Page 33 of Psycho Saviors

He leaned back in his chair, now that we'd wound up around the dining table swirling the remnants of his whiskey. His eyes lingered on Cristian, whose face was red as he clapped, his laughter having devolved into gasping for air and clapping his hands, which had me in hysterical fits. It was clear that seeing his volatile brother in such a lighthearted state was a rarity.

It took us a moment to gather ourselves, and then Julian cracked another joke, eliciting more giggles from Cristian and me. I cast Tyrone another glance, and I caught a flash of warmth in his expression. It was quickly masked, but not before I glimpsed a hint of fondness there.

As the giggles and snorts died down, Tyrone's gaze met mine again. There was a softness there, barely perceptible but unmistakable. He raised his glass in a subtle toast, a silent acknowledgment of the unexpected joy permeating the room.

"You know what I can't stop thinking about? That horror date of yours, pyro. I can't believe that prick bailed out the back door and left you with the bill. Why would anyone do that? I mean, you're pretty good on the eyes, and witty," Julian mused as he swirled his glass thoughtfully, clearly still bothered by my tale.

"Guess I was just too much for him," I said with a sharp laugh. "Some men can't handle a woman with snark. He was probably thinking ahead on how much I'd butt heads if we became a couple."

"Possibly." Those dark eyes held mine, a flicker of something in their depths before he took a swig of his whiskey. "Never had an actual girlfriend myself," he admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of regret. "Just doesn't seem ideal in this life. Though I do hope to find a strong woman someday to carry on the family legacy." His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.

Curious, and emboldened by the wine, I turned to Tyrone. "What about you? Ever had a girlfriend? You said you hadn't had a good relationship, so did you have a messy one?" I asked, my eyes searching his steeled face for any hint of emotion.

He shook his head, his expression unreadable. "No. Cristian's the only one of us who has had a partner of any kind." The words were clipped, matter-of-fact, but I sensed a story behind them.

I frowned, surprised by this revelation. "Really? You guys didn't date at all?" The question tumbled out before I could stop it, my filter completely dissolved by the alcohol.

Tyrone shrugged, his broad shoulders rising and falling in a smooth motion. "Like I said before, it just doesn't seem like the right time for it. Nothing is stable enough."

"Is stability ever really possible?" I said quickly.

He scoffed. "Yeah, you have a point." His dark eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something - longing, perhaps? - before it vanished, replaced by his usual mask of indifference.

I couldn't help but press further, my curiosity getting the better of me. He'd said he'd figure it out later on in life, but was it something he actually wanted, or something he felt pressured to have to carry on the family legacy? "But you do want it, right? For yourself, not just as a means of carrying on the family business?" I asked Tyrone, leaning forward slightly.

"It's not that simple," he said, his voice low and measured. "Our life... it complicates things. We can't always have what we want, we need to think of the bigger picture."

He reached for the whiskey bottle, pouring himself another glass. The amber liquid swirled in the crystal tumbler as he brought it to his lips, taking a long sip. Heavy silence stretched between us, and Cristian began drumming his fingers on the table, glancing around at all of us.

Suddenly, Tyrone's phone buzzed, breaking the suffocating quietness that had descended. He pulled it out, his expression hardening as he glanced at the screen. Without a word, he stood up, downing the rest of his whiskey in one gulp.

"I'll be in my room," he announced, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I need to take this call."

With that, he strode out of the room, leaving me alone with Julian and Cristian.

"So, want to play another game?" Cristian asked, a smile teasing his lips.

I arched a brow, my head swirling from all the wine. "What are you thinking?"

15

SCARLET

"We could play Monopoly, or something else?" Cristian suggested as he packed the cards away that had been left strewn across the coffee table.

"Monopoly is too tense, breaks up families," I joked, and he smirked, those dark eyes glancing at me before he focused back on another pastry.

I watched him devour it, marveling at how he maintained his sculpted physique despite his apparent sweet tooth. The thought crossed my mind that he must work out religiously to stay in such good shape. My eyes traced the lines of his muscles as he stretched, pulling his tee tight over them, and I caught myself imagining him in the gym, sweat glistening on his skin as he lifted weights.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the tantalizing images. Now was not the time to start falling into the gutter and getting all hot and bothered. I'd blame the wine for the naughty thoughts.

Julian's voice snapped me out of my mind. "So, Scarlet, what about you, do you still want kids someday?"

The question caught me off guard, and I felt a pang in my chest as memories of my loss flared. I swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump forming in my throat.

I swirled the last sip of wine in my glass, the ruby liquid catching the light. Julian's question about kids had hit me like a punch to the gut.

"I don't know," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm a hot mess really. I barely have my life together, and it's scary."