Page 9 of Ruthless Reign

Apparently all I needed were a couple of bombs and a death threat to get over my hangups. Who knew?

The shower started up in the bathroom and I heard the floorboards creak again as Hardin exited his bedroom. I stared out the kitchen window, tired eyes scanning the neighbors’ house, our hedges, and the slice of street I could see beyond both.

Silently Hardin stepped up beside me, pulling a mug from the cupboard and filling it to the brim with black coffee.

“Were you up all night?”

“Someone had to be.”

He grunted his agreement, leaning against the counter as he casually sipped his coffee like he wasn’t balls deep in my girl hours ago. The thing is, I knew my brother. His tendency toward obsession. Becca may have wanted us both, and I may have decided I don’t care if she does. But that didn’t mean Hardin was on that same page. And she was good for him. Really good.

I wished I was the sort of man who could bow out gracefully. At one point I thought I was. I wasn’t so sure anymore.

“If you have something to say, say it,” Hardin said gruffly between sips of coffee.

“I think I’m in love with her,” I said, shocking the absolute hell out of myself. “Can you say the same?”

My brother’s jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed but not on me. He wasn’t looking at me. Wouldn’t look at me. And apparently, wouldn’t answer me either.

The shower turned off.

“She’s good for you,” I said, dumping the dregs of my sixth coffee down the drain. “But I’m better for her, and you know it.”

It was a dick thing to say but there it was. The acid that’d been building in my stomach all night finally found a way out via my tongue.

The only indication he heard me was a slight tightening of the skin around his eyes.

The bathroom door opened, and Becca stepped out, freezing in place when she saw us both in the kitchen. “Uh, hey,” she said, pushing wet hair behind her ears, her throat bobbing. “Is that fresh coffee?”

“Yeah, but if you want, some be quick.” I tugged my phone from my pocket, checking the time. “We gotta leave in about fifteen.”

Her brows lowered, confused. “What do you mean? I have to work. My shift starts in less than an hour.”

I shook my head. “Sorry, Vixen, not today. I don’t trust anyone with you save for me or Hardin, and we’re both needed at the meet.”

“But —”

“Maybe you can go in late,” I offered, already knowing that shit was highly unlikely. No matter what happened at the meet today there would be work that needed doing. As much as I wanted Becca to have some normalcy, it was too late for that now.

“Seriously?”

Her brown eyes flicked to Hardin, as if imploring him to be the voice of reason. I could’ve laughed.

“Hardin?” She pressed.

“Kaleb’s right.”

Her body sagged, and her eyes fell to the floor as she nodded quietly to herself. “Okay. Okay, fine. I’ll get someone to cover my shift.”

She turned on her heel, vanishing into the darkness of Hardin’s bedroom and closing the door behind her.

With her gone for the moment, I was able to make my sleep deprived brain think of more important things. The things I should’ve been thinking about last night instead of a million other petty jealous thoughts.

“You ready for this?”

“No.”

I pressed my lips together. Neither was I.

---