Page 104 of Untroubled Heart

I wanted to turn it off. The DMs, tags, texts, and phone calls were relentless, but I didn’t want to miss hearing from Callie.

I’m pulled from the melancholy by harsh whispers. Sighing, I drag myself from the couch and head inside.

Tristan and Beth are standing toe to toe by the front door in a heated argument. I have no clue why they butt heads so much, but I’m certain it’s either because they’re both perfectionists and like doing things their own way… or there’s some unresolved sexual tension.

“Can you two just fuck already? I can’t deal with your bickering today,” I say, crossing to the kitchen and pulling a bottle of water from the fridge.

Beth practically faints with how deep her gasp is. “What the fuck?!”

“As if I’d have my dick within a ten-mile radius of this princess.” Tristan points to my sister while glaring at me.

She smacks his hand away. “Oh, please, I’d have you obsessed with me the second you saw me naked.”

“Is that before or after I threw up?”

I press my head to the kitchen counter with a groan. “I’d rather wallow alone, you guys.”

“See, you’re not helping. You should just leave,” Beth says, then she lets out a squeak that has me looking up. Tristan holds her by the waist, lifting her so she stands behind him before he turns back to me.

“I came to see how you were,” Tristan says gently as he takes a seat on the stool on the other side of the bench.

“Fan-fucking-tastic.”

“Talk has slowed down online. Emilia’s account doesn’t even exist anymore,” he adds.

I guess that’s something.

Beth takes the stool beside Tristan. “I don’t get how this even happened, Mase. You know better than to let people take photos.”

“I wasn’t always that careful, either, and I never imagined meeting Callie and having this be a thing I had to deal with. I just … didn’t think about any of it.”

“Did you know about the photos?” Tristan asks.

“Girls always want photos of me.” I huff. “I didn’t know she was taking the more intimate ones.” At least they weren’t of my dick, but it’s still fucking petty, and violating. Girls had only ever wanted one of two things from me—sex or money. I guess Emilia was trying her luck for fame, too.

“I’m sure Callie just needs a bit of time to process,” Beth says.

I groan. “She gave me the out, but Emilia had already made her uncomfortable. I didn’t want to add to that. I’d feel jealous as fuck if someone Callie had history with flirted with her right in front of my face. If it weren’t for Anna, I would have punched her ex when he was talking shit about Callie.”

“He talked shit about Callie?” Tristan asks, anger and disgust coating his features.

“He was baiting me. Exactly what Emilia was doing to Callie. I should have told her to fuck off then and there.”

“Hindsight’s a bitch. We can’t get everything right the first time. Hell, some people still get it wrong the second and third time, even if we think we’re acting with good intentions,” Beth says.

Discomfort settles in my gut. “Yeah, I guess in the theme of being honest, then.” I reluctantly look up at Tristan. “I… paid for your mum to get into her new place.”

Tristan tilts his head. “What?”

“She’d been on the waiting list for three years. I was at an event and overheard someone on the board talking about another building opening up. They were just waiting for more government funding. I said I’d help if they could guarantee me the next opening for someone on their waiting list.”

“Shit,” Tristan says in a breath. “You made that happen?”

“I didn’t tell you cos you’ve never accepted my help any other time I’ve offered. Now I’m wondering if me trying to fix things actually helps or just feeds my ego.”

Tristan’s off his seat in an instant, rounding the counter and pulling me into a hug.

“There’s nothing egotistical about you, Mase.” He slaps my back a few times, and I wrap an arm around his. “You help when you see people can’t help themselves. That’s empathy. That’s kindness.” He pulls back, patting my cheek. “Thank you.”