Gene for anything. Ma stopped wearing it when Brant died. It was a ring his mother gave to him to give to my mom. Gene was happy to give it to me.
He’s the only one who knew of my marriage.
He came to our small redo ceremony.
He’s more of a dad than mine ever was.
Holding the dainty little band in my hands, it dawns on me... she left and she isn’t coming back. With this newfound information, I do something I never thought I would.
I call my brother.
Chapter Forty-Six
Present
Jase
Life takes many turns, but since dedicating myself to my wife and family, everything has changed for the better. Between counseling and my constant groveling, Peaches and I have come out stronger.
My heart aches when she’s gone, and nothing stops me from pursuing her as if we were just newly dating again.
She’s mine.
Again.
I fight for that right every day.
She deserves the entire fucking world.
To be worshiped. Adored over. Praised.
And fuck, do I praise her. Whether with words or on my knees as I eat her from behind, I fucking praise her. She doesn’t cease to amaze me day in and day out.
I’m at my corporate building, handling some things Sally and the team are unable to deal with. Since I’m still the owner of Collins & Co, it’s something I tend to do on occasion, even if I don’t do the usual day-to-day.
Flipping through the final files for expansion on Hollow Hills in Vegas, a smile takes over my face. Fuck. It feels good, knowing I chose the right man—or in this case, woman—for this job. Sally makes sure to get shit done, and in turn, my retiring feels less like a loss.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, the buzzing barely registering in my otherwise silent office. Today is one of those days when hardly anyone is in the office, which leaves me pretty much alone, sans Sally’s assistant.
“Hello?” I ask, not recognizing the number. Usually, I’d use the scan-call feature, opting to avoid speaking with a random caller. Most of the time, it’s a scammer or telemarketer. Either way, I’m not a fan.
“Jase,” Toby’s voice rasps. It’s not usual for him to call. Hell, it’s been five years of silence. Just like Lo and I asked. Hearing his voice now, the strain in it, makes me believe something is wrong and reminds me how much missing him has become an inexorable ache. “I fucked up.” His voice strains, and that hollowness he left in my chest by his actions and my choices makes itself known, reminding me of simpler times.
“Jase, I messed up bad,” Toby grouses. His eyebrows are drawn in, his hair in disarray, and his busted lip and black eye stare at me like a crime scene.
It’s violent, the reminder of Dad and what he does to me and not Toby. God. I’ll protect him no matter what, though, because he’s my baby brother.
“What happened?” I ask, tipping his head back to peer at the shiner. It’s bad. Possibly did more damage than broken blood vessels. My brother is prone to fighting, it’s a reactionary thing for him. Someone will say shit and make him mad, and instead of being understanding or blowing it off like I do, he beats them.
This time, though, it seems like he went for someone too big.
“I-I,” he stutters, his eyes glossing. My brother may only be fourteen, but the little shit causes so much mayhem you’d think he was five.
“Spit it out, Tobes. Let me fix this.” Something is eating him up inside, and it has my body shifting uncomfortably. He’s not shy by any means, but he’s cowering into himself, hiding. It’s not something I’m used to seeing with him.
Running a hand through his hair, he frowns and grips the back of his neck, avoiding my gaze. It’s embarrassment and fear wrapped into one, and I hate every moment of his discomfort. Did someone attack him? Did—
“Dad caught me in the whiskey cabinet,” he mutters, stopping my train of thought. Dad did this? Hit him? My chest aches, rising with hatred and power, my mantra of “don’t react” not holding itself well inside me.
“What did he do?” I practically spit, the unabated vehemence spreading through the air with each word. Brant is a piece of shit, and even that is a kind descriptor for the waste of air that brought me my brother.
“You’re not going to ask why I was in the cabinet?” he deters the question, but I know it’s because he