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When he wipes at his jaw with the back of his hand and plasters a devilish smirk on his face, I realize my mistake. Throwing him on his ass just for looking at Blythe probably wasn’t the best way to hide the fact that she’s someone I care about. And to the people in my family? That’d be considered something to use against me.
My weakness. And their smoking gun.
There’s nothing they can do to me to force me back. To her on the other hand? I’d swim through muddy water and lick the slimy bottom of a gator-infested swamp to keep them away from her.
“Who’s the girl?”
“None of your business,” I snarl.
He huffs and puts his hands on his hips like it exhausts him just trying to get me riled up.
“I didn’t come here to fight,” he says.
“I don’t give a fuckwhyyou’re here Bash. I just know that you shouldn’t be.”
“You’re not even the least bit curious?”
“No.”
“Well, too bad because we need to talk.”
I can’t help the condescending laugh that escapes me. The fucking nerve of this guy. Standing in front of me saying we need totalk. After what I’ve been through to cut ties with not only him but the rest of my family, the last thing I’d like to do istalk.
“Not interested.”
“Yeah, well, you don’t have much of a choice,” he says, his voice growing more impatient.
“And how’s that? You going to hold a gun to my head and force me to listen? Cut a few fingers off? Lock me up in a basement?”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” he sneers.
“Fuck off, Bash. I’m serious.” I’ve already given him more of my time than I planned.
“I have a meeting in the morning that I need to get back for.”
“Have at it.” I throw my arm out toward the road inviting him to be on his merry way.
But at the same time, a tiny voice in my head fights with my common sense. I know I’m being hard on him. But I swore not to go down this road ever again. Unfortunately, I’m not a completely cold-hearted bastard. Because deep down I want to hear him out.
Just not here. Not now. Not while Blythe sits there and watches and will likely relay every exhilarating detail to everyone at the bunkhouse.
It hits me that as soon as he’s gone, I’ll have an even bigger issue to deal with. He obviously knows where I am now, and the others likely do too. No part of me wants to pack up and leave. It’s not a matter of just loading up my shit and throwing a dart on the map for a new hidey hole. I have a lot more invested in this place than anyone here realizes, especially after what I did today.
Bash opens his car door and I think he’s finally given up and decided to leave. But, he fishes something out of the center console and turns back toward me. He’s grown up a lot since the last time I saw him in person. I’ve seen his pictures in magazines and newspapers from time to time, but in the flesh, it’s shocking how much taller and more filled out he is compared to his sixteen-year-old self. Sadly, he was already messed up in the shit my father considersbusinessat that age.
He holds out his hand toward me, offering a small black flip phone. A burner, no doubt. I lift the hat off of my head and run a hand through my hair.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say.
“Take it. Get rid of the chick, then call me. My number’s already in there.”
“No,” I deadpan. “I want nothing to do with whatever the hell’s going on.”
His cool demeanor slips for a moment. He tries to hide it, but there’s desperation seeping into his expression. He tilts his head slightly and plants me with a look that says more than he’d be willing to admit with words.
I’m your brother.
I’m in trouble.
