Page 64 of The Broker

“So, you figured you’d come find me, and we’d be one happy family once again?”

“Well, yes and no.”

Isaac stared at him like his brother was an idiot. Well, he kind of was. Which imbecile would choose a life of crime and always having to look over your shoulder?

“Well, yeah. I had to come get you. I needed to see you face-to-face and make sure that you really were my brother and not just some look-a-like trying to find me. Do you know how many people want me dead?”

“It’s hard to believe with how loveable you are.” Isaac rolled his eyes and took another sip of his beer.

His brother hadn’t changed. The guy was still a stubborn bully who was only ever interested in taking care of himself.

Declan gave a smirk.

“But that fucking tiger! Who the hell keeps a thing like that in their backyard? Your pimp is insane! I thought it was going to kill me when it finally broke through its cage. Good thing I’m a fast climber.”

“He’s not my pimp,” Isaac responded, turning his head away from Declan.

“Don’t worry, now that you’re with me, you won’t have to suck dick for cash any longer. I got a cool gig going here.”

Anger flashed through Isaac’s body. Who was his brother to cast judgment on what he did for a living? WhatLa Maison de Mstood for? His brother was a criminal! A kidnapper, a rapist, and a terrible brother!

“By kidnapping and raping women? Then selling their babies?” Isaac growled.

He was disgusted that he was even related to this man. How could someone be so heartless and such a monster?

Declan’s eyes narrowed. “So, it seems like you’ve been busy as well? How did you find out about my little business?”

Isaac loved watching the anger and frustration surge through his brother.Good, fucking revel in the pain of not knowing how much I know.

“It doesn’t even matter. The only thing that matters now is that I’m going to take you down and make you pay for all your sins,” Isaac snarled. He leaned in closer and locked eyes with his brother’s.

Staring into his eyes, he felt nothing but hate and contempt for the man. Not because he had tormented him as a child and had abandoned him when he needed him the most, but because of the truly reprehensible monster his brother had become. No amount of childhood trauma could ever justify the shit this man was doing.

Teeth grinding together, his brother glowered at him. “You forget your place, little bro. I’m the big man in this doghouse. You are just the powerless little faggot that gets to sit and watch.”

Anger flared once again. Isaac picked up his beer bottle and smashed it over his brother’s head. The bottle broke, spilling beer all down the man’s dark hair. Declan didn’t even flinch.

“You little shit,” his brother snarled before swinging his fist right in Isaac’s face.

Isaac’s body flew off the sofa and landed on the cold floor below. His jaw was on fire, and stars danced in front of his eyes.

“Guess you’re going to have to learn the hard way,” his brother said as he crouched over the top of Isaac and began beating his face with his fists.

Isaac struggled, but his brother had a good thirty pounds of muscle on him. All he could do was push through the pain and hope that his beating would end soon. He refused to give his brother the satisfaction of seeing him cry.

Fuck, he hated this man.

23

JARED

It was well into the early morning hours by the time Jared and the boys had finished fixing up the gardens. Who knew that a rampant tiger and twenty scared men could cause such a mess?

Jared chuckled as he pictured a bunch of rich older men running around, arms flailing, doing their best not to be the slowest in the bunch.

What was the saying?When being chased by a bear, you don’t have to be the fastest; you just have to beat the guy running next to you.

Reaching the top of the staircase, Jared made a left, then headed toward Isaac’s room. He hadn’t seen him all night, which was kind of strange, to say the least. He wanted to check on him and make sure that everything was alright.

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