Page 38 of Axe-ing for Trouble
“And regardless of that, Mila is no groupie. She’s brilliant and fierce. If circumstances had been different, I would have spent a hell of a lot more than one night with her.”
“Shit, man.” Finn ran a hand through his long hair. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
I grunted out a response. I’d been taking shit from my brothers for years for any number of things. Not going to college, defending my dad when the accusations were first hurled his way, playing music for fun rather than trying to make a living off it. My dating habits too. I took it all in stride. Kept my head down and did my thing. But this was getting out of hand.
“I’m sorry,” Cole said. “As the family fuckup, I should know better than to judge.”
That had my hackles rising. “You’re not the family fuckup.”
“Course not,” Gus jumped in. “You do more than any of us to help out.”
Cole lowered his head and gave it a shake. “Maybe not anymore. But I used to be, and I’m working through the effects it had on me.” He elbowed Finn and forced his gaze to mine again. “We’re doing this all wrong. We’re trying to protect you.”
“Yeah,” Finn agreed. “It seems like this girl has gotten under your skin.”
“She’s a woman,” I corrected. They meant well, but the words still chafed.
He nodded. “It’s just… How do I explain this?” He rested his elbows on the table. “You’re a Hebert, and we all know that we tend to catch feelings.”
“Big feelings,” Cole added.
He would know, what with his accidental marriage to Willa.
“At the end of the day,” Finn went on, “we’re all just golden retrievers in flannel shirts. You may be the broody musician of the bunch, but you’re built like the rest of us in that respect.”
Gus laughed again. “You sound like Chloe. She’ll love that.”
“I can handle myself.” I unclenched my fists, annoyed but no longer angry. “Mila’s only staying at my house. It’s not a big deal.”
“Don’t let yourself get dragged into danger. Please,” Cole said. “Let Parker and the feds handle it. She may be staying with you, but that doesn’t mean this is your fight.”
“It sure is my fight.” I leaned in, lowering my voice so we wouldn’t be overheard by gossipy townies. “You’ve both been targeted. Noah escaped a potentially deadly house fire. I’ve got nieces and a nephew to worry about. This is my family and our business. It’s the only life I’ve ever known.”
I straightened and cocked my head one way, then the other, trying and failing to relieve the tension that had built in my neck and shoulders during this conversation.
“You’re dead wrong. This is my fight.”
Chapter11
Jude
Trouble:
you’re out of carrots
Lumbersnack:
I thought you hated them?
Trouble:
I do. Carrots are just crunchy apathy. I fed them all to the cutest baby moose today.
Lumbersnack:
You fed a baby moose???
Trouble:
