Page 53 of Sticks and Stones
He understood his anger, and he hadn’t been ready for that case, now that he could see the outcome. He’d nearly died.
It had been a close one, again.
Something had to give.
“You need to start listening,” Gene said, out of control with the anger that he was feeling. “You need to put away that convoluted idea you have that you need to take on the world to prove how good of a cop you are. You need to start learning how to be that cop. You’re so hung up on being Alice’s son that you didn’t see that this was a clusterfuck. They saw you coming. There’s no fucking way anyone thought you were some badass biker, looking for flesh to call your own.”
There.
He said it.
Honestly, getting it off of his chest didn’t help Gene at all.
“I know,” Corbin finally said. “I’m sorry. I fucked up again. Don’t hate me.”
Well, shit.
He didn’t hate Corbin at all.
If anything, he loved him.
In fact, he loved his stupid humor, and his inappropriate questions that made him batshit insane. He loved his kindness,and how he protected Ethan when he’d been hurt by David Neives.
Yep.
Now, Gene felt horrible.
Since the man was saying nothing, it was time for Gene to cut him a break. He’d kicked the puppy, goddamn it, and now he felt like a total dick.
“No, Corbin. It’s me who is sorry,” he said. “I’m taking it out on you. I’m wrong here. Don’t stress it. I’ll get over it, and we’ll make it better. I could never hate you.”
Would he?
He wasn’t so sure.
But Gene knew he and Ethan would try.
Gene knew that they owed it to Corbin, and they owed it to his parents. They came here alone, and the Price family took them in. They made him and Ethan feel like they had a place.
What wouldn’t Gene do for the people he loved?
The answer was anything.
Corbin was curious.
“Can I ask why you’re sorry?” he asked. “I’m the one who fucked up. You’re right. I wasn’t ready.”
Gene stared into his eyes.
“I feel bad because I should have seen this coming. You went MIA for two weeks. That’s not like you. Normally, you’re so far up our asses with needing help. That’s on me for not paying closer attention.”
Corbin said nothing.
“Then, I’m pissed at myself because you’re our brother. I feel like I let you down. Maybe if I’d helped teach you how to do this job, instead of doing it for you, then you wouldn’t have stood out like a goddamn sore thumb.”
Corbin had plenty of time to think about what happened in that bar.
He’d thought about it during the rapes.
