reporter . Was that what the women
had been up to while they’d been together shopping and whatnot that morning, whispering
secrets back and forth like schoolgirls?
The
pair weren’t much better at the after-party. Reagan seemed determined to get
her new bestie drunk off her ass, and while Trey was allowed to play, Ethan was
forced to sit and watch. There were too many prying eyes around for him to
truly enjoy the company of either Reagan or Trey, so once again he was the odd
man out. He tossed back his whiskey and stared at the wet ring on the table in
front of him.
He
was surprised when Trey’s brother dropped into the seat beside him.
“You
look like I feel,” Dare said in greeting.
Ethan
leaned back in his chair and contemplated at Exodus End’s lead guitarist. “How
so?”
“I
get the impression you’d rather be anywhere but here.”
Not
exactly true. At least here he could keep an eye on both Reagan—he’d completely
failed her when that asshole had nearly strangled her to death, so his
protective instincts were more honed than ever—and Trey, who seemed more
interested in Reagan than Brian tonight. Likely because Brian had already retired
for the evening to spend time with his little family. But Dare was right. He
wasn’t particularly fond of these loud and obnoxious rockstar after-parties.
“I’d
rather be here than dropped into a live volcano.” Ethan was surprised when Dare
chuckled at his idea of a joke.
“I’d
have to flip a coin on that one,” Dare said.
Ethan
grinned and lifted his glass to dump a whiskey-flavored ice cube into his
mouth. He crushed the mostly melted slivers between his teeth with a satisfying
crunch.
“Trey
said he asked you for some advice today,” Ethan said.
Dare
leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs at the ankle, resting his
dwindling drink between his hands and against his flat belly.
“He
does that a lot,” Dare said. “He’s always been too complicated and conflicted
to sort himself out. But I get him.”
That
made one of them.
Ethan
rubbed the pad of his thumb up and down the side of his glass.
“Did
he tell you what he wanted advice about?” Dare asked after a long moment of
silence stretched between them.
“I’m
guessing it was me.”
Dare
nodded, but didn’t comment. Ethan was a big brother, so he knew what it must
feel like to be talking to someone who’d hurt his little brother—no matter that
the pain he’d caused was unintentional.
“I
didn’t mean to upset him. It’s just . . .” Just what? Even he
didn’t know what the problem was. He knew that if he wanted to keep Reagan and
Trey in his life he had to make sacrifices, such as keeping his distance from
them while in the public eye. He knew Trey had a past with Brian Sinclair and
no amount of wishing would ever change that. What he didn’t know was how he was
supposed to come to terms with such realities.
“He’ll
always love Brian,” Dare said. “Always.”
Ethan’s
breath caught in his throat as his worst nightmare reared its ugly head. “I
suppose you think I should step aside.”
“Fuck
no. What I’d really like is for you to embed yourself so far under Trey’s skin
that he forgets Brian ever existed.”
Ethan
gaped at him, and Dare smiled before releasing a short laugh. “I’m not sure
it’s possible. Their friendship is important to both of them. I don’t know how
Trey can let him go when he sees him every day. Hell, it’s hard to let go of
someone you’ve loved for ten years even when they’re dead.” Dare frowned into
his glass and tossed back the remainder of the amber liquid in one gulp.
Ethan
blinked at him. “You’re not suggesting I kill Brian, are you?” He wasn’t quite
that jealous. At the moment, anyway.
Dare’s
head turned. “What? No. I was talking about someone else.”
Himself,
Ethan decided.
“So
what should I do?”
Dare’s
gaze followed his brother as he twirled a giggling Reagan across the dance
had been up to while they’d been together shopping and whatnot that morning, whispering
secrets back and forth like schoolgirls?
The
pair weren’t much better at the after-party. Reagan seemed determined to get
her new bestie drunk off her ass, and while Trey was allowed to play, Ethan was
forced to sit and watch. There were too many prying eyes around for him to
truly enjoy the company of either Reagan or Trey, so once again he was the odd
man out. He tossed back his whiskey and stared at the wet ring on the table in
front of him.
He
was surprised when Trey’s brother dropped into the seat beside him.
“You
look like I feel,” Dare said in greeting.
Ethan
leaned back in his chair and contemplated at Exodus End’s lead guitarist. “How
so?”
“I
get the impression you’d rather be anywhere but here.”
Not
exactly true. At least here he could keep an eye on both Reagan—he’d completely
failed her when that asshole had nearly strangled her to death, so his
protective instincts were more honed than ever—and Trey, who seemed more
interested in Reagan than Brian tonight. Likely because Brian had already retired
for the evening to spend time with his little family. But Dare was right. He
wasn’t particularly fond of these loud and obnoxious rockstar after-parties.
“I’d
rather be here than dropped into a live volcano.” Ethan was surprised when Dare
chuckled at his idea of a joke.
“I’d
have to flip a coin on that one,” Dare said.
Ethan
grinned and lifted his glass to dump a whiskey-flavored ice cube into his
mouth. He crushed the mostly melted slivers between his teeth with a satisfying
crunch.
“Trey
said he asked you for some advice today,” Ethan said.
Dare
leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs at the ankle, resting his
dwindling drink between his hands and against his flat belly.
“He
does that a lot,” Dare said. “He’s always been too complicated and conflicted
to sort himself out. But I get him.”
That
made one of them.
Ethan
rubbed the pad of his thumb up and down the side of his glass.
“Did
he tell you what he wanted advice about?” Dare asked after a long moment of
silence stretched between them.
“I’m
guessing it was me.”
Dare
nodded, but didn’t comment. Ethan was a big brother, so he knew what it must
feel like to be talking to someone who’d hurt his little brother—no matter that
the pain he’d caused was unintentional.
“I
didn’t mean to upset him. It’s just . . .” Just what? Even he
didn’t know what the problem was. He knew that if he wanted to keep Reagan and
Trey in his life he had to make sacrifices, such as keeping his distance from
them while in the public eye. He knew Trey had a past with Brian Sinclair and
no amount of wishing would ever change that. What he didn’t know was how he was
supposed to come to terms with such realities.
“He’ll
always love Brian,” Dare said. “Always.”
Ethan’s
breath caught in his throat as his worst nightmare reared its ugly head. “I
suppose you think I should step aside.”
“Fuck
no. What I’d really like is for you to embed yourself so far under Trey’s skin
that he forgets Brian ever existed.”
Ethan
gaped at him, and Dare smiled before releasing a short laugh. “I’m not sure
it’s possible. Their friendship is important to both of them. I don’t know how
Trey can let him go when he sees him every day. Hell, it’s hard to let go of
someone you’ve loved for ten years even when they’re dead.” Dare frowned into
his glass and tossed back the remainder of the amber liquid in one gulp.
Ethan
blinked at him. “You’re not suggesting I kill Brian, are you?” He wasn’t quite
that jealous. At the moment, anyway.
Dare’s
head turned. “What? No. I was talking about someone else.”
Himself,
Ethan decided.
“So
what should I do?”
Dare’s
gaze followed his brother as he twirled a giggling Reagan across the dance
Similar Books
