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And after, Uncle Lucas had cornered me and made me promise no more fights. I’d agreed. At least I wouldn’t be duking it out in the prison yard, so I made peace with saying goodbye to it altogether.
A visual sweep around the room revealed that Winter had left, and the remaining tension along the back of my neck eased. “Do you remember Winter Patten?”
Phoenix nodded, his silver eyes, like our dad’s, darkened dangerously. He had been with me at the worst of it when she’d tormented me badly enough that I’d written a suicide note and planned to end myself.
At my brother’s heated look, I chose not to elaborate and tell him she was back in town. “How’s Aspen?”
“Sick of being pregnant.” Phoenix grinned, the darkness fading at the mention of his wife. “I’m taking her to the beach for a weekend away.”
“Not to surf.” I didn’t ask it as a question because it scared the hell out of me that she’d done so for as long as she had. Too much could happen, no matter how good or careful she was.
“No. She just needs to be there. Soak it up. Since we’re in the off-season and I have more time, I thought it would be good.”
“She’s got, what, another month to go?”
“Two, unless the baby comes early. Then a month and a half.” He ran his hand through his blond hair. “It’ll be the shorter of the two if she has her way.”
“It’s going to be so weird, you having a baby. I still can’t wrap my head around you being married, even if Aspen is pretty great.”
Phoenix smacked the side of my head, and I laughed. I hadn’t always thought that about her. Things changed, and she’d become one of us. I didn’t need to say it. He knew. As twins, we had a different kind of connection. We may not look alike. I took after Mom’s dark hair and blue eyes, while Phoenix was blond with silver eyes, just like our dad. But none of that mattered. I could feel emotions swirling off him in a tangible sense. It wasn’t telepathy or anything like that, but we were in tune with what the other thought or felt, so it amazed me that I hadn’t known about his lie to Tracey when it’d happened. Then again, I didn’t think I’d wanted to.
“You still screwing that professor?”
“Cindy?”
“First names, huh? I guess that answers my question. I’m glad it’s not the same art professor Aspen has.”
“Yeah, I have zero interest in Professor Potts.” I couldn’t stop the shudder that tore through me. “Cindy is insane in the sack, but I’m done with her.” She was crazy and would not go away.
“Probably for the best. You’re not thinking about getting back with Tracey, are you?”
I knew he still felt guilty about destroying that relationship for me, though in the end, it seemed he’d had Tracey pegged better than I had. He wanted me to find someone like Aspen, but that might not be in the cards for me.
“No. I think you were right about her.” It was as close as I could come to telling him I forgave him for his lie, and I knew he would understand.
“Yeah, but it still sucks.”
His words were quiet, but the way his shoulders relaxed told me he’d needed to hear them.
“Mom probably wouldn’t mind if you could stop by,” Phoenix said.
Guilt hit me like a sledgehammer to the gut. I’d put her through so much in the last week. “I’ll make a point of it.” My lips curled in a self-deprecating grin. “I have more time, anyway, since my bodyguarding job is over as well as my Friday night fights.”
Phoenix grimaced then set his coffee down and leaned his forearm on the table. “That’s some shitty bad luck.”
“Yeah, it couldn’t have gone worse than it did. If I’d known what would’ve happened… But I didn’t, and I need the money. I’m going to have to find something else.”
“Aspen might need help with her business. Maybe shipping? I don’t know how much she can pay, though.”
I rapped my knuckles on the table and grabbed my to-go cup of coffee. “It’s all right. I’ll figure something out, but I have to head out. Class starts soon. Thanks for meeting me.”
“Always.”
I felt my brother’s eyes on my back as I wove through the tables to the door. I stopped to guzzle the rest of my drink before tossing the cup and leaving. I needed all the caffeine I could get. I wasn’t sleeping well. Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered the way Luke’s body had folded when he’d fallen back, his head landing on that damn step with a deafening thud. His arm had flopped, coming up slightly as if he were reaching for life, only to fall limply back at his side.
As I walked down the sidewalk, each step felt weighted with more problems than I was sure I could manage. I couldn’t help but realize that my issue with the art professor wasn’t even the biggest one I had to worry about.
CHAPTER FIVE
