Page 30 of Sterling Fight

At first, no one reacts. I glance from the burly, silver beardedness of Stone to the playful, weathered face of Clay. Then I look at Knox, who doesn’t contain his surprise any better than the stoic Ford standing beside him. Despite helping in my ploy to get Genie’s car and belongings from her mom’s place, they both react with shock. Finally, I peer at Sebastian who has a gleam in his typically mischievous eyes, almost like he’s proud of me. I’m never impulsive.

As Stone takes a hesitant step toward us, Vale rushes past him and leaps for me. Her hug is so fast and strong, she almost knocks me over. I release Genie’s hand to prevent my sister and me from falling backward. The embrace takes my breath away, but I also panic for another second at the loss of contact with Genie. I hadn’t realized how much she was grounding me.

As if sensing my unease, Genie rests her hand on my lower back.

“What a surprise.” Vale’s voice is a little too high as she glances from me to Genie and back. “I heard a rumor, but you know I like to dismiss them.”

Then her gaze falls to Genie’s finger, as if needing confirmation to negate what she heard. Her eyes suddenly well with tears and she clasps her hands beneath her chin. “Is that . . .” She swallows hard. “Is that Mom’s ring?”

Most might think the precious family jewelry should go to the only girl, but at one point, Vale and I talked about the ring. She knows the significance to me, and considering she never knew our mother, she was happy to let me keep it.

Clay is the one I glance up at while nodding at Vale. They all know the story behind how I acquired the ring, but he’s the one I’m closest to in the family. It’s no secret I’ve been wearing the ring since I was eighteen, adding my father’s wedding band to my chain when I was almost twenty.

“Let me see,” someone female says.

In the past two and a half years, I’ve witnessed several of my brothers fall in love and get married or move in with the love of their life. A few of them even had children or bonded with the children of their significant other.

I’m pleased when Genie holds out her hand, admiring the amethyst gemstone and the small diamonds. If our engagement were real, I could afford something larger. She should have something bigger. She deserves something that expresses her worth. But there is also something in the way Genie stares at the ring, gushing over it herself as the others admire it on her hand.

Her smile is wide while sweetly shy. Her cheeks flush, and those brown eyes dance.

“Uncle Judd.” Mavis’s little boy, Dutton, rushes toward me and I bend to pick him up. I don’t consider myself great with kids, but I’m protective of my nieces and nephews. Dutton is the newest member of our next generation, and he holds a special place in my heart. Last Halloween, there was an unacceptable incident where the then-six-year-old was bullied by an adult. My left hook made its first appearance in front of my family that night and my brother Clay discovered that I’d learned to fight. He doesn’t know even half of the story though.

And I realize I’d forgotten to tell Genie not to mention the fighting in front of my family. I live by a need-to-know basis with them, and they haven’t needed to know I box.

With Dutton in my arms, despite his lanky, seven-year-old size, he tugs the chain at my throat forward, exposing the remaining ring. He likes to slip his finger into one and then the other. One dainty. One large.

“Where’s the other ring?” Dutton asks, noticing the smaller of the two missing.

“I gave it to Genie.”

“Because you love her?” Dutton looks at me, eyes innocent and wide.

Shit. I’m not exactly certain how to explain the situation to my nephew. Nor to the rest of my family.

“I . . . uh . . .”

“He’s letting me borrow it for a little while,” Genie says, coming to my rescue. Although I’m not loving her answer. An engagement ring is for keeps.

“Are you buying her a different one?” Vale glances up at me with concern.

Genie is quick again. “Yes.” But I can almost hear the swallow in her throat. She doesn’t like lying to them any more than I do.

Thankfully, Sebastian saves both of us. “Never knew you to be so impulsive.” He claps my shoulder. “I like it.”

“When did you two reconnect?” Clay asks. I counted on him being the nosiest one and he isn’t going to disappoint.

“I’ve had a crush on Genie for years.”

Her head swivels so fast in my direction, a piece of her hair gets caught on her lashes, and I reach up to push it aside.

“What?” Genie whispers, glaring at me like I’m going rogue again. Which I am. Something I can’t seem to stop in her presence.

I set Dutton on the ground and shrug before I begin. “When I was in fifth grade, Genie was my reading buddy.” I side-eye her.

“Who needs a reading buddy in fifth grade?” Knox questions, especially as most of my siblings consider me the smartest in the bunch.

“Genie was in third grade. She’s younger than me.”