himself. “Nah, I guess you were left alone in there, then. Kinda fucked up.”
“Don’t pretend you would have preferred it some other way.”
“You took Billy from me, but I don’t dispute what he was. Sometimes I get caught so hard playing a part and I don’t really censor myself when I should. Charlotte…she was violated, I know that, but I didn’t at the time. I thought her mom gave her a hard time, I thought the most Billy did was bully her around. I have my regrets with her, but she still did me dirty, and I’m a little sore about it sometimes, especially when I think of you being with her. Isn’t that kinda fucked?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “I should stop, I know. If you understood me a little better, you’d know we’re on the same side, and at the end of the day, we’re cousins.”
Yeah, cousins. He said that like it ever meant a damn thing.
“Cousins,” Thames repeated icily. “Cousins who steal each other’s gold and burn their houses down?” He glanced at the house now, sizing it up now, like maybe he ought to burn Reid’s fucking home to the ground too. “How’d you end up breaking in anyway, Reid?”
Reid didn’t answer. He had a ghost of a smile on his face. Fuck, Thames would have done anything to wipe it off with his fist.
“Did you know my woman and kid were in there when it started to go up in flames?”
Reid’s smile wavered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Yeah, sure.
If this were any other time…
Thames shook his head, trying to shake sense into his skull. He was testing himself right now, and he shouldn’t have. He was smarter than this.
He flicked his gaze at Rebecca real quick, a tiny emotion of pity bubbling in his chest. She wouldn’t even meet his eye. Girl had dead eyes, in fact.
It troubled Thames that he had to have these people in his life.
Returning his focus to Reid, his expression tightened when he said, “Our kids are close.”
Reid’s nodded carefully. “They are.”
“Is the real dad in the picture?” he wondered, narrowing his eyes at Reid.
“I’m his real dad,” Reid retorted, looking angry now. “Blood means nothing. I brought Kane up. No other dog cunt in the picture. All me.”
“Only curious.”
“Nosy fucking question, Conor. Kinda too soon for that shit, hey?”
This time a calm smile spread on Thames’ face. “When it comes to my baby girl, I’ll ask any question I deem necessary, cousin.”
Reid’s eyes dimmed. “If you couldn’t tell, I’m not that doormat you used to know, Conor,” he warned. “Nowadays, people are careful how they speak to me. They’re careful not to step on my toes. You wouldn’t like being on the other end of it.”
“Liking the power, Reid?”
“Didn’t you?”
Thames felt the same darkness he’d known for eight years spread through his chest. He took a step closer to Reid, staring down at him because he was still taller, still broader, still bigger. “I didn’t need to warn anyone about my power, Reid,” he explained quietly, his tone deceptively soft. “I didn’t have to remind them to fear me, cousin. That’s what actions do. They speak for you. The second you use words, cousin, is the second you show the world you have no power.”
Reid suppressed his fury. The cunt had tried to act tough, but after what Thames just said he was aware how fucking ridiculous he looked now.
This guy was so easy to piss off, even after all these years. Before, it would have satisfied Thames to see it, but now he just felt cautious.
He looked past his cousin, took in Rebecca who was now off the porch and standing in the darkness, like she was trying to blend into the background. A strange feeling came over him then. He didn’t know what prompted him to look up at the bedroom window of the second floor. Maybe his mind had caught the faintest movement. The second his eyes connected to the window, he barely made out the outline of a little boy staring out at them.
Kane.
Thames felt his heart skip a beat and goose bumps run down his arms. The strangest most melancholy feeling came over him, along with a cold darkness that made him uneasy.
He tore his gaze away from the window and took a wary step back.
He didn’t understand it, but he sensed something was amiss.
“See you around, Thames,” Reid said, a blank expression on his face.