Page 29 of Pucking Revenge

As if he actually gives two fucks.He’s not nearly as good at lying as his nephew is. How am I just now noticing this?

Gavin frowns, swirling his glass of whiskey. “Why would we have to do that?”

Brooks sits up straighter. As he does, he grips the seat of my chair and pulls me closer. “Yeah, what’s the issue, Uncle Seb? Last time we chatted, you didn’t have a problem with Sara being involved with someone on the team.”

My stomach sinks. Apparently he heard everything.

I swear I’m on a goddamn roller coaster. My heart has gone from light to aching to shattered tonight.

Brooks knows about Seb and me, yet he looked me in the eye and told me it was all okay. See? The man is possibly the most talented liar I’ve ever met, because there’s no possible way he’s okay with what I did.

“She can’t handle PR for you if you’re dating, now, can she? Not when she’s part of the story.” Seb has his elbows planted on the table and his fingers steepled. His full attention is fixed on Brooks, like I’m not even here.

Liv laughs. “I suppose I should resign, then, since my biggest pain in the ass—er, client”—she waggles her brows at Beckett—“happens to be my husband.”

Beckett doesn’t even growl. The man just grins at her. It’s so weird seeing him so relaxed and okay with Liv’s teasing. Even after his overconcern about his wife being hugged too tightly, I think the pregnancy has made him even more relaxed.

He throws his arm around Liv and tugs her close. “She’s right. And if anything directly involving Sara pops up, Liv can handle it, just like Sara does for us when it involves Liv.”

Liv winks at me. “I’ve got your back.”

I lick my lips and force a smile. She wouldn’t if she knew about the real scandal.

All these people who are jumping to defend my job would be chasing me out of the city of Boston if they knew what I was to Sebastian.

I hate what he made me.

As if Brooks can feel my self-loathing, he squeezes my hand and presses his lips to my forehead. Then he turns back to his uncle. “We’re a team, and teams stick together. Right, Seb?”

I don’t hear Seb’s response, because Brooks has lowered his forehead again. He’s watching me intently, those green eyes full of all sorts of secrets.

I want to unravel every one. I want to know what he’s truly thinking. But part of me is scared to death that I won’t be able to handle the truth when it all finally comes out.

TEN

BROOKS

Gavin: Sara okay? She seemed off tonight.

Aiden: Sara’s perfect. She’s dating a Langfield. There’s nothing better.

Beckett: For once I agree with Aiden. But also, what Gavin said. It was hard for Liv when the media circus hit. Even though they’re trained for this, it’s a lot. Tell her Liv is here to talk if she needs anything.

I can’t help but gape at my text messages, my heart in my throat. My brothers are being…weird. Not Aiden. He’s being Aiden. Thank fuck. But the other two are way too fucking perceptive for my liking right now.

I pocket my phone because I have no idea how to respond. My mind is spiraling, and for now, I need to focus on channeling a calm I don’t feel. In about five minutes, Sara and I are going to have a very real conversation, and the last thing I want to do is lose it on her.

After dinner, when we got in the car and were finally alone, she wrung her hands in her lap and shifted so she was facing me. It was obvious she was collecting her thoughts, but I held up my hand, silently begging her to wait. I needed the fifteen-minute drive to decompress.

My time is up, though.

Outside her apartment door, she turns to me, though she keeps her attention fixed on the floor between us. “Do you want to come in?”

I got so used to touching her in the restaurant that it’s killing me not to now. It was all for show, and it was only a few hours, but now my fingers itch to pull her hair out of that ponytail. I ache to press her against the door, cup the side of her neck, and hold her in place while I kiss the stress right out of her.

She was sleeping with your goddamn uncle.

That thought is the bucket of ice water I so badly need to get my head on straight.

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