Page 77 of The Bad Brother

I called the hospital. Whoever they transferred me to told me she had the day off.

Instead of calling her a liar, I take another drink.

“Did you see him?”

“Did I see who?” The confusion is back, this time edged with temper because it’s another accusation and she’s quickly losing her patience.

Ethan.

My brother.

“Your fiancé.”

I take another drink to wash away the bitterness the words leave behind.

“He’s not my fiancé,” she reminds me carefully. “Not anymore.”

“Did you see him?”

It takes her a few seconds to answer me. So long I’m sure she’s going to lie.

“Yes.” She says it quietly. Temper bled dry because she finally understands what this is. This is me, falling apart because I think I’m not good enough for her and she feels sorry for me because she knows it’s true. “He was there… I take it you’re still jealous.”

Her careful tone makes me want to put my head through a goddamned wall because I’m notjealous.

What I am is something else entirely.

“Did you talk to him?”

What did he say?

Did he tell you about his lowlife, convict older brother who’s so worthless that he can’t keep a woman, even when he’s shoveling money at her and groveling at her feet?That she’d much rather suck his dick on camera, just for shits and giggles, than be my wife.

“No.” Her tone is firm. Decisive. “I didn’t even know he was there until I got up to leave.”

I don’t know if I believe her.

All I know is that I want to.

“Come here.”

I don’t want to play twenty questions in the dark anymore.

I want to see her.

Here.

Now.

Not in my fucked-up head where she’s on her knees in front of my brother.

I want to see her with my own two eyes.

On her knees in front of me.

I listen to her drop her keys on the counter and wait for her to tell me to go to hell. I’m sure that’s exactly what’sgoing to happen next and I’m just drunk enough to wonder what I’ll do if that’s the path she puts us on but there she is, standing in front of me like a dream.

Maybe that’s what this is.

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