Page 13 of Never Going to Care

Landon’s eyes darken and he takes a step toward me. I know the rage flowing through him right now. He doesn’t like the idea of his woman around Ezra just like I don’t, even though Piper is like a sister to him.

When I smirk at him, he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. There’s a menacing note in his tone, “Does it make you feel better to piss me off? Do you think it’ll cover the way you reacted to the idea of Ezra and your woman, even though their siblings?”

My smirk falls into a scowl. “Fuck off,” I snarl.

Remington starts to laugh, and I go to stomp past these guys who say they’re my brothers. “I’m sorry,” he wheezes. “You should see your face.”

I stop and stare at him. “My face?”

He nods slowly, a big smile on his face. “You look like you’re about to rip someone to shreds and you’re still denying that you want her.”

“I don’t want her,” I scoff. “She’s frustrating and annoying.” I scrub a hand down my face. “She, along with Piper, took over the conference room last week and it was piled with all sorts of wedding shit.”

Landon’s voice is deep as he intones, “I heard.” I glare at him over my shoulder. “Piper said Celeste put you in your place when you came in with your whole,” he waves his hand up and down indicating my body, “thing you have going on.”

“My thing?” Owen, Barrett who has a shit eating grin on his face which is creepy as fuck, and Remington move past me and into the reception area, forcing me to turn around. I demand, “What the fuck thing are you talking about?"

Remington chirps, “I’m guessing your whole Prince Charming routine you have going on, if he was a brooding asshole who growls more than smiles.”

Barrett barks out a laugh and I turn to him with narrowed eyes. I accuse him, “As if you’re much better.”

Barrett shrugs, his voice calm and not rising to my bullshit, “I wasn’t, but now I have Ella and shit isn’t so dark.” He stares straight into my eyes and I’m only mildly surprised Landon doesn’t flinch when Barrett brings up his sister. There’s a challenge in his gaze, “You know what I mean?”

“Nope,” I pop the p. “I have no idea what you mean.”

Barrett makes a humming sound. “Let me explain then,” he speaks like he’s starting a lecture at fucking NYC, like a psychology one or some shit and it makes my hackles rise. “You’ve seen a lot of shit, Hale, we all have. It changes you. It might have been when you were growing up like it was for me to then only be compounded by the crap we all went through while we were over there. Doing what we did, noble as some people might want to call it, changes you. It made me retreat into myself and try and process everything on my own.”

“You had Colt and Owen though,” I point out softly.

Barrett gives me a crooked grin. “They helped, no doubt, but they weren’t a reason for me to live. Ella is the reason I wake up each morning and take a deep breath and am relieved I have another day instead of dreading it.”

“Fucking hell,” I mutter.

I want to deflect his words so fucking badly. I want to refuse that they have merit. I want to tell him to fuck off.

I can’t though because I know there is truth in his words.

I still reach to deny, to deflect, to fucking run. “That doesn’t mean a woman is going to change anything for me.”

Owen scoffs and shakes his head with a look of disappointment in his eyes. “Not just any woman will do it. The right woman.”

I don’t know why it feels like being hit in the middle of my chest with his words. I don’t like it. Not even a little.

Before I can dig the hole deeper, Owen gives Barrett’s shoulder a squeeze, his words full of praise, “That was deep as fuck, man. I’m proud of you.”

A hint of embarrassment pinks Barrett’s ears, but he doesn’t brush it off, he doesn’t deny, he doesn’t fucking deflect. He stands a little taller and takes it right in the chest because I know that’s where it hits him, just like he did to me.

“Thanks, Owen,” there’s a rasp in his voice. “I’m trying to do better.” His eyes come back to mine, “For Ella.”

Landon lets out a low groan and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m really trying to ignore the fact that you’re talking about my sister. I think it’s shit this big oaf needs to hear, but let’s dial it back.”

Owen teases him, “First of all, she’s practically our wife and she’s pregnant with our child.” Landon’s expression softens and I can’t help but do the same. Ella is a sweet woman, and she deserves happiness. I’m happy these guys were able to give it to her. “Second of all, we’re the only ones, other than you who can give this advice.” He motions with his thumb at Remington. “This one hasn’t found his woman yet.”

Remington’s face falls and it twists something inside of me. He’s the typical good guy and it shows in everything he does. Still, he doesn’t have a good woman to go home to. He doesn’t have someone to shower all the love he has on. It’s a damn shame.

He definitely should have found his woman before me.

Not that Celeste is my woman.

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