Page 268 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

Ronan could have hugged her. Probably inappropriate considering the current topic. Rebecca looked at both of them.

“I don't understand it.”

Elliot’s face changed. Tiny. Ronan saw. Rebecca continued.

“But I love you.”

Elliot looked down.

“And you.”

She looked at Ronan.

“You're family.”

That word landed strangely. Family. Still. Different now. Complicated. But not gone. Thomas exhaled.

“I need time.”

Ronan nodded. Fair. Elliot said nothing. Rebecca stepped toward him. Elliot tensed. Then she hugged him. Ronan watched his face disappear against her shoulder. For one second, Elliot looked completely lost. Then his arms came up. Slowly. He hugged her back. Ronan looked away. There were some things he did not need to witness too closely. Especially tonight. Especially after learning what Elliot was capable of. Because moments like this made the contradiction unbearable. Five people. His mother’s son. Both true. Ronan still had no idea how to hold them at once. They returned upstairs at 1:57. Elliot shut the bedroom door. Ronan sat on the edge of the bed. Neither spoke. Then:

“That went better than expected.”

Ronan looked at him.

“You expected execution?”

“Possibly.”

“Dramatic.”

“Says you.”

Ronan smiled faintly. Elliot sat beside him. Not touching. Again. Ronan looked at the space between their thighs. Two inches. It felt like miles.

“You can touch me.”

Elliot went still.

“What?”

“I said you can touch me.”

“I heard you.”

“Then why are you looking at me like I proposed?”

Elliot’s mouth twitched.

“Because I don’t know what the rules are anymore.”

Ronan’s chest tightened. Neither did he. That was the problem. He reached across the space and took Elliot’s hand. Elliot stared down at their fingers. No violence. No sex. No desperate kiss designed to make either of them forget. Just a hand. Elliot squeezed. Ronan let him.

“I meant what I said downstairs,” Elliot whispered.

“What?”

“Very.”