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“Fuck, what a mess.” Caleb scrubbed a hand down his face and for the first time since I’ve been home, I saw the years weigh on him. Worry lines that life loved to give out like candy on Halloween etched the corners of his eyes.
“I didn’t tell you to sleep with the ex-con, Kaila, damn.”
I jerked back as if slapped. That stung. Not only for me but for Diesel.
My pulse quickened, and my face burned hot under the Georgia morning sun. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. “Diesel is right. It's none of your business. And I didn’t ask for your permission. Why? Because I don’t need it. You might have stuck up for me when I was in junior high and high school, but I don’t need you to do that now, Caleb. I love you for trying to protect me, but this is for Diesel and me to work out. Not you.” Seeing the anger fade from my brother, I crossed to him and took his hand in mine.
“I need you to trust me.”
“I don’t want to see you get hurt, short stuff.” He turned his gaze back to the man behind me. “I was wrong to get between you back then, but now, you could ruin her chance of success before she gets started. I don’t think you want that any more than I do.”
Fear jolted through me. I saw the minute realization dawned in Diesel’s eyes.
With a lot more confidence than I felt, I jabbed a finger into Caleb’s chest. “You need to stop talking. Go home. I’ll call you later.” I took Diesel’s hand. “You and me, bookstore now.” I pulled him to the door and slipped in the key. I didn’t wait to see if my brother took my order seriously. He could stay in the parking lot for all I cared. I locked the door behind me.
I knew Diesel humored my demands by allowing me to pull him inside, and I wasn't about to waste the little time we had before my father got wind of everything and showed up outside the shop.
I motioned to the couch and hoped he followed.
When he only stood by the door, I sighed. “Please, Diesel. If you feel even an ounce of what I felt last night between us and then again this morning, please sit down and tell me about what happened.”
Slowly, reluctantly he reached for my extended hand and took a seat beside me.
“The night I let you go was the worst night of my life, Kaila. But when you walked back into my life yesterday, I was blown away. I didn't even know you were back in town.”
He paused, gathering his words and thoughts from the looks of it, so I stayed quiet. Patient.
“I had every intention of going to Chicago when all the dust settled between me and your brother. I wanted to give it six months, build something out on the West Coast and then seek you out and do whatever it took to win your heart again. Hell, I still can't believe you wanted me in the first place. Wrong-side-of-the-track Diesel.”
I took his hand in mine and moved across the couch until no space separated us.
“And,” I prompted.
“Then shit went down with my brother.”
“What do you mean?”
“My brother invited me out to his shop. Get my feet under me again in a new location.So,I closed down shop here and headed out.”
“I forgot he inked too.”
“Yep.”
“But?”
“It was somewhere around two in the morning. We had inked ahigh-profileclient earlier that day and went out celebrating. A gorgeous dragon similar to mine. You saw it on the poster outside.”
I nodded not saying anything, not wanting to interrupt him.
“We were pulled over and my brother was guilty of possession. Enough to earn him a few years.”
I hissed and tightened my hold around his hand, offering whatever kind of comfort I could. I had a feeling I knew where this was heading.
“I didn't know he was abusing or I would have kicked his ass myself. He just had a baby girl and was expecting another in a few months. A boy.Turns out, the drugs were not his. My brother hadn’t used in a couple of years since he got sober and married. But it didn’t matter. They would have thrown the book at him since he had two priors. Since it was my car, I took the fall for him. He had a family, and I didn’t. Another lesson learned the hard way—never lend your car out unless you really know the person. The drugs belonged to an artist friend we let set up shop with us, but he took off. So…”
He trailed off. I felt too stunned to say anything for a long moment. How could I express how utterly selfless his sacrifice was? There was no amount of words in the English language to express the swelling of emotions clogging my throat.
I threw my arms around his neck and slid a leg over his lap.
