no liberation, no absolution, no amnesty for what I’d done.
“Brady…” I wasn’t sure what I intended to say beyond his name. I wasn’t sure I could keep the lid on my emotions. Hell, the vibration in my voice told me I was failing at this endeavor.
Always failing.
“The longer you hold guilt, the harder it is to let go.”
“No shit?” I snarled. “But what am I supposed to do? Pretend it didn’t happen? Disrespect my brother and brush his injury off like it’s nothing? Christ, Brady, Luke damn near went blind and I’m supposed to what, say sorry and move on?”
“Yeah, Trey. That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do. Move the fuck on because you didn’t do a fucking thing to Luke. And if you think you pulling away from your brothers, shutting them out, acting like a bear with a thorn up his ass isn’t disrespecting them, then you’re straight out stupid. And if you think Jasper’s not gonna call you out on this shit, you’re even stupider. He’ll sniff you out and put you down, he thinks your shit will fuck his daughter. The man is rabid when it comes to his girls. So you better brace, Trey. Once he catches wind you and Addy are starting something, he’s gonna come at you.”
I had nothing to say to that. Brady spoke the truth. Jasper Walker was a pit bull when it came to his girls. He was a man whose bite you’d feel—he could be ruthless when someone threatened his family.
And I’m a threat.
Fuck.
My gaze went back to Addy.
So sweet and innocent.
Christ, Jasper would have my balls in a vise if he knew what my intentions were. Shit, who was I kidding? Once he found out what I’d already done, I was as good as dead.
I was not good enough for his pretty, shy daughter.
Fuck.
I never should’ve come to Georgia. I never should’ve accepted a job at Triple Canopy.
“I see the wheels turning,” Brady said, all of the anger in his tone gone. “I didn’t tell you that to make you run. I’m warning you because you’re gonna have to be way more convincing if you want Jasper’s blessing.”
Jasper’s blessing.
Addy’s head turned and our eyes met. Instead of feeling the beauty of her gaze, dread hit my gut like a lead weight. Heavy and suffocating. I should’ve kept my distance. I never should’ve touched her perfection. I knew one taste and I’d be addicted. I’d want more.
Though I’d been wrong and selfish, Adalynn Walker wasn’t just addictive, and I didn’t just want more—I wanted everything. I wanted forever. I wanted to be worthy of her.
Before I could respond to Brady, Hadley broke away from Addy and moved across the small dining area.
When she opened the sliding glass door, she didn’t come outside but she did smile big.
“We’ve decided we’re having dinner.”
“You mean, you’ve decided.” Brady chuckled and Hadley narrowed her eyes.
“No, we’ve decided,” she reiterated her lie, completely unfazed Brady had called her out. “We were thinking Indian.”
“Now I know you’re full of shit because Addy doesn’t like Indian and you’ve been trying to get me to take you there for weeks.”
That ugly green monster started to fill my gut again. I hadn’t known Addy didn’t like Indian food. Not that the knowledge wasn’t welcomed, I, too, didn’t care for Indian. But I hated Brady knew and I didn’t.
“I’m not eating there,” Addy called out.
“Fine,” Hadley huffed. “You two pick because Addy’s being difficult.”
Hadley’s definition of her sister being difficult meant that Addy hadn’t given in right away. The assumption was proven correct when Addy came to stand beside her sister, hands on her hips, brow pinched, her annoyance sparking.
“Just because you don’t want to hear me when I remind you I hate Indian food so I don’t want to try the new place even if it has rave reviews, doesn’t mean I’m being difficult. Further, I told you I had plans but you bowled right over that and horned in on dinner.”
“I just want—”
“I know what you want, Hadley, but you’re not hearing me when I tell you I’m not ready to give it. And that doesn’t make me difficult, either. It makes you a nosy pain in the butt.”
Hadley smiled and Addy shook her head at her twin’s obvious ability to deflect her insult.
“I think I saw—”
“Hadley,” I ground out with more bite than I’d intended. Both women jolted but it was Hadley’s startled eyes that came to me. “Don’t embarrass your sister.”