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Cole scratches his head. “What’s going on?”
Harper withdraws from the hug, beaming down at Cassie. “You’re pregnant, right? You said the only time you’d ever ask Brett to stop doing the escorts is if you got pregnant.” She toggles between Brett and Cassie. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she says, placing her hand over her mouth. “You’re not—”
“No. I am.” Cassie smiles. “We are.” Her view sidles to Brett.
“Yes. We are.” His stern face lights up with a huge-ass father-to-be grin.
“Yeah,” Cole says, jumping up with a fist pump before bolting over to Brett. “That’s awesome! Congrats, bro.”
Brett offers his hand. Cole slaps it, giving him a bear hug that lifts him out of the chair. “Fuck yeah.” He drops Brett back on his feet. “Lix, we’re going to be uncles!” He grabs his beer and raises it. “Fuck yeah!”
Lix picks up his beer in cheer, but something is missing in his eyes, like in the picture in their office. He takes a swig of his beer.
His eyes clash with mine. He looks away.
What the hell? Isn’t he happy for his brother? What’s wrong with him? Babies are always good news.
“Lix?” Brett calls out from across the table.
Lix turns to his brother with a thin smile.
“We’re going to get her out,” Brett says. “She’ll be here when your nephew is born.”
“It’s a boy?” Lix’s voice cracks.
“Yes.” Brett’s chest puffs out. “And my boy has one hell of a family waiting for him. Right, bro?”
“Yeah,” Lix says with a forced smile. “He does.”
An hour later, we head in for the night. Lix has been quiet since the baby news.
He carries the containers to the fridge and puts them away.
I set the empty wine bottle we finished for the celebration on the counter, watching him. “Are you okay?”
“Just need a shower.” He ruffles his hair, staring at the hallway door, eager to escape.
He may want to run, but I’m not about to have a relationship with him like that. He’s too complex to leave things unanswered. “Are you excited about becoming an uncle?”
He takes a deep breath. His blue eyes glistening with remorse sway to me. “It’s just fucked up.”
“What?” I move closer.
“All of it.” He throws out his hand. “Mom should’ve been here all these years. Brett’s fucking thirty-two. He would’ve started earlier. Hell, we all might have had our lives not been so messed up.”
I grab his arm. “It’s not your fault if that’s what you’re thinking.”
He shakes his head, peering down at me with guilt-stricken eyes. “Why do you want to be with me?”
“You’re a good man.” I squeeze him, trying to sink this knowledge into him.
“No.” He rips his arm from my hold and moves into the living room. “You were right. I’m the reason Trace Morton is dead. Hell, I’m sure it’s my fault your uncle is dead. And Mom—”
“No!” I rush to him, gripping his arms harder this time, trying to shake the guilt from his crumbling body. “I don’t want to hear that shit. You. Are. A. Good. Man.” I stand in front of him. “You hear me? Trace Morton was a horrible human being. He got what he had coming to him. It was bound to happen. And my uncle—” I snatch his chin, forcing him to look at me. “You had nothing to do with that! Trace Morton caused his death. It was likely an accident. I’m sure his intent wasn’t to kill him.” I swallow in some air, knowing it’s going to be difficult to say my next words. “And, Lix. I forgive him for his wrongs just as you must forgive yourself for yours. You’ve made amends for everything. You’ve turned your life around. You help people, care for them, and would do anything for the people you love. You’ve been doing it since you were eight years old. You were protecting your mom that day. You wanted to save her. You were only a child.”
He shakes his head again. “Ya know when I was twelve, the teacher sent me to the principal’s office. He asked me where I got the bruises on my face and hands. I could’ve told him the truth. I could’ve served The Kraken’s ass on a fucking platter, but I didn’t. I told him I got into a fight after school. See, I had a warm bed, food, and kids I thought were my friends. I had somewhere to lay my head at night. All I had to do was fight one day a month. That was it. And it was fucking worth it. Fucked up as it might be, it made me understand why my mom stayed with my father.”
“We don’t know what your mother was thinking, but one thing is for sure, she loves you and your brothers.”
