Page 27 of Surrender

“You need anything? Got enough food?”

“First off, I’m going to guess wherever you are, you’re stuck there, so I don’t know why you’re offering. Second, I’m all set.”

“I’m offering because you hardly ever get your ass off that fucking plot of land.”

Jude lives at the Sanctuary and is the primary caretaker of the rescue dogs.

Cooper nudges open the sliding glass door and emerges covered in white powder. The icy air chases him inside. I round the counter and close the door behind him.

“You worry about as bad as Mom.”

Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply, taking his comment without a retort. The way I promised myself I would take all his shit the way he used to take beatings for me as kids.

Even though we’re twins, I was always smaller than Jude. He had bulk where I had height. He was solid, and I was lanky and long. And he figured out really quick that I couldn’t handle the belt the way he could. It hurt more against my skinny frame. It took me longer to recover.

Our parents were more than eager to beat Jude in my place and watch how it tormented me mentally. They’d pit us against one another. He’d take my punishment, but if I cried, he’d get more lashings. They’d hit him and ask if I was done being a pussy, and if any sound escaped my mouth, they’d hit him again. And again.

Eventually, I learned to control my emotions. By then, I’d reached puberty. My muscles filled out, and when I wasn’t the skinny little boy anymore, when I was tall and strong, I got us the fuck out of there. I swore I’d never let Jude down again.

That means I help out at the Sanctuary when he needs me, I pick up groceries for him when he doesn’t feel like driving into town, and I check in with him when the weather’s bad or he’s sick. And it means that he can say whatever the fuck he wants to me, and I let him get away with it. Even when he’s being a fucking dick.

“Have you heard from anyone else yet?”

“Last I heard, everyone else was home last night and staying put. The only person driving around in this shit was you.”

“I didn’t.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m still at my house.”

“With the girl?” Humor laces his voice.

“Yeah.”

A silent beat pulses through the line.

“How’d that happen?”

“She thought it was too dangerous to drive through.” I scrub the back of my heated neck.

“Good,” he says gruffly.

“Do you want to share with me why that would be good?”

“Nah. Just glad you’re safe, brother.”

I check the time on the microwave clock. Six fifty-five. “Me too.”

We hang up a few minutes later. I busy myself whipping up a batch of pancakes and make another call.

“Isn’t it a little early to call your mother?” she answers on the second ring.

“I’m awake and wanted to see how you’re holding up.”

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Lee and Jude when they both called half an hour ago. I’m fine.”

A warm smile twitches my lips. Lee will drop anything and come if you call. Jude checks in on us to reassure himself we’re all fine. And I like to think of myself as the most protective of the bunch. Nobody messes with my family. Not even the fucking weather.

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