The Men Next Door

Ch 40 - Luca

After Campbell's jailbreak-gone-wrong, knocking on Brooks' door felt like playing Russian roulette.

Heartache I could deal with. Anger would've been alright, too. Hell, even crocodile tears would've been manageable. I could've handed him some tissues and been on my way. But when the hinges swung open to reveal a very panicked man, I was drawing a blank.

And not in the good, avoiding death in Russian roulette kind of way. We're talking about the no thoughts, head empty type of blank. As in, how am I supposed to help with panic, and why did I miss out on that day of Life Lessons 101, and what in the actual fuck should I say now?

A concerned wrinkle formed between my brows as I quickly crossed off all the terrible options. Make him go to the gym with me? No. Tell him to take some deep breaths? Definitely not. Pull him in for a hug? Wouldn't have been the first time, but I didn't really want him sobbing on my shoulder if things took a turn for the worse. I was already going to be late for work as it was.

"Jesus, dude," I finally said a few dreadfully long seconds later. "Are you okay? You look like you just saw the grim reaper."

I know, I know — I was starting off really strong, if the category was 'things not to say in a situation like this.' Can't take it back now, though. And just like always, Brooks picked up my fumble like a champ.

"Thanks. That's what I was going for." He ran a palm over one eye and across his forehead. "I didn't sleep at all, and I just left her alone for the first time five minutes ago. Thought she was already coming to get me again."

"Wait... she stayed?"

I may not have known exactly how much money Bella made, but I did know how much it cost to end a lease in our building, thanks to my own version of a mental breakdown after she broke up with me. And with the intel that she'd dropped eight stacks on a random weekday evening, I figured her stupid decision was pretty set in stone. Hence why I just told her to talk to Brooks first, and not to cancel the rental car — or minivan with foldable seats, to be exact — that she'd ordered.

And I thought I was the impulsive one.

"Kind of," Brooks sighed.

"Feels like that should be a yes or no answer, man."

His hand raked through his hair, getting snagged near the ends, and I winced at the ghost of a feeling on my own scalp. Meanwhile, Brooks didn't even flinch, which was just more proof that he was really going through it. Well, that, and the fact that his lips pressed together like a vice grip, obviously holding back a thought or two. Or 10.

"Honestly, Luca..." he eventually started, "I don't know what's going to happen. She's here, for now. I'm here, without her, because I need space to think. That's all I've got so far. Things are really fucking complicated."

More complicated than our love triangle?

That's what I wanted to say. Sure, they'd had their ups and downs, but from where I was standing, things seemed pretty simple compared to how they started. Even if she did try to sneak out in the middle of the night. Without any warning. When Brooks always felt like he was in it deeper than she was.

Alright, maybe things were really fucking complicated.

I'd be pissed if she did that to me. Hell, I was pissed when she broke up with me the normal way. So instead of putting my foot in my mouth, I just shrugged and offered up a sympathetic nod.

With that, my best friend turned inside and motioned for me to follow. I glanced at the clock on his wall, hesitating as the smallest hand bounced between the dashes. My sense of time was virtually nonexistent, and I probably wasn't going to make it to the office by nine if we really started talking... but fuck it. I'd tell my boss the subway was delayed or somebody threw up in the cab I was waiting for or some shit. How many times had Brooks put his life on hold to help me out? Listening for a few more minutes was the least I could do.