Say You're Mine (The Gallaghers Book 1) by Layla Hagen (comprehension books .txt) 📕

was just him reacting out of fear. Coupled with how his last relationship ended, the belief that things couldn’t last was still there, tormenting him. As a counselor, I’d seen this before. But Brayden wasn’t a client, he was the man I loved, and I couldn’t judge things in a rational manner the way I did with my clients.

I glanced around the room, searching for a distraction. The suite was elegant, with carpeted floors and thick curtains in an elegant shade of dark red. The huge bed had four posts made out of black wood, like all the rest of the furniture.

I needed to do something. I couldn’t just sit inside here.

In the living room, I checked out the minibar. It was poorly stocked for such a fancy hotel: mostly M&Ms and similar sweet treats, a pack of almonds, and some dried fruit.

I closed the door to the bar again, sighing. Next to it was a closet with robes and a cream-colored bag with burgundy stripes for the spa. Oh good, that was one area of the hotel I could explore. I remembered the hotel employee saying there was a special spa section on the VIP floor, and no one would have access to it during our stay. Only the band and those working for them were up there.

I quickly changed into comfortable shorts and a tank top, throwing the robe over me. Armed with the hotel bag and my phone, I headed to the spa. My heart felt so heavy. I almost went to Lars’s suite, but what good would that do?

I really couldn’t take more of that conversation. Not yet, anyway.

The spa area was completely empty, as expected. It had several saunas and even a small swimming pool, but I hadn’t brought a bikini, and I couldn’t swim now with my injured shoulder blade and the stitches anyway. I also couldn’t check out the saunas.

Just being here helped me relax though. The color scheme—all shades of beige and brown, mimicking natural stone—had a calming effect on me. There were plants like ferns and ficus trees in every corner.

I discovered a room with loungers surrounded by glass walls. Since we were so high up over the city, I only saw the expanse of clear blue sky out the window. In one corner was a table with fruit and assortment of tea.

I lay down on one of the loungers, loving the feeling of the fancy leather cushion on it against my body.

The silence was weighing on me though. As someone who grew up with three siblings, quiet time was unusual. Even in college, I’d loved living in a shared apartment because there was always something going on.

Taking out my phone, I texted my brothers separately, and Josie too, asking them if they had time to talk; I didn’t send the text in our shared group because I didn’t want to alarm them. It was Saturday afternoon, so my brothers were probably out and about in the city, and I thought Josie was getting together with Tess, but maybe one of them could spare a few minutes.

No one replied. I pouted, staring at the screen.

Three minutes later, Dylan called. Yessss!

He was using the camera, so I answered with the video option too. To my astonishment, Josie and Ian were already in the call too, all with their cameras.

“Why are you all in the call?” I asked.

“Because when you messaged me, I messaged the boys to ask if they also heard from you. Something felt off in the message. You weren’t using any emojis but had three exclamation marks,” Josie said.

Ian nodded. “So obviously once we realized you’d messaged all three of us, we thought something big was up.”

“Especially since you didn’t message the group. You only message us individually when you don’t want us to panic,” Dylan added.

My mouth hung open. “Wow.”

“You might be the therapist in the family, but we’re your siblings,” Josie said. She was in a room I recognized as Tess’s bedroom by herself. Ian seemed to be in a dark corner of a restaurant or a coffee shop. There was a chorus of voices in his background. Dylan was in his office. Yet they all called me.

Awww, the sibs loved me so much. This was really cute, and exactly what I needed.

“You’ve been crying,” Josie said in a dismayed voice.

Ian grimaced. “Crap. I don’t know how to deal with tears.”

“Who’s responsible for them? I just need a name,” Dylan said, making me laugh. I knew he wasn’t really joking though.

“It’s been a long day. We had an incident with fans at the hotel,” I began, wondering if I should tell them the whole story. I was 100 percent certain they’d be very worried. I couldn’t keep it from them though. It wasn’t in my nature. I liked to tell them everything and have them poke their noses in my business, giving me their opinion. I tried to downplay the whole thing, making it seem like a minor incident, but as soon as I mentioned the stitches and sprained ankle, they realized what I’d been trying to do.

“How hurt are you?” Dylan asked.

“It’s not bad at all. Look, I’ll show you.” Pushing off my robe, I rearranged the strap of my top so it didn’t cover the shoulder blade and held the camera so they could see it.

“Okay, that isn’t so bad,” Josie agreed.

My brothers said nothing. Yeah, the overprotective gene was strong in the male members of my family.

“You want us to come to the hotel?” Dylan asked.

“No, absolutely not,” I said fiercely. I wasn’t sure it was safe, what with the fans camped out. I focused the camera on my face again, biting my lower lip, unsure how to explain what happened next.

“There’s more,” Dylan said. He leaned back in his office chair, frowning.

“You’re freaking me out lately with your deductive abilities,” Ian said.

Josie said nothing, just watched me intently.

“So... after the doctor left, Brayden started saying things like he shouldn’t have brought me with