AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Seth’s body went rock solid. Harper’s hand tensed in his grip, while Dillon straightened in his chair.
“Heath.” Zach’s deep voice sounded a warning.
“I’m not trying to be a prick. I’m saying this guy came a long way, sucked up his fears and approached his big brother.” Heath met Seth’s angry stare with a level look. “If you hadn’t been a victim of those posts, and therefore removing any suspicion regarding Lincoln, would you have still told him to back off?”
“I don’t know.” Seth answered honestly. “I’m guessing I’d still need time to get my head around everything.”
“There’s my point,” Heath said in a quiet voice. “You can’t guarantee you’re not holding back because of what happened with your grandparents.”
Seth felt the muscle tic in his jaw. “You’re shitting me?”
“Man, this isn’t helping.” Dillon scowled at Heath.
“Guys, let’s take a breath, okay?” Harper pleaded.
But Seth wasn’t backing down. “Easy for you to judge,” he fired back at Heath. “You don’t have any siblings from your previous life ready to haunt you.”
The cop’s eyes hardened to icy-blue chips. “Bit hard since my family died in a car accident.”
Seth should have felt a stab of guilt, but he couldn’t stop. As if each lash he laid into Heath’s flesh somehow assuaged his own pain. “Then cut me some slack, arsehole.”
Harper gripped his arm. “Honey, don’t do this.” Concern masked her face.
Seth wanted to reassure her, kiss her forehead, and say what she wanted to hear, but he couldn’t let this go. Heath’s words festered inside him.
Zach intervened. “Heath, you’re trying to help Seth but for the wrong reasons.”
Everyone’s gaze landed on Zach, including Heath’s, who glared at his brother. “What?”
“You want him to make the most of his second chance,” Zach said in a calm voice, but it was the sadness in his gaze that kept everyone quiet. “The one you’ll never have with your own family. You’re not thinking if it’s right for Seth, but that you’d do anything to be in his shoes.”
Heath flinched, his face going pale under his tan.
Seth held his breath. Jesus, he hadn’t thought…but Zach’s words made perfect sense.
Except Heath wasn’t about to admit anything. “So now you’re the wise man handing out advice?”
Zach let out a heavy sigh. “No, man, and I’m not going to do this tit-for-tat shit that happens each time we’re all together.”
Seth felt Harper’s fingers tighten on his arm, but he couldn’t take his gaze off Zach. The big gruff bastard was right. The passive/aggressive point scoring they’d been playing for years now had gouged defensive lines in their relationships as brothers. Created distance. Created distrust.
Dillon crossed his arms over his chest. “Then let’s clear the air. Get this sorted once and for all, especially since we need to be united against whomever is trying to tear us down.”
Not in front of Harper. Seth sliced a warning look at Dillon. “Now’s not the time.” Things could get ugly fast if they all unleashed on each other.
“When then?” Dillon glanced at Harper. “Honey, you’re seeing us at our worst. But if you’re going to have a future with Seth, that’s probably a good thing. Get the ugly over with and work out if you want to stick around.”
Harper fidgeted in her chair. “I don’t think—”
“Shut up, Dillon. You’re talking out of your arse.” Adam slugged back the last of his beer.
Dillon snorted. “Whereas you’re the expert at not sticking around.”
Seth closed his eyes. Now things were getting ugly.
“Meaning?” Adam’s voice had gone dangerously soft.
“Nothing,” Dillon muttered.
