Page 96 of A False Start
“Griffin, don’t you dare give her a single thing,” I blurt out, even though it’s none of my business. He’ll never get out from under the shame of his past if he keeps burying it. I don’t want that for him. I want a fresh start for him—for us. Video be damned.
Plus, she doesn’t deserve shit from him.
He looks over at me, his harsh gaze softening as I stare back at him. A look specially reserved for me. And when our eyes meet like this, I know it doesn’t matter if I’m standing here wearing scrubby clothes with wild, freshly fucked hair. What’s between us isn’t skin deep. It’s soul deep. We understand each other in a way that no one else can.
Based on the way he’s looking at me right now, he feels the same.
He steps away again, giving her the full force of his glare, letting the envelope flop down onto the packed gravel at their feet. His eyes swivel back to me as he sucks in a deep breath. “See you incourt.”
We share a small smile as she storms back to her car, head held high, like she didn’t just try to blackmail a man into giving her money by exploiting the lowest point of his life.
“I hate her with a fiery, fiery passion,” I grit out, right as she revs her engine and blows past Stefan and me, just a little too close for comfort. I watch her brake lights glow as she rounds the bend and speeds away.
Hopefully for good. But I think I know better.
“Someone care to tell me what’s going on here?”
I swivel back to face the two men, eyes widening when my brother’s attention turns on me, an accusatory glint in his green eyes.
When neither of us jumps to explain, he turns his back on me, focusing his attention on his best friend. “Because I can’t think of a single good reason why my best friend would be spending his days off with my little sister.”
“Frankly, Stefan, that’s not your business.” He stiffens at my words.
“It is when everyone has been trying to get a hold of you to tell you that Billie had her babies.” He turns on me, and I finally recognize how distraught he is. “No one knew where you were! I’ve been going crazy trying to find you.”
Fuck.Now I feel like a dick. “I’m sorry.” I roll my lips together. “There’s no reception up at the mountain house, and my phone is dead. Is Billie okay?”
“Yes. Everyone is healthy and happy. But going back to the mountain house. Can we elaborate on why you were up there at all?”
I blink, not ready to give a name to what we were doing up there. Especially not in the wake of the whole scene here.
“Griff?” my brother asks, with a note of pleading in his voice.
Griffin shrugs. “I’m not going to speak for Nadia.”
Stefan runs a hand through his hair like we just announced the worst news of his life. “Seriously? She’s fourteen years younger than you.”
Griffin’s eyes flit to mine again. The look he gives me is like he’s about to throw caution to the wind, jump off a fucking cliff. And he doesn’t disappoint when he says, “Yeah. Well. I’m in love with her anyway.”
33
Griffin
My best,and possibly only friend, stares back at me with pure shock written all over his face. I always knew I was going to tell him. I just didn’t imagine it happening like this.
“You’re in love with my sister.” He says the words like it’s a new language to him, confusion etching every syllable.
I just offer him a stern nod.
“Stef,” Nadia cuts in.
He turns his gaze on her. “Nadia, please don’t interrupt. This is between Griff and—”
Rage flares in her eyes and her pointer finger shoots up at her brother. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Stefan Dalca. Don’t you fuckingdare.This is between me and Griffin. You? You are a non-factor. You think you get to hightail it out of my life the first chance you get and then waltz back in and gatekeep my relationships? My body? Well, have I got news for you.”
Stefan visibly pales, clearly still haunted by their past.
“I’m not sticking around for this pissing contest. I’m too angry with both of you right now.” Her body shakes with the energy coursing through her, and I realize what a tenuous hold we had on our relationship. I suspect that seeing Tonya waltzing around like she’s royalty broke whatever weak agreement we came to last night. I’m married, and that debacle clearly will not get better before it gets worse.
