Page 67 of Ruin

I knew the feeling. I nudged Coyote’s arm and threw out a thought, one that I questioned myself about as well. “Or it could already be there, and you ain’t willin’ to admit it to a brother before you shared it with your old lady?” I hadn’t really admitted anything to Taro either.

I called him mine. Did that mean I loved him?

Maybe.

Dragging myself from my thoughts, I noticed Coyote hadn’t said anything about what I’d said. In fact, if I was to guess from the way he stared at Channa, my brother was definitely a goner. Christ, it was good to see; his happiness all but radiated off him. She was his one. Leaning closer, I told him quietly, “You didn’t even flinch when I called her your old lady.” Chuckling, I added, “I see weddin’ bells in the future.”

Coyote ignored my taunting and looked at me. “How’s bein’ back?” We’d been texting since I’d been gone and Coyote knew, like most of the brothers, that I was heading back today, since I’d gotten in contact with them earlier. They didn’t know the real reason why yet. Just thought I was back because the job was done. Mimi’s dad had died.

Smiling, I shrugged and turned to face the bar, placing my elbows on top so I could grab the beer bottle to play with.

“Brother” was all Coyote said.

Emotions suddenly suffocating me, I clenched my jaw. This past month had been a big one, full of shit that changed everything. Sighing, all I managed to get out was “Fuck, brother.”

“Talk to me,” Coyote said and kicked my boot.

I drew in a steadying breath. “The whole situation was intense. Fucked up.” It had been when it came to Mimi’s family and their old rules, the way they treated women. “But….” But then there was Taro.

“You gonna fill me in?” Coyote asked when I said no more.

I didn’t want to wreck his night by going over what Mimi had to deal with or my revelation. Straightening, I chugged back the rest of my beer and placed the bottle on the bar before I slapped Coyote on the arm. “Another time. Go enjoy yourself with your woman.”

“Ruin—”

I grinned but knew it wasn’t a normal one for me. “Nah, brother. It can wait. Seriously.”

“Fuckin’ bullshit,” he clipped as he dropped his bottle to the bar and clasped me on the back of the neck to give me a shake. He always read me too well. Knew I had shit on my mind. “Channa’s cool. She won’t care if I disappear, but you gotta talk, and we’re doin’ it. Let’s go to my room.”

Snorting, I told him, “Bossy bastard, aren’t ya?”

Coyote grinned. “Yep.” He started off to his room, and I followed. Sweat pooled at the back of my neck. He was a brother I could share anything with. Well, what went down with Mimi and her family, but did I want him to know about me and Taro? I wasn’t sure.

He unlocked his door and entered. I slipped in after him and closed the door as a thought occurred to me. I’d never looked at a guy in the way I did with Taro, so I checked my brother out, and all I got from it was that it felt weird to do so. I was man enough to admit he was good-looking, but he definitely wasn’t my type.

Not like Taro.

Coyote sat on the edge of the bed and waited. I didn’t want to sit. My mind was too busy. Instead, I paced and started explaining things that went down. How fucked Mimi’s father and uncles were. How Taro was trying to change things, but it was uncertain everyone would listen, and that there could still be problems.

“Her uncle was going to bargain off his teenage daughters?”

“Yep.”

“Fuckin’ lucky Wolf put a stop to it.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Seems like he’ll be a good leader for the family.”

A small smile touched my lips. “Yeah.” I nodded. He was the best man to run the family. Already he was changing with the times and protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves.

“Still, it’s a messed-up situation.”

I hummed under my breath. It was, and it would be for a while, but I believed in Taro.

“Ruin,” Coyote called.

I faced him, not realising I’d been staring at the wall.

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