he had bitched while they were married, Sabella still left the blinds and
curtains open until dark. They were open now.
Duncan Sykes was in the kitchen and, be damned, but he was opening a bottle of wine. His lips
tightened. That was his wine, no matter who he was or wasn't. He'd spent years building his
collection of wines, rarely opening a bottle, enjoying the sight of the little wine cellar in the
basement as it filled up.
Now that son of a bitch was opening one of his best bottles and pouring a glass. By God, if he
caught that bastard in his bed, with his wife, there would be murder.
He blew out a hard breath. Wasn't his business, he reminded himself.
The hell it wasn't. Jagged, forked spikes of pure fury buried themselves in his brain as he felt
the control he had built over the past years beginning to crack. If Noah saw Duncan touch her,
he wouldn't be able to control the rage.
Noah was aware of Rory coming up behind him, following the order Noah had given him when
he called from the garage. His brother wasn't happy. And that was just too damned bad,
because Noah had never in his life been further from "happy."
"How long has this shit been going on?" he bit out, keeping his eyes on the house rather than
glancing at Rory.
"What shit?" Rory eyed him warily.
Noah flicked his hand at the house. "Sykes."
"'Bout a year." Rory flopped down at the base of a tree and yawned as though he were safe.
Noah flicked a look down at him. "And you didn't stop it, why?"
Rory looked up at him in surprise before scratching his cheek thoughtfully. "Hell, probably
because he's the only one of the men she's gone out with that I actually like."
Noah's jaw clenched. "How many have there been?"
Other men. Not just one man. Other men had gone out with his wife. Stared at her smile, lusted
after her. He couldn't imagine one of them touching her, or he'd have to kill them all.
"Just a few." Rory shrugged as though it didn't matter. "They never last long. A few dates here and there. Then she'll get all guilty feeling, wear her wedding band for a while, and bury up
here in the house when she's not working before she forces herself to try again. She hasn't worn
her wedding band in over a year now though."
Rory picked at a blade of grass as Noah went back to watching the house.
Sykes was still in the kitchen, probing around, looking through drawers. The bastard
straightened a cup on a hook and paced to the far window to look down on the garage. There
was a look of pending ownership on Sykes's face, as if he were already imagining exactly what
he intended to change in Bella's life.
Yeah, Noah knew him, well. Duncan hid his strong will from most people, but he was no one's
fool. He'd been seeing Sabella for a year, then he was serious about it. He had every intention
of owning everything Noah had once possessed as Nathan Malone.
"You left her," Rory stated with a hint of anger. "It wouldn't be any of your business if she had fucked half the town, anyway."
He didn't say anything, because Rory was right. He had left her. He had taken that mission
knowing there was a chance of failure. He had failed and he hadn't come back.
"What happened with Grant?" he asked Rory. '"He tried to take the garage and the house after promising he would take care of her if anything happened to me. Why?"
"'Same reason he ended up with Grandpop's stuff, I guess." Rory sighed. "Because that's just how he is. Grandpop still excuses him. Says Grant is doing what he thinks will protect her.
Grandpop always excuses him though. Calls it layers."
Layers upon layers, he had always told Noah a lifetime ago. Nothing is as it seems. With Grant,
Noah couldn't imagine how it could be anything less than total selfishness.
"And Mike Conrad?"
Rory snorted. "That pig. He's pissed off because Sabella wouldn't screw him or sell him the
garage. He seemed to want both. He chased after her for over a year until she had to threaten to
sue him for
curtains open until dark. They were open now.
Duncan Sykes was in the kitchen and, be damned, but he was opening a bottle of wine. His lips
tightened. That was his wine, no matter who he was or wasn't. He'd spent years building his
collection of wines, rarely opening a bottle, enjoying the sight of the little wine cellar in the
basement as it filled up.
Now that son of a bitch was opening one of his best bottles and pouring a glass. By God, if he
caught that bastard in his bed, with his wife, there would be murder.
He blew out a hard breath. Wasn't his business, he reminded himself.
The hell it wasn't. Jagged, forked spikes of pure fury buried themselves in his brain as he felt
the control he had built over the past years beginning to crack. If Noah saw Duncan touch her,
he wouldn't be able to control the rage.
Noah was aware of Rory coming up behind him, following the order Noah had given him when
he called from the garage. His brother wasn't happy. And that was just too damned bad,
because Noah had never in his life been further from "happy."
"How long has this shit been going on?" he bit out, keeping his eyes on the house rather than
glancing at Rory.
"What shit?" Rory eyed him warily.
Noah flicked his hand at the house. "Sykes."
"'Bout a year." Rory flopped down at the base of a tree and yawned as though he were safe.
Noah flicked a look down at him. "And you didn't stop it, why?"
Rory looked up at him in surprise before scratching his cheek thoughtfully. "Hell, probably
because he's the only one of the men she's gone out with that I actually like."
Noah's jaw clenched. "How many have there been?"
Other men. Not just one man. Other men had gone out with his wife. Stared at her smile, lusted
after her. He couldn't imagine one of them touching her, or he'd have to kill them all.
"Just a few." Rory shrugged as though it didn't matter. "They never last long. A few dates here and there. Then she'll get all guilty feeling, wear her wedding band for a while, and bury up
here in the house when she's not working before she forces herself to try again. She hasn't worn
her wedding band in over a year now though."
Rory picked at a blade of grass as Noah went back to watching the house.
Sykes was still in the kitchen, probing around, looking through drawers. The bastard
straightened a cup on a hook and paced to the far window to look down on the garage. There
was a look of pending ownership on Sykes's face, as if he were already imagining exactly what
he intended to change in Bella's life.
Yeah, Noah knew him, well. Duncan hid his strong will from most people, but he was no one's
fool. He'd been seeing Sabella for a year, then he was serious about it. He had every intention
of owning everything Noah had once possessed as Nathan Malone.
"You left her," Rory stated with a hint of anger. "It wouldn't be any of your business if she had fucked half the town, anyway."
He didn't say anything, because Rory was right. He had left her. He had taken that mission
knowing there was a chance of failure. He had failed and he hadn't come back.
"What happened with Grant?" he asked Rory. '"He tried to take the garage and the house after promising he would take care of her if anything happened to me. Why?"
"'Same reason he ended up with Grandpop's stuff, I guess." Rory sighed. "Because that's just how he is. Grandpop still excuses him. Says Grant is doing what he thinks will protect her.
Grandpop always excuses him though. Calls it layers."
Layers upon layers, he had always told Noah a lifetime ago. Nothing is as it seems. With Grant,
Noah couldn't imagine how it could be anything less than total selfishness.
"And Mike Conrad?"
Rory snorted. "That pig. He's pissed off because Sabella wouldn't screw him or sell him the
garage. He seemed to want both. He chased after her for over a year until she had to threaten to
sue him for
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