of his sweet face and blushing pink cheeks and?—

Stop.

I nearly crush the cigarette in my hand, tempted to scream out my frustrations, when a sharp cough and a deep groan catch my attention. People like to come back here all the time to fuck or do drugs, not knowing that once they leave through the back door, they won’t get back in without a key. I debate checking on it for a second before I head behind the dumpster to the source of the noise and blink repeatedly at the sight that awaits me.

It’s Everest, on his knees, bent over and vomiting all over the back alley. Sweat covers the back of the dark shirt he wore tonight, and his entire body shaking as he gags. I don’t know what overcomes me, as pure instinct makes me fall to my knees beside him, narrowly avoiding the throw up. I push back his sweat-matted hair from his forehead and rub his damp back. “Jesus, Ev. You okay?”

He looks up, a bit of puke on the corner of his lips, as he smiles drunkenly. Blinking slowly, lazily, he presses the tip of his finger against my nose. “You called me Ev.”

“That’s your name, isn’t it?” I bite out, mentally cursing myself for that little slip. “You’re wasted.”

“Ding, ding, ding,” he giggles, burping as he wipes his mouth with the inside of his arm. He looks around with glossy eyes that can’t focus on anything in particular. “Where are we?”

I snort and help him up by hooking my hands under his armpits, which is hard as fuck, considering he’s not doing anything to make it easier. I’m not a small guy, Everest is just huge. “In Wonderland, Alice.”

“You’re soooooo funny, Rhys,” he slurs, resting his head on my shoulder. “You were always the funniest.”

I try not to laugh at that. The way he mimics airplane sounds as I start to lead him to the back door makes me chuckle because it’s just too fucking endearing.

Not cute. Never cute.

I know I need to tell Britt that I have to extend my break to make sure he gets into a car alright. Propping him against the back door, I fish through my pockets for the keys, but his words make me nearly drop them.

“Do you hate me, Rhys?”

I stop, almost like a deer caught in headlights. I wasn’t expecting him to say that, maybe mumble some more drunken nonsense. “I don’t hate you.”

“Yeah, you do,” he insists, and my traitorous heart cracks when he starts sniffling. “I don’t want you to hate me. Too much hate already. Too much…”

“What are you—” But then I catch it, and it makes all my other thoughts disappear out the window.

His eyes.

I work at a club, for fuck’s sake, so I know what it looks like when people are fucked up. With the way he’s leaning against the wall, the light illuminating the back entrance shines directly on his green eyes. Eyes that are a touch darker than his brother’s. Eyes that carry an emotion I can’t quite place. Eyes that are dilated as hell.

I seize the tip of his chin, angling his head to the light to make sure I’m not making shit up. “Are you rolling?” I ask, and there’s no hiding the snarl in the question.

He lets out a hiccupped laugh. “More like soaring.”

I try not to be a person who judges others. Not when my life isn’t the picture of perfection. I’m not a saint, but a firm line I don’t cross is drugs. I’ve never tried them, and I don’t plan to any time soon. I’m not an idiot, though, and I understand the reality of being a teenager living in Miami. Drugs are everywhere and everyone experiments, but two things happen to me at once.

An overwhelming surge of protectiveness once again takes over me. Everest is a big boy, but seeing him fucked on drugs calls to a side of me that’s been dormant for so long. The side that needs to protect, to coddle, to ensure that nothing and nobody ever touches a hair on his damn head. It’s all tied up with that annoying fondness I apparently still feel for him that I’m starting to resent. Why is it that all I want to do is bring him home, get him a glass of water, tuck him into bed, and sit at his side just for good measure to make sure he’s okay? It’s this urgent need to simply see him be okay, something that’s been building since I saw him with Knox.

But then that petty side of me is pissed. Pissed that he was stupid enough to get himself so fucked up. Pissed that he found himself in a potentially dangerous situation with no one to help him. Pissed that the past is repeating itself. Pissed that I agreed for him to be my problem.

And, at the end of the day, anger always wins out.

Before I can think better of it, I’m grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him to me, shaking him to see if it’ll drop some sobriety into him. “You want to know if I hate you? You want to know why?”

His eyes widen at my outburst. He doesn’t try to escape my grip, just nods dumbly. “Yeah.”

“Because of this shit!” I shout, knowing nobody is going to hear us. “Because you have everything life could possibly offer! Because you’ve been raised with a goddamn silver spoon in your mouth! Because you take advantage of your privilege by fucking up your life! But wait, no, it’s my life you ended up ruining!”

“Rhys…” he mumbles. Eyes watering, he opens and closes his mouth, shaking his head. “I’m sorry?—”

“You’re sorry? That’s the best you got? After four years with no fucking apology, now you’re sorry because you got caught?”

I know I should shut my mouth. I’m tired from a long night of working. I’m irritable because Elton’s made me promise something I can’t guarantee. I’m so annoyingly worried about Everest. I’m livid that he’s fucked up, and I can’t stop myself now. I’ve started this outpouring of everything I’ve kept inside and now I can’t control it.

I let go of him quickly, causing him to stumble a bit, and throw my hands up in the air. “I mean, fuck, what were you thinking?”

“It’s not a big deal,” he tries to defend, but his words come out shaky and unsure. I can see it’s taking all his concentration to be able to have a coherent conversation, which only serves to enrage me further. “It’s just a little Molly and some alcohol. Why are you so upset?”

“Because after four years, and ruining my life, you’ve learned nothing! Because you’ve never once had to deal with the consequences of your actions and now you’re my problem!”

Something about what I said makes him snap. He uses all that impressive strength to shove me against the wall, chest heaving with intensity as nothing but anger coats his features. I’ve only ever seen this type of reaction from him once, and it scared the shit out of me the first time. Not because I thought he was going to hurt me, but because it’s just not…Everest.

“I’m not your fucking problem!” he growls. His large hands keep me pressed against the wall, not an inch of space between us. “Just let Elton think that you’re watching over me, but leave me the fuck alone.”

I stop at that. “You know?—”

“I heard you at the penthouse,” he spits, giving me one last shove before stepping back. “You think I’m trouble? Then don’t bother. You’re not my brother, you’re not my father, and you’re not my goddamn keeper. Stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”

That’s what I wanted to do. That’s what I should do. I don’t know what overcame me earlier, but caring for Everest is nothing but a mistake. My life will be a shit ton easier if I just let him do what he wants, worry about myself, and allow him to ruin his life too if that’s what he chooses.

“Fine,” I snap, fussing with my backward baseball cap, fingers itching for a cigarette. “Where the fuck are you going?”

“Not your problem!” he shouts over his shoulder. “Just tell Elton I found a hookup for the night, and I’ll be home tomorrow morning.”

“If I’m not your keeper, I’m certainly not your messenger!”

“Then just keep your mouth fucking shut!”

With those lovely parting words, Everest disappears into the busy street, mingling with the crowd before my body has the chance to do something stupid like follow him. Concern tries to settle in my gut, but I push it aside. Despite what Elton asked me to do, his brother isn’t someone for me to worry about.

Like I said. If he wants to fuck up his life, let him .

That’s the only thought I carry through the night as I head back into the club, intent on finishing up my shift, but when my body screams at me to go after him, I feel guilt pooling in my gut. He was fucked up. What if he didn’t make it home? What if someone found him and took advantage?—

“I’m going home!” I shout at Britt, already reaching for the keys to Elton’s BMW.

Her eyes widen as she shakes her head. “Rhys, you can’t just leave on a Saturday night.”

I know she’s right, but the need to make sure Everest is okay is just too strong to ignore. “If Davis asks, it was an emergency.”

She shakes her head. “You can’t leave me alone?—”

“You have Skylar,” I snap as I work my way around her to the edge of the bar. “I’m sorry, Britt, but I have to go.”

I know I’m going to get shit from her later if the fury in her eyes is any indication, but I’ve known Britt for a long time, and she’ll understand. Skylar gives me a questioning arch of his eyebrow as I pass in front of him, his mouth opening to say something, but I’m already past him before he has the chance to. I race out the back door to where I parked, getting into the car, and hauling ass to get home, just hoping I’ll be relieved at what I find.

It takes me way too long to get to the penthouse, and I’m barreling through the elevator doors before they’re fully open. Without giving it any thought, I run up the stairs to Everest’s room, not knowing if I should be happy or concerned when the door is unlocked as I enter. I whip my head around the room, ignoring the scattered moving boxes, and something loosens in my chest when I see the faint outline of a figure in the bed.

Fucking hell.

The relief I feel is instantaneous. It’s like I can think straight again. But that ends when I see that Everest isn’t alone. I guess he did somehow find a hookup for the night, and I curse myself for being an idiot. He was fine . He still is. I shake my head, disappointed and furious with myself for letting him work me up again. I go to head out of the room, but stop short when the person lying with him turns on their side. I’m not prepared for the overwhelming rage, the sheer sense of primalness .

It’s Knox fucking Sanders in bed with him.

Suddenly, all the reasons I was wanting to avoid Everest come rushing back. If this is who he chooses to associate himself with, the life he wants to live, the mistakes he wants to make—well, it’s his to choose.

So I’ll let him do his thing. Let him fuck around with someone who doesn’t give a shit about anything either. Let him ruin his life.

Straight into the trouble I know he is.