ride.”
Teague stared out across the water. Was he ready to go back out in the field? After the disaster that had been Syria?
“You’re not seriously considering going out again are you? You told Mom that you were giving it up. That you wouldn’t put yourself in danger again.” There was accusation in Tucker’s voice and Teague rounded on his brother, fists clenched tight.
So much for the coddling and kid gloves. Seemed as if his brother had come all this way to ride him hard. Good. It had been a while since anyone had treated Teague like the man he was.
He was spoiling for a fight and who better to get into it with than his twin?
“I told Mom what she wanted to hear in order for her to be okay with everything that went down over there. Jesus, she almost had a breakdown.”
“Well shit, Teague. Your kid nearly getting his ass blown to bits will do that to most people.”
“It’s part of the job,” Teague snapped. “It’s part of what I do. It’s part of who I am.”
I don
’t know how to be anything else.
The words echoed inside his head and Teague shook them away. No use thinking about it too hard. Not now. Not when he was about to pound the crap out of his brother.
“Well maybe it’s time for you to take a look at something else. How many lives you got anyway? You’re not a goddamn cat. You’re flesh and blood just like the rest of us.”
Teague took a step toward his brother, but Tucker wasn’t backing down. The anger inside Teague was fierce. It was hot and dirty and mean and he flexed his hands prepared to do something about it.
“I suggest you move the hell out of my way.”
“Or what?” Tucker’s face was dark. “You gonna take a swing at me?”
“You can count on it.”
“Go ahead. One shot to your shoulder and I’ll have you on the ground crying like a baby.”
“Fuck you,” Teague retorted, words barely discernable because he was so damn angry.
“Oh.
”
At first Teague wasn’t sure who’d spoken. But then Tucker looked past him and said, “shit.”
That was followed by another “oh” and a round of furious whispering. Teague glanced over his shoulder and spied the twins perched on the top step. He was breathing heavy and had to take a moment because he wasn’t sure he could speak through his anger.
In the end it didn’t matter because Harry piped up first.
“The F-word is so bad.”
“Like it’s the worst word ever,” his sister Morgan said, nodding her head in agreement before stepping onto the deck.
Bingo darted past the kids, barking like a champ and scratching at the patio door. Teague knew the damn thing wouldn’t stop the racket until…
The door slid open and Abby appeared, a wide smile on her face as she bent over to rub Bingo behind his ears. “Hey little guy,” she murmured and then tossed a box at Teague. “I’m guessing this is what your friend is looking for?”
Tucker walked past him, glancing at the doggie treat package in Teague’s hands as he did so.
“Since when do you own a dog?” Tucker asked.
Teague ignored his brother and opened the box so that he could grab two biscuits. He knew by now that one didn’t cut it with the little rug rat.
“Bingo is mine,” Harry said.
“Mommy says that you shouldn’t complain about Bingo pooping on your deck since you’re the one giving him treats.” That was from Morgan. The little girl skipped over to Teague and smiled at Abby. “You’re pretty.”
“Thank you,” Abby replied.
“You’re almost as pretty as my mommy, right Tigger?”
“Tigger?” his brother repeated.
“Don’t even…” hHe said through gritted teeth, glowering at Tucker.
He fed the damn dog his biscuits (why in hell he’d bothered to buy them the other day was anyone’s guess) and glanced at his watch.
It was just shy of eight a.m. He had a headache. He was thoroughly pissed off. And he hadn’t even had his second cup of coffee yet.
Was it too early for a do over?
Chapter
Teague stared out across the water. Was he ready to go back out in the field? After the disaster that had been Syria?
“You’re not seriously considering going out again are you? You told Mom that you were giving it up. That you wouldn’t put yourself in danger again.” There was accusation in Tucker’s voice and Teague rounded on his brother, fists clenched tight.
So much for the coddling and kid gloves. Seemed as if his brother had come all this way to ride him hard. Good. It had been a while since anyone had treated Teague like the man he was.
He was spoiling for a fight and who better to get into it with than his twin?
“I told Mom what she wanted to hear in order for her to be okay with everything that went down over there. Jesus, she almost had a breakdown.”
“Well shit, Teague. Your kid nearly getting his ass blown to bits will do that to most people.”
“It’s part of the job,” Teague snapped. “It’s part of what I do. It’s part of who I am.”
I don
’t know how to be anything else.
The words echoed inside his head and Teague shook them away. No use thinking about it too hard. Not now. Not when he was about to pound the crap out of his brother.
“Well maybe it’s time for you to take a look at something else. How many lives you got anyway? You’re not a goddamn cat. You’re flesh and blood just like the rest of us.”
Teague took a step toward his brother, but Tucker wasn’t backing down. The anger inside Teague was fierce. It was hot and dirty and mean and he flexed his hands prepared to do something about it.
“I suggest you move the hell out of my way.”
“Or what?” Tucker’s face was dark. “You gonna take a swing at me?”
“You can count on it.”
“Go ahead. One shot to your shoulder and I’ll have you on the ground crying like a baby.”
“Fuck you,” Teague retorted, words barely discernable because he was so damn angry.
“Oh.
”
At first Teague wasn’t sure who’d spoken. But then Tucker looked past him and said, “shit.”
That was followed by another “oh” and a round of furious whispering. Teague glanced over his shoulder and spied the twins perched on the top step. He was breathing heavy and had to take a moment because he wasn’t sure he could speak through his anger.
In the end it didn’t matter because Harry piped up first.
“The F-word is so bad.”
“Like it’s the worst word ever,” his sister Morgan said, nodding her head in agreement before stepping onto the deck.
Bingo darted past the kids, barking like a champ and scratching at the patio door. Teague knew the damn thing wouldn’t stop the racket until…
The door slid open and Abby appeared, a wide smile on her face as she bent over to rub Bingo behind his ears. “Hey little guy,” she murmured and then tossed a box at Teague. “I’m guessing this is what your friend is looking for?”
Tucker walked past him, glancing at the doggie treat package in Teague’s hands as he did so.
“Since when do you own a dog?” Tucker asked.
Teague ignored his brother and opened the box so that he could grab two biscuits. He knew by now that one didn’t cut it with the little rug rat.
“Bingo is mine,” Harry said.
“Mommy says that you shouldn’t complain about Bingo pooping on your deck since you’re the one giving him treats.” That was from Morgan. The little girl skipped over to Teague and smiled at Abby. “You’re pretty.”
“Thank you,” Abby replied.
“You’re almost as pretty as my mommy, right Tigger?”
“Tigger?” his brother repeated.
“Don’t even…” hHe said through gritted teeth, glowering at Tucker.
He fed the damn dog his biscuits (why in hell he’d bothered to buy them the other day was anyone’s guess) and glanced at his watch.
It was just shy of eight a.m. He had a headache. He was thoroughly pissed off. And he hadn’t even had his second cup of coffee yet.
Was it too early for a do over?
Chapter
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