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Alex back to the ground. Alex immediately rushed to my side and put one of my arms around his shoulders. He helped me descend the last few stairs, and I sat down on the cold concrete to rest.
    “Why are you in the stairwell? Why aren’t you in bed? What’s wrong?” A slow and steady hand stroking my back accompanied Alex’s rapid-fire questions. My head fell into my hands, and I closed my eyes briefly before looking back up at them.
    “Brian and I had a misunderstanding. I wanted to come down and see him,” I explained and saw Mike tense. The cold seeping through my briefs started to make my back ache, and I wondered if maybe coming downstairs wasn’t such a great idea. Brian would have come back up eventually, or I could have asked someone to get him. My impulsiveness just continued to get me into trouble.
    “What the hell did you do this time?” Venom dripped from each word, and I slid my hands up behind my neck, linked my fingers, and continued to stare at the ground. I didn’t want to get into it with Mike, not then.
    The door opened, and I looked up to see Brian standing there with a grilled cheese sandwich, a bowl, and a can of soda balanced on a cookie sheet. He stopped short when he saw us, but he didn’t drop his makeshift tray.
    “Jamie, what are you doing out of bed?” Brian set the tray on the stairs next to me and put his hand on the side of my face. I leaned into the touch, thankful he didn’t seem angry anymore.
    “I came down to apologize,” I said with my eyes trained on the floor beneath my feet because I didn’t want to see the disappointment Determination
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    and hurt in his face again. Mike made a scathing noise, and my already-frayed nerves just snapped. I was sick of his crap.
    “What is your problem?” I asked and struggled to get to my feet.
    Alex held me as I stood up, and Brian got between us. It was stupid to get into it with Mike because I was in no shape to defend myself, but the way he kept trying to come between Brian and me just pissed me off.
    “I’m sick of seeing you hurt them,” Mike growled back at me, pushing Brian a little in his anger. His normally fair complexion flushed as he glared over Brian’s shoulder. Alex wrapped his thin arms around my chest, holding me back against him with as much strength as he could find.
    “Mike, he’s not hurting me,” Alex said quietly.
    “Really, Alex? Where’s Allie?” Mike asked, but his voice had softened, and I felt Alex stiffen behind me. I didn’t understand what he meant.
    “Mike, that’s not fair.” The hitch in Alex’s voice made me think I’d missed something vital.
    “Who’s Allie?” I asked over my shoulder, but Alex didn’t answer.
    “Allie was a kitten Alex found in the alley behind his building just after we got back from New Orleans. He’d taken it to the vet, got a litter box and collar, and fallen in love with the little thing. Then he had to get rid of her when he gave up his apartment to move in here because of you!”
    “Mike—” Alex started, but Mike held up a hand.
    “You hurt Brian every single day. Do you notice how much weight he’s lost? I do. I see it whenever I look at him. You’re hurting two guys I love, and I’m not going to—” Mike stopped talking at the squeak that came from Alex behind me. We all turned to look at Alex, whose face had lit up like Christmas morning. He looked at Mike with so much affection and tenderness that I felt like an intruder.
    “You love me?” Normally Alex was larger than life, but his voice had gotten very small and unsure as he asked the question. Mike relaxed a little as he gazed back into Alex’s face. The fight seemed to have left him as he realized what he’d just admitted. He nodded, and 30
    Jamie Mayfield

    suddenly the arms around me disappeared. I staggered as Alex launched himself at Mike. Mike’s back hit the wall just as Brian wrapped his arm around my waist to steady me.
    “Take me upstairs,” Alex murmured between