Chapter 18

18

W hen Theo sees the blood dripping down my face, his knees give out, and he drags me down with him into the water. I don't even care that the river rock under my ass is the most uncomfortable thing I've ever experienced. He's here, right in front of me.

"Isla, what happened?" He reaches up with a shaking hand, wiping blood away from my eye.

"I tripped over a root. I'm fine. Are you okay?" I ask, alarmed by the color leeching from his face.

"You're not fine, you're bleeding." His jaw clenches, panic swirling in his eyes. "Come on, let's get back to the cabin. I'll find some antiseptic."

"Not until we talk."

"Isla."

"No. You left me, Theo. You left ." My voice cracks.

He sighs. “You were up there at the top of that tower sobbing your heart out. Looking like you were going to fling yourself over the edge at any minute. Because of something I did, Isla. The only solution I could think of was to leave, having peace in the knowledge that you'd be living out your dream. "

"What about you? Your brothers? What about your dreams, Theo?" I shiver as a cloud moves in front of the sun, the water instantly feeling colder.

"None of it matters if you aren't happy, Isla."

I shrug his hand off my shoulder, furious. "Do you hear yourself right now? Don't you think I care that you're happy? What did you think I was going to do when you left? Just go on with my life like I never met you guys?"

"Yes. No–I don't know, Isla. I didn't think that far ahead. I just knew I couldn't see you in pain like that again."

"I have big emotions, Theo. They're going to sneak out sometimes. If this is going to work, you'll have to accept that."

"If this works?" He meets my gaze, desperation in his eyes.

"Do you think I came all this way to tell you to go fuck yourself?"

"I wouldn't blame you."

Those four little words are all I need to finally understand where he's coming from. "You don't think you deserve to be happy, do you?"

He throws a rock into the river, storm clouds roiling in his eyes.

"Look, I don't know what happened with Katie and your brothers, but I know you blame yourself. How long are you going to play the martyr? You're only hurting your brothers all over again."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I spent most of my life thinking I didn't deserve anything because so much was handed to me. So much so that I stayed in a job that worked me to the bone. I had one day off a week for years. No vacations. No fun. Until you and your brothers showed up and helped me understand that sometimes things need to be turned upside down. That I deserve to do something that makes me happy. Like opening a brewery."

He looks at me, his gaze piercing my soul, hope limning the edges of his doubt. "Do you really, truly mean that?" I nod, blinking back tears. "You'll be happy leaving the bar?"

I sniffle, choking out a laugh. "When you left, the thought of returning to the bar and shouldering that responsibility filled me with dread. "

"Thank fuck." He leans forward and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his lap. "I don't deserve you, Isla," he says, his voice muffled against my neck.

I pull back, framing his face with my hands. "Yes, you fucking do. You deserve the world, Theo. I don't know what I would have done if the three of you hadn't crashed into my life like that. I'm so thankful for you." I sweep a tear from under his eye, my heart aching. "Promise me you won't leave again."

"I don't think that will be a problem," he murmurs, his thumb tracing the freckles over my cheekbone. "The last three days have been absolute hell on earth. When I saw you sunbathing on that rock, like a vision out of a dream, I knew I never wanted to be separated from you again. Everything became crystal clear."

"What became clear?" I ask, leaning into his touch.

"I have no choice but to love you, Isla." His lips crash into mine, and I pour every fiber of my being into that kiss. I open for him, welcoming the warmth of his tongue, the saltiness of our tears. I straddle his hips, pressing my body against his. He squeezes me until I squeak, his low chuckle sending goosebumps skittering over my skin.

"It'll never be close enough, Sunflower." He pushes to his knees, palming my thighs to keep me in place. "Let's go up to the cabin and dry off. I need to call Henry and Dylan."

I grab my tank top and pull it over my head. "Where are they?" I ask, clinging to him like a koala as he picks his way over the rocks and climbs the bank.

"I have no idea. I've been dead to the world the last three days, wallowing in the misery I created." He kicks open the door to the cabin and goes straight back to the bathroom, turning on the shower.

"Theo," I rasp, my heart in my throat. His gaze collides with mine. "I love you, too."

A shiver wracks his body. "Thank fuck, Isla." He sets me on my feet, pulling me up on my toes to brush his lips over mine. "Will you let me take care of you?" he murmurs, his lips moving over mine.

"Yes, Theo." I won't admit it, but I'm exhausted. The adrenaline coursing through my system the last few days has finally crashed, and I feel like I could sleep for twenty-four hours straight. I lift my arms as he peels off my top and then shuffle from foot to foot as he shimmies off my shorts. The worry in his eyes when he studies the gash on my head leaches the sexual tension from the room, leaving something poignant and sweet. He walks me into the shower, guiding my head against his chest as he massages shampoo into my hair. Once rinsed, he runs conditioner through it and squirts body wash onto a washcloth, cleaning the river water from my skin. Tears prick my eyes, and my bottom lip quivers. I've never felt so pampered, so loved. Theo nudges my chin, tilting my tear-stained face up to his.

"You mean the world to me, Isla. I'm sorry I acted in a way that caused you to doubt that."

"You're forgiven," I whisper. I push onto my toes and press my lips to his, my body melting against him, safe and warm.

He pulls away after several seconds. "We can continue this after I get you dried off and patched up." He turns off the water, tucking a towel around his waist before wrapping me in a fluffy towel and carrying me into the bedroom. He folds a towel and lays it on the pillow, instructing me to lie down while he gathers the supplies to bandage my cuts. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I remember is Theo and Henry whisper-shouting at each other.

"You better not ever pull that shit again, Theo. You can't fucking ask me to choose between the most important people in my life." Henry's voice is tight, angry.

"I thought I was doing the right thing. I'm sorry."

"Can we talk like adults next time?" Dylan asks. "Or are some of us incapable of that?" The sarcasm dripping from his words has my lips pulling up. Brothers till the end.

"Stop fighting over me," I say, poking my head out of the bedroom, my voice rusty from sleep.

Henry's face pales, Dylan's brows drawing together with concern.

"I'm fine! I had a run-in with a rock wall, that's all."

"You don't look fine," Dylan says, inspecting Theo's bandaging job. Satisfied, he meets my gaze, relief softening his eyes. "I'm so glad you're here. I missed you." He kisses me softly, sliding his hands over my back and giving me a tight hug.

"Don't hog her," Henry grumbles, not so patiently waiting his turn. Dylan releases me, our gazes locked until Henry's massive body blocks his view. "I fucking missed you, Isla." Those big arms wrap around me, and I melt into the safety of his chest. "Why didn't you answer our texts?"

I pull back so I can look him in the face. "I had my phone turned off. I'm so sorry."

"Never fucking again, I swear to God. I won’t survive it." He buries his face in my neck, his grip tightening.

"I had a lot of time to think the last few days while I was helping Jack reconstruct the roof," I say, pulling away from Henry and facing all three of them. The look on Theo's face would have made me laugh if I wasn’t nervous over what I’m about to say. "We need to all sit down and talk about how this is going to work."

"Isn't it fine how it's working now?" Theo asks.

I roll my eyes. "Obviously not. I just had to fly halfway around the world to find you. You're each your own person, and because of that, we need to be forming separate relationships. Each of them equally strong. It's the best way for us to ensure this is going to work. We also need to talk about what will happen if one of you chooses to leave again. I refuse to be in a relationship that will be torn apart because one of you has a tantrum."

Theo's mouth falls open, but he only snaps it shut, accepting the criticism.

"Also, I want to move back into the Manor House. The cottage is too freaking small to live in long-term."

"I have plenty of room in my bed," Henry says, smirking.

I cut him a glare. "I'll be moving into the fourth bedroom. I'll deduct a quarter of the rent to make it fair."

"Anything else, princess?" Theo drawls, looking like a goddamn supermodel leaning against the wall.

My mouth goes dry. "Yes, we need to talk about sex. "

Dylan swallows hard, then coughs, his eyes watering. "Sex?" he wheezes, his cheeks coloring.

"You'd think you're a virgin with the way you're acting right now," Henry laughs, hitting him on the back.

"Yeah, because we're talking about having sex with Isla," he fake whispers.

"You guys are making this so awkward," I groan, covering my face with my hands.

"Here's the plan," Theo says, pulling on a shirt. "I'm going to go into town and grab some groceries for dinner and a case of beer. We can get drunk, eat good food, and talk about sex all night long. Deal?"

"Deal."