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I hate that he doesn’t want me there with him. I could help keep him distracted from the brother drama he’s stuck in. I’d be an awesome distraction, as a matter of fact.
They disappear before I can be truly sure of anything, and I go back to the table to stab my fork at the cobbler. Or what’s left of it, anyway. I forgot how much my brothers can eat.
“Is Benson coming over later?” Killian asks, his attention mostly focused on the TV.
“Just us tonight,” I grumble.
“I need a new challenge. Hale is too easy to kill.”
“Fuck you,” Hale growls, just as the screen fills with blood and Killian cheers for himself.
Killian stands, and his phone rings on his hip. He flips it open—yes, he has a flip phone—and answers it.
“Hello?”
I start cleaning up the plates from dinner, and half-heartedly listen in.
“No. I don’t think so…well, actually, that would make sense.”
I glance over to see Killian’s lips tense as his eyes darken. What’s wrong?
“Thanks for telling me, Aunt Penny. Hale and I can handle this from here.”
He hangs up and stalks toward me. Hale is right on his heels like he knows he’s needed. Who’s going to die?
“Did Benson break up with you?” Killian demands, and Hale’s eyes narrow to slits.
“Is that why you’ve been so quiet and looking through the binoculars over there?” Hale adds immediately, his tone lethal.
“No…we didn’t break up,” I say carefully, knowing I’m navigating a landmine field right now.
“Then why do you look so crestfallen?” Hale asks seriously.
“Crestfallen? Did you actually just use the word crestfallen appropriately?” I ask, trying to distract him with something shiny.
“Answer the question,” Killian growls.
I roll my eyes.
“His family is in town,” I say with a shrug, trying to act like I’m not the least bit bothered by it.
“So?” they both ask at the same time.
“So, you know how he is. He doesn’t let anyone meet his family.”
Again I offer a one-shoulder shrug, and go back to washing the dishes like I enjoy it, as though I’m completely unaffected by the fact I’m too embarrassing to have around a fancy family.
“In other words, he has his family over, and they’re too good for him to introduce you to them?” Killian snarls.
Okay, so my brother is a little more perceptive than I give him credit for being.
“That’s not what this is,” I grumble, not even sounding convincing to my own ears.
“Right. Excuse us,” Hale says, and they spin on a heel and leave.
That’s never a good thing.
Ever.
I quickly dry off my hands and tug on my boots, then grab my BB gun just in case, making it outside in time to see them walking toward the dock.
Killian has a bat over his shoulder. Hale has a shovel over his.
I pale.
“What the hell are you doing?” I bark, running after them as they get on the boat.
“Breaking something. Don’t worry. We don’t intend to kill him,” Killian answers flippantly.
“Then what’s the shovel for?” I yell as I run faster, trying to catch up before they take off.
“In case things get out of hand,” Hale says with a smirk. “Shit happens.”
I lunge just in time, landing in the boat as Killian gasses it away from the dock, and I start struggling with Hale, trying to take the shovel away.
“You’re not doing this! Stop the damn boat!” I shout.
“No one acts like they’re too good for our baby sister!” Hale barks.
“I’m your older sister! Stop the damn boat!” I shout at Killian.
He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t stop at all.
They’re leaving me with no choice; I’m going to have to shoot them.
Chapter 17
Wild Ones Tip #142
If you date a Wild One, you can’t complain.
You knew you were getting mixed up in some crazy shit.
BENSON
My mother is the first to walk through the door, and her eyes widen in shock when she sees me.
“Benson! You finally got rid of that horrid beard.”
I’m not lying when I say there are tears in her eyes. She practically squeezes my face in half when she gets her hands on me.
I’m vaguely aware of John, her husband, walking in behind her. Right behind him is my brother, who nods in my direction before disappearing out of sight. It always takes us a minute to be in the same room without me trying to kill him.
Usually.
But today, for some reason, I don’t even care to see him.
Actually, I know what that reason is, and she’s across the lake. I’m ready to find time to sneak out of here so I can go be with her.
Mom releases me just as Sadie walks in, and I take a steadying breath. Usually my chest hurts as residual betrayal slinks in and squeezes me, immediately followed by the need to wring her neck.
Not today.
Today, for the first time ever, I feel absolutely nothing when I see her.
