Chapter 41

Griffand I get home so late that we don’t wake up until the next afternoon.

Wait. I open my eyes. I’m alone.

Where is he?

I grab a T-shirt from one of his drawers, slip on my velvet pants even though they feel gross from wearing them all day yesterday, and head upstairs.

Low, angry voices greet me as I push open the door. Griff and Remy. I roll my eyes and walk toward their budding argument.

“What do you mean she punched someone?” Remy seethes.

They’re in the dining room. That’s good, at least there’s a whole table between them. Remy’s back is to me, his neck and shoulders tight with anger.

Griff’s facing me and notices my arrival first.

“Good morning, Remington,” I say from behind him.

He turns and relief washes over his face, smoothing the angry furrow between his eyebrows. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I show him my right hand. “My fingers hurt a little. I don’t know how you guys do that repeatedly.”

He gently takes my hand, inspecting for damage, then looks up into my eyes.

Remorse, not smug satisfaction that he was right, shimmers in his eyes.

“You were right,” I say. “It was a total shit show.”

“I didn’t want to be right.”

Griff snorts.

“But,” I continue before my brother responds, “I’m glad I was there. I spoke up for myself.” I shift my gaze to Griff. “And for Griff.”

“Yeah, you did, baby.”

“And unless they decide not to air it, everyone will finally know that Griff never slept with her,” I finish. “Naptime and Kiki confirmed it was them. More than once.”

“Griff’s reputation wasn’t my concern,” Remy says.

“Thanks,” Griff mutters.

Ignoring him, Remy continues. “Yours is. That video of you punching out that woman on some reality shit show will live forever. You want to work in a medical-related field. What if it hurts your job prospects?”

I blink and stare at him. Why hadn’t I ever thought of that?

“Cut it out,” Griff says. “Kiki came flying at Molly. She touched her first. It was a clean knockout, not a hair-pulling scratch fest. No one can look at it as anything other than self-defense.”

Remy lifts one shoulder. “Okay.”

“Well, it’s done now.” I sigh and round the table, taking a seat next to Griff. “Did Griff tell you he’s going to fight Magic Everson in Vegas?”

Remy chuckles softly. “Yeah, he mentioned it. I’m going to have to stop going so easy on him at the gym. And make him come on my morning runs with me now. Build up that endurance.”

“I run,” Griff protests.

“Bro, you haven’t done shit in weeks.”

“I’ve been recovering,” Griff says, sounding out each syllable. “Doctor’s orders.”

Laughing, I stand and push in my chair.

“Where are you going, Muffin?” Griff reaches for me, hooking his arm around my leg.

“I need to pack and get ready to go back to school.” I lean down and kiss his cheek. “You two try not to kill each other while I’m away this week.”

“We’ll do our best.” Remy focuses his intense stare on Griff and the lingering anger in his eyes doesn’t reassure me at all.