Page 82 of Old-Fashioned

“Brother bond has been invoked,” I groaned.

“You’re supposed to say that before you tell a secret, otherwise, everything else is fair game.” Baker smirked.

I let my fist fly into his gut uncaring in the least.

And when the bastard doubled over, I growled, “You’ll keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you.”

I heard Birdie gasp as she raced over to me, “Why did you just punch him?”

I looked down in Birdie’s eyes, and lied through my god damned teeth, “He was being a fucking idiot talking about hooking up with Jewell.”

Baker had been smirking, when he stood back up, but that smirk was wiped from his face at my words.

Baker lifted a brow, “You sure you want to go with that?”

Birdie asked confused, “Go with what?”

“Did I hear my name?” Jewell asked as she sauntered over.

“No, you fucking didn’t. Get the hell away from us.” Caelan growled.

Jewell was a lot of things, but she wasn’t stupid.

She didn’t miss the tone Caelan had used.

With a growl, she spun on her heel and walked away.

We should have all been watching her, but we weren’t.

I looked down at Birdie, winked and said, “It’s brother shit, trust me you don’t want to know. Now, I could deal with you being in Rich’s arms, but…”

The bastard that was Caelan smirked, then tagged Birdie’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

Baker sidled up next to me and said, “Hit him harder.”

I nodded.

I was definitely going to do that.

“I’m fucking happy for y’all, brother. Can’t think of anyone else I could have ever pictured for you.”

We were both looking at Birdie as she laughed at something Caelan had said.

“Thanks.” I said with a smile at the vision before me.

She looked around Caelan’s shoulder as he spun her and shot me a wink.

What none of us knew, was that in two weeks, after we got back from our honeymoon, and yes, I had called the doctors number that Birdie and I had found and made sure it was safe for her to fly, that the last punch to our bubble was going to make itself known.

The first was when her mother showed up.

The second was when my ex-lawyer treated Birdie like she was trash.

And now this… which occurred as I was wiping the top of the bar.

“Abel Black?”

I looked up from the bar looked at a man dressed in a suit, and then eyed the three cops standing there, and let out a sigh, “Yeah?”

---