Page 72 of Bully for Sale
Ned grabbed Braden by the collar and shook him. Ned’s robe was loose and started to fall open, which made him feel vulnerable and no doubt look ridiculous, but Braden still had the sense to be intimidated by Ned’s size and strength. Ned could see the fear in Braden’s eyes, despite the smarmy twist to his mouth.
Braden jerked free and backed away. “Fine, fine, I’ll leave. But fucking a sloppy cocksleeve bastard of George Fersee’s isn’t going to get you what you think it will. Notice I used the word bastard, right?” He shook himself free of Ned’s hold. “Yeah, bet you didn’t know that, huh? He’s not Fersee’s kid. So, whatever that cocksleeve has promised you for your, what? Protection? From me and Finch? He can’t deliver.”
Ned’s mind reeled. If what Braden was saying about Ezer was true, then it explained so much. It explained why Fersee wanted Ezer out of his house, why he’d treated Amos so badly, why he’d paid Ned and his father to get Ezer off his hands and out of his life…why he didn’t seem to give a damn about what happened to Ezer now. Fersee hadn’t even checked in on Ezer once during the heat or since they’d been back in Wellport. At least, not as far as Ned knew.
“Ah, see? I’m smarter than you think I am. I figured you out.”
“You haven’t figured anything out,” Ned said with a snarl. Though, of course Braden had. He’d dug up a body all right. Just not the body he thought he’d exposed. “Get out of here before I bust your face in and your daddy has to pay for more plastic surgery to fix it.”
“Fuck you, Ned. I’m telling you, whatever he’s promised you? He can’t give you. And here you are spitting in the face of the guy who’s been your biggest champion.”
Ned shoved Braden back. “Go. Get the fuck away from here. Never come back.”
Braden flipped him off. “My fatherwillhear about this. Therewillbe consequences.”
Ned spat after him. He would have spat in Braden’s face if he could have, but by that time Braden was too far away. He watched as Braden climbed the back fence and left down the driveway. No doubt he had a driver waiting on him.
Why had Braden snuck into the garden? Why hadn’t he come up the drive to ring the front bell like a normal person? Why had he been spying on Ned and Ezer? And how long had he been there? What had he seen?
Ned would ask Earl later what he knew about it. All he knew now was that he had a headache, a sick stomach, and his jaw hurt from clenching his teeth. He also knew now that Ezer was an outcast from his own family just as he’d claimed, and thanks to Braden’s nasty jibes, now he knew why. He wished Ezer had been the one to tell him the whole of it.
But Ezer didn’t trust him. That much was clear. Of course he hadn’t said anything. He was protecting himself from a perceived threat. But how were they supposed to continue on together? How were they supposed to raise a child…?
They needed to talk, and they needed to not fight, and not fuck.
Ned had to find a way to make that happen because their future happiness depended on it.
Ezer woke alonewith the sun dazzling his eyes. His skin felt tender all over, as if he might be getting a sunburn, so he rose to stretch and find a place in the shade. If he was also looking for Ned, he didn’t want to admit that to himself.
But of course hewasseeking Ned already. He wanted to know where his alpha had gone to, leaving him alone and vulnerable. Ezer assumed Ned was getting food for them, or helping Earl with something, or maybe had been called away to take a phone call from a friend, or his father, or maybe that uncle—Heath—who was going to give him a harsh talking to for impregnating an omega at his age.
But, as Ezer stretched in the sun, he heard the voices.
Too familiar. Too sickening.
His stomach turned over, and for a moment he thought he’d vomit for real.
“Cocksleeve, come out and give my dick a big, wet kiss!”
Braden’s voice slashed through the air, and then Ned’s came after—lower-pitched and unclear. Ezer’s heart pounded. He wanted to run, but he didn’t know where to go. Back to the nest? They’d corner him there.
Down the driveway? Where would he go? He was naked.
Fuck.
He’d started to believe in Ned, started to trust him—
“Sir,” Earl’s voice came from behind and startled him.
Ezer nearly burst into tears, but instead he grabbed his chest, gasping for breath, feeling dizzier by the moment. Earl’s expression turned frightened, and he took hold of Ezer’s arm and guided him in through the living room and onto the fluffy sofa.
“There, now, what’s happening? Are you all right? Are you an asthmatic, sir? Do you have an inhaler?” He seemed on the verge of panic himself.
Ezer couldn’t get enough breath to reply. He simply clutched his chest, shaking his head, and tried to inhale.
“Ezer!” Ned called out.
If Ezer didn’t know better he’d think Ned sounded worried, but he knew better now. Ned had been talking with Braden, they’d called him Cocksleeve, and they’d been planning…planning to…
