Page 72 of Ruin

Nary hugged Mum and explained, “With her dad at the compound. I’m here to pick up Rayne and all her, as Saxon said, ‘crap she’ll need for just one night.’”

Rayne snorted. “Guess he won’t be playingOne Pieceon the Switch with me thatI’mbringing.”

Nary winked at her before she looked at me. “Good to see you’re back, bro.”

“Miss me?” I asked as Rayne sat next to me.

Nary grinned. “Not in the slightest.”

“Bull.”

“How did it go in Melbourne? Did you get to see anyone from Hawks?” Nary asked.

“It was okay, and yeah, I caught up with a few.” My cock throbbed at the thought of the night I went to the pub and then what happened after in Taro’s room.

Fuck. I missed him.

How would he be around my family? I wanted to find out.

“There you go again,” Dad said.

Rolling my eyes, I picked up my mug and took a sip. I didn’t rise to the bait.

“What?” Nary asked.

Dad pointed at me. “There’s somethin’ different about your brother.”

Everyone stared at me.

Jesus Christ.

“Dad’s full of it,” I told Nary.

My sister shook her head. “No, now Dad said something, I can see it too.”

“He looks tired,” Mum added in.

“He stinks,” Rayne commented.

I snorted and grabbed Rayne in a headlock, making sure my armpit was right in her face. She squealed and swatted at me.

“Are you dating Mimi now?” Nary asked.

“Gross,” Rayne whined, wiping at her face and shoving me.

Laughing, I ruffled her hair. “You love me.”

She glared, but I caught her smile. “Apparently I have to because you’re my brother.”

“See how he’s not saying anything about him and Mimi,” Nary said.

Sighing, I took another gulp of coffee before saying, “I’m not with Mimi. She and Cowboy are hittin’ it off.”

“Cowboy?” Mum questioned.

“Yeah, I called him to come down when her dad was… in his last stages. They’d gotten close.”

“Poor Mimi,” Mum said softly.

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