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“Who have you loved?” Sawyer asked Ryder.
“We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you.”
“I’m done talking.”
“I’m so sorry this happened to you, honey, but I-I wish you’d told us.”
“Yeah, maybe I should have, Mom, but I dealt with it the only way I knew how, to keep you safe.”
“I’m making more coffee.” J.D. stomped into the kitchen.
“I have to go,” his mom said when she’d given Sawyer one last hug. “I’m due at the library and then I have to pick up Ally from a playdate.”
Sawyer kissed her cheek. “I’m okay, Mom.”
After a lecture on keeping things bottled up inside and never doing it again, she left. Sawyer walked out onto his deck, needing air, and looked out at the lake.
Did he feel better for sharing? Possibly, but there was Birdie in there too. He’d been an arrogant bastard to her. He’d never brought her to his home to see this. To meet his dogs. Never just sat on a sofa and held her. Never looked at her over a meal at a table. She’d deserved that from him.
“What are you doing here?”
He heard Zoe ask the question. Sawyer stayed where he was because Ryder and J.D. would tell her everything he’d just told them. Dukes didn’t keep secrets from each other, and he’d done just that. Any second now, she’d be out here.
“She did what?”
He winced as her screech reached him.
“That bitch!” Footsteps followed this.
“Calm down, Zoe,” he said when she stood before him, her hands on her trim waist. J.D. and Ryder had followed and were watching with grins. “Thanks,” he told them.
“You deserve everything she throws at you for keeping this shit to yourself,” J.D. said.
“You should have told us.” Zoe drilled a sharp nail into Sawyer’s chest.
“Like you’re telling us, what had you coming home?”
“This is different. J Bitch hurt you, and she’s dangerous. Damn it, Sawyer.”
“I know.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry, but she’s not a threat anymore and getting help. Her mom would let me know if not.”
“Damn. When he does that, she folds. I wanted a few more fireworks,” Ryder said, collapsing into a chair. “Ask him about Birdie now, Zoe.”
“I was just going to. I saw you yesterday. That behavior looked like a man who cares, Sawyer.” Zoe stepped back out of his arms. “If you’re not committing to her because you loved that evil LA bitch, then you need a rethink. Birdie isn’t like that.”
“I know that.” And he did. Birdie was good and kind and the most genuine person he’d ever met. Why had he walked away from her then? Why had he not seen what he had and treated her better?
“You better not have hurt her, or I’m hurting you,” J.D. said.
“Don’t you threaten my brother.” Zoe glared at him.
“I’ll threaten him if he’s being a blockhead,” J.D. glared back.
Ryder waded in, and they started arguing about his character and Birdie’s.
“I did hurt her,” he said before he could stop himself.
All eyes turned to him.
