“Can we do the dick measuring contest later? Come eat,” Kat says with a smirk.
Oh yeah, our girl is definitely starting to feel a little more like herself.
Pushing from the couch, I head over. My eyes widen when I take in the sheer amount of food Ryder has cooked up. There’s a huge platter of nachos, tacos, and fajitas ready to be constructed, alongside a massive jug of margaritas.
“It’s virgin,” Ryder says, noticing what’s held my attention.
We might have mostly let Kat do her own thing since I dragged her here, but one thing we insisted on was no alcohol. From the state of her bedroom when I forced my way in, it was obvious that she’d had more than enough, and a detox was not a bad thing.
“This looks amazing,” I say honestly. “Maybe letting you move in wasn’t such a bad idea.”
Kat pauses with an expertly made taco halfway to her lips.
“You moved in?” she asks.
“Yep. Styx was lonely. Thought my being here would stop him sobbing into his pillow at night.”
“What he means to say, Kitty Kat. Is that I’ve been struggling to make rent since McCreeperson left, and after giving half of my savings to…” I trail off, really not needing to go there. “Yeah. Basically, it was let that asshole help or get a new cheaper place to live.”
“I’m glad you didn’t have to move. I like this place. It has… memories.”
“Me too, Kitty Kat.”
“So now, you get to always have us under one roof,” Ryder adds, wiggling his brows suggestively.
Kat thinks for a moment. “I guess I can see the benefit of that. Not that either of you deserves the benefits, of course.”
“We’re sorry, Kat. Really fucking sorry,” I say for what feels like the millionth time.
“I know, you keep saying. It doesn’t stop it from hurting though.”
I nod, noticing Ryder doing the same.
“That night was meant to be a way for me to get Styx to pull his head out of his ass long enough to realize that he is good enough for you. It wasn’t meant to be so…”
“So?” she asks.
“Addictive. One fucking taste of you, Kitten, and I was sucked in. I wanted to do the right thing, leave you with Styx and nothing but the memory of that night. But then everything went down with D and… yeah.” He trails off, obviously not wanting to bring Evelyn’s declining health up right now. “And I just couldn’t stay away from you. You needed… someone. And fuck, I wanted to be that someone.”
“I didn’t just need someone though. I needed both of you.”
“Fuck, Kat,” I say, scrubbing my hand down my face, finding it hard to believe that she could possibly feel about me how I feel about her.
“Changing your mind already, bro?” Ryder teases.
“Nah, I’m not letting her out of my sight this time.”
Kat glares at me. “Good luck caging me up for the long haul, Styx.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Kitty Kat. I love you wild.”
“Hell, I love you wild too. Remember that picnic? Fuck that was good.” Her eyes glaze over as she gazes at Ryder.
Jealousy licks at my insides as I watch Ryder reminisce over their time together.
Part of me wants him to give me a play-by-play, the other part never wants to know.
“Aw, don’t worry, Styxy, we’ll bring you to play too next time,” Ryder teases.