Page 110 of Falling for You

“In a bar? Really? I thought you did some computer shit. But this is all I could dig up on you.”

“And what’s the problem with this place?” I watch as Rex’s biceps bulge under the t-shirt he’s wearing. He was moving crates of liquor when we first got here so I’m not surprised he’s only in a t-shirt now. He usually works up a little bit of a sweat.

Troy does a once-over, taking in his “little” brother.

“Nothing. If you like a dead-end job.”

“I love it. Now, again, if that’s all, how about I show you the door?”

“Nah, I think I’ll hang out a while. Besides, Mom said you had something for me and I just stopped in to collect.”

Even from where I’m sitting I can see that Rex is trying to rein in his anger from boiling over. “Nancy said, huh? You still run to her to fix all your fuckups?”

“Not my fault that bitch didn’t know her place.”

“Oh yeah? And what about the other one? Or was there more than just one? Exactly how many wives and girlfriends do you have, Troy?”

“That’s none of your fucking business.”

“You made it my business the second you stepped foot in here. Your wife made it my business when she messaged me and wondered if I wanted to meet your kids. Well, the ones that you had with her. Do you have more kids out there, too?”

For a second, I see Troy waver. Then he grumbles and slumps in his seat and mutters something under his breath before taking a big swig of what looks like whiskey.

“She took everything,” he says only a score louder so Rex can hear it. But The Flying Goat isn’t busy, and with Troy’s interruption, you could hear a pin drop in here. Our attention is solely focused on Troy and Rex, no other conversation is happening. No one is working.

Rex ended up replying to Troy’s wife after all and they talked on the phone for almost two hours one afternoon. From what Amber told Rex, Troy was an absolute nightmare to live with. Expected perfection, yelled and screamed at her when he was around, which wasn’t often. Rex’s mom had told him how hard and how many hours Troy worked, but it turns out the only thing he was working on was having as many girlfriends as he could manage. Amber’s staying with her mom until she can figure things out. Rex still hasn’t met his niece and nephew in person, but they’ve Facetimed on a few occasions.

“Sounds to me like it was justified.”

“What? You’re screwing my wife now? Trying to get back at me?”

Rex is so calm, showing no signs of the anger I’m sure he’s feeling. “Hardly. But I have talked to Amber and the kids a few times. You fucked up, man. She was a good wife. Sounds like an excellent mother, and you thought you deserved more, is that it? You’re above everything, just like always. It doesn’t matter if someone gives up their life for you…”

Troy cracks, yelling and slamming a fist against the bar. “Like hell! I gavehereverything she wanted and all she did was take.”

“Like I told Mom, that’s not my problem. You made your bed, in multiple beds, from the sounds of it, now you can lie in it. Deal with your own mess for once. I’m not going to do it for you.”

Troy looks stunned then pissed. “That bitch. She told me she took care of it.”

“Now Mom’s a bitch, huh? I always thought she was your bestie,” Rex teases. His anger is slowly diminishing the longer Troy talks. If I’m not mistaken, I think Rex likes seeing this side of Troy. To some that might make him seem petty. But after the life that Rex had growing up because of Troy, I’d say it’s well-deserved.

“Fuck you, Rex. You don’t know…”

“I won’t feel sorry for you so I don’t want to hear any of your excuses. My entire life I was treated like an outsider in my own family because I didn’t fit into a certain box. Even you made sure to remind me that there was no love left for me after you’d claimed your golden boy status. My life is so much better off without you and our parents in it. It’s been six years and there hasn’t been a second that has passed where I missed any of you assholes. So, for the last fucking time, let me show you the door.”

The anger that left Rex seems to have latched on to Troy. His back is straight, and the hand not clutching his drink clenches into a fist. He looks around, spots Olivia and me watching the entire thing, then leans back in his bar chair and says, “Looks like I should hang around a while.”

“What the hell, Troy? Are you deaf? I said to get out.”

Troy chuckles. This time when he looks at me, his eyes linger and my skin crawls. He might be attractive enough, but he’s one of the creepiest men I’ve ever laid eyes on. I divert my attention quickly and Olivia reaches for my hand. “Oh don’t worry. It’s not you I give a shit about anymore, brother.”

He lifts his tumbler off the bar and raises it in Rex’s direction then slides off his stool. I know where he’s heading and if he follows through, there’s no way it will turn out in his favor.

“Hey there. Welcome to The Flying Goat,” Ethan says, stepping in front of Troy. His voice is devoid of any hospitality.

Troy, though, is too stupid to get the not so subtle hint. “Uh, thanks?”

He tries to step around him but is stopped by one of the Zeus twins. I’ve learned his name is Zeke but Penny insists on calling them both Zeus.

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