Page 94 of The Bad Brother

“I tendered my resignation today,” I tell him, finally saying out loud what I decided, the moment I left Jensen standing in that hospital waiting room. “I’m leaving Barrett. I’m leaving Clearwater. I’m leavingTexas, so whatever happens between you and your brother, it has nothing to do with me. Not anymore.” Skirting around him, I jam my hand back into my bag and wrap it around my stun gun. Hold my breath all the way to the car. Ethan doesn’t follow me. He doesn’t even speak until I’m grappling with my keys, trying to get my car door open without dropping them.

“GoogleLyla Strong 2011and see what pops up,” he shouts at my back. “Or better yet—why don’t you ask my brother what he did to her that got him sent to prison.”

RIVER FELL ASLEEP HOURS AGO.

After we got back to the bar, I raided Sloane’s fridge and made her an early dinner—grilled steaks out on the balcony and home fries—before we sacked out in the living room to watch Netflix, using the password that started this whole mess.

ethanpryceisadouche.

No caps because he doesn’t deserve them.

The irony is not lost on me.

As soon as River fell asleep, curled up in one of the wide leather chairs that flank the couch, I turned off the TV and carried her across the hall to my apartment where I tucked her into the bed I haven’t slept in, in days.

Leaving Riv to sleep off the shitty day we’ve all had, I cross the hall again to clean up the dinner mess, the voices in my head growing progressively louder over each passingminute until I’m ready to shove a BBQ fork in my ear, just to get some relief.

Dishwasher loaded and leftovers put away, I don’t know what else to do. I texted Sloane hours ago, and even though I don’t expect an answer, I keep checking. Hoping against hope that maybe she read it. Maybe she’ll respond.

She hasn’t and she won’t.

Remembering my promise to Cal, I dial Cade’s number and listen to it ring, even though I don’t expect him to answer me either, but he does.

“What do you want?” he says, his tone surly without being hateful. “I’m busy.” Even though Cade’s temper is the stuff of legends, and that legend includes prison time for murder, I know where he is. It’s Sunday. That means he’s at home with Gunner, prepping for the last school week of the year. I can hear him and Sera’s daughter, Scarlett, in the background, squabbling over the TV remote. They’re close in age—both born the summer of 2015—and best friends, though I think either one of them would be hard-pressed to admit it right now.

“Nothing, I—” Fuck, I don’t even know why I called. “The guy from LoneStar is gonna be here in the morning. If you want, I can?—”

“You tryin’ to get out of paying me overtime?” he asks, his tone hardening slightly. If Cade isn’t taking care of Gunner, he’s working—either behind the bar, slinging beer, or at the elementary school, mopping toilet stalls. I give him overtime, as much as I can without making it obvious that I’m trying to help because kids are expensive and even though he lives with his mom, Cade pays his own way.

“No.” Stung by his tone and feeling like a little bitch about it, I sigh. “I was just trying to?—”

“Well, whatever you’re trying to do—stop,” he says, cutting me off before moving the phone away from his mouth. “Give her the remote, Gun—it’s her turn… because you just watched Ancient Aliens… I don’t care if wrestling is stupid, give it to her.” Coming back on the phone, Cade sighs into the receiver. “It’s my job to take deliveries, right? I’m the one who keeps inventory,” he reminds me in the sameI don’t care if wrestling is stupidtone, he just used on his ten-year-old-son. “So, I’ll be in after I drop Scar and Gun off at school to domy job, unless there’s some reason you don’t want me to.”

Ethan’s on one again.

He stabbed Orton Redford.

He’s psychotic and in my blindspot.

I don’t know what he’s going to do next.

“Maybe ask your dad to sit outside the kids’ school for the next few days.” All that’s left of the school year are a handful of bullshit half-days before kids are going to be free-ranging all over Barrett. Keeping track of them after that will be next to impossible.

“I’d be surprised if my dad isn’t already posted up by the flagpole,” Cade says with a laugh that breaks some of the tension between us.

“Okay—” I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me feel better. “Maybe after school lets out, you, Sera, and your mom can take the kids to Galveston for a few weeks. I’ll rent a house and?—”

“Fuck you,” Cade snarls at me, tension roaringback. “Is that why you called? So you could pack me up and ship me off with the women and children?”

It’s not. At least I don’t think it is, but I don’t back down. Now that I’ve suggested it, them taking the kids and getting out of Barrett suddenly seems like the only reasonable solution to the dangerous problem my brother presents. “Cade?—”

“Fuck. You.” He snarls it again, snapping the curse into bite-size pieces. “Out of you,meand my brother, I’m the only one of us who’s actually killed someone, youfuckin’dinging,” he reminds me quietly, probably so Aunt Penny doesn’t hear him and box his ears. “So tell me how sending me off to make fuckin’ sandcastles for the summer, is going to help the situation?”

“If another murder charge doesn’t earn you the needle, it’ll put you away for the rest of your life,” I tell him bluntly. “I can’t have that on my conscience, Cade—not on top of everything else.”

“Good thing I got a brother with a badge, this time around,” he says with a laugh. When I don’t laugh with him, Cade sighs. “Look, book the house if you want—fuck, book a trip to Disney World, if it’ll make you feel better—we can send Mom, Sera and the kids. We’ll even send River—but I’ll befuckedif I’m leaving you and Colt, holding the bag.”

“It’smybag,” I remind him. “Ethan is my?—”

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