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BEAU
Everyone was silent as we were driven home by Tank and Fury, with no explanation as to why our shopping trip ended so abruptly. I know we’re all wondering what the hell has happened now. Of course, the moment I saw Fury’s face when he answered his cell, I put the pants I was considering back on the rack and calmly walked out of the store, calling to Zinnea and Rose as I did. They too left without fuss.
When we pull up at the mansion, I see a few cars missing. So a few men have been deployed. For what?
“Home Sweet Home,” Zinnea says sardonically as the three of us walk up the steps to the house. “Brace yourself, girls.”
“Always,” I murmur, looking across to Rose. Her lips are straight, her eyes fixed on the door. I can see it’s taking everything in her not to barge into the house and scream her frustration. “Remember what Doc said,” I say, as Zinnea rests a pacifying hand on her arm.
“I remember.” She visibly takes a few deep breathes. “I live for the day when I’ll wake up and not wonder who will try to kill my husband today.”
“Well, that’ll never happen,” Zinnea quips, trying to lighten the mood. “Because not a day can pass without a wife wanting to kill her husband for one thing or another. It’s basic marriage semantics, darling.”
Rose manages a smile and, surprisingly, it’s not forced, as I spin my ring on my finger. Esther answers the door before we can let ourselves in and gives us a look I’m sure we all hate. “Upstairs,” she says, letting us all file in. “Brad’s room.”
I’m off up the stairs like a bullet, worried, and as I jog down the corridor, I see Pearl up ahead looking a little misplaced and worried. “What’s going on?” I ask, slowing.
“I don’t know. He was brought up a while ago. In a lot of pain. Doc came by his room, and he seemed okay when I went in to thank him. Grumpy but okay. James was in there with him.”
“And now?” I ask, looking at the door, plagued by uncertainty.
“Noweveryoneis in there with him.”
Everyone?“Right,” I say quietly, taking the handle, scared to enter.
“Will you let me know if he’s okay?” Pearl asks, and I look back over my shoulder, seeing her hands fiddling, her eyes worried.
“Of course.” I push my way in, and the tension slaps me in the face. Everyone is standing, except Brad who’s on the bed, but I can’t see his face because Danny’s blocking him. I probably don’twantto see his face. A bedside vigil? My heart drops. Danny looks back, sees me, then looks past me. “She’s coming,” I say, hearing Rose behind me. “What’s happened?” My eyes won’t move from Brad’s legs.
“Is that Beau?” Brad’s voice throws me, and I quickly round Danny and find his eyes open.
All air drains from my lungs, my palm meeting my chest. “I thought you were dead,” I say, relief getting the better of me.
He shakes his head, looking absolutely shell-shocked. “I should be,” he says quietly, staring at the sheets around his waist.
“What happened?”
“We got a call from The Bear,” James says, pulling my attention to him. I don’t want to believe it. Part of me hoped he’d disappeared. Gone. I could imagine a million gruesome ways in which he died. It was the only way.
“And?” I ask, looking to Danny as Rose puts herself in his side, looking up at him. I take this moment, while I’m waiting for James to answer, to assess everyone’s faces. All grave. All stressed. All grief-stricken.
“And he blew up Brad’s apartment.”
“Oh my God,” Rose whispers behind me.
All I can think isthankGod. Thank God Brad was here. But something tells me I’m getting ahead of myself, and as I scan the room, mentally doing a headcount, I realize... “Nolan,” I say quietly, dropping to my ass on the mattress and taking Brad’s hand.Oh God no. No!Brad liked that kid. Wealldid. The right amount of cheek and charm with rough and ready. He’ll be blaming himself. “Brad, you can’t bl—”
“Don’t say it, Beau.” He pulls his hand free of mine and rubs into his eye sockets harshly. Pushing back the tears. Refusing to cry because he’s Brad Black. “Leave me alone,” he whispers, his nostrils flaring, anger taking over. “Everyone,” he roars, exploding. “Get the fuck out!”
I stand and turn, leaving, indicating to everyone that they should do the same, and they do, giving Brad space. Letting him have a private moment to let those tears out. The anger out. I pull the door closed behind me and rest back against it.
“Is he okay?”
I drop my head and find Pearl looking anxious and out of place. “He needs a moment.”
“What happened?” she asks, as everyone leaves, dispersing to various parts of the house. “Am I allowed to know?”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. “You probably don’t want to.”
