Page 27 of Five Brothers

“And that’s nothing to brag about.”

“No, but staying alive is.”

Army starts to turn, but I spot Dallas back by the truck, stealing glances at us and trying to get the beer into the cooler before Army sees.

I pull Army’s arm, distracting him to give Dallas time. “Hey.”

Army stops and turns back, facing me.

“You need to handle Aracely,” I tell him.

He looks confused. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“She wants to be.” I pull off my T-shirt and stick it in my back pocket. “She’ll listen to you. Tell her to stop doing dumb shit, please.”

He smiles. “Like taking advantage of a St. Carmen princess?” he muses, because he knows she slashed Krisjen’s tires. “Like wealllike to do from time to time? Since when doyougive anyone a ride home?”

“I’m a gentleman.”

He cocks an eyebrow.

“Well, I’m themostgentlemanly.”

He snorts. “Probably true.”

“Well, no one wants me to be a gentleman,” Dallas says, coming up to my side. “That’s for sure.”

He grins at Army, our older brother’s eyes shifting between us as Dallas hangs his arm across my shoulder.

“Look.” Army sighs. “I know you’re the middle children and all, but your rebellious stages are long overdue for a fucking conclusion, so wrap it up, because I’m exhausted.” And then he flicks Dallas onthe forehead. “And get the goddamn beer out of the cooler. It’s eight o’clock in the morning, and I’m not an idiot.”

He walks off; Dallas and I head for the truck.

“Can we start drinking now?” I gripe.

“Noon.” He gives my shoulders a squeeze. “It’ll give you something to look forward to.”

He climbs into the back with Trace, and I open the cab, tossing in my shirt. “God, it’s so fucking hot still. I think I’ll camp out on the beach tonight. I can’t deal with his shit for the next eight days.”

“Macon’s on my case almost as much as yours,” Dallas chimes in. “You can stick around and buffer before I have to deal with him by myself for the next three and a half years.”

“What the fuck is his problem all the time?” I say under my breath.

“It changed the moment he had to become our father instead of our brother,” Dallas says.

But I disagree. He was never a brother like Army is.

“He needs to fucking let it go,” I say. “Anger isn’t going to keep me from prison.”

“He isn’t angry.”

I turn to Trace, whose voice chimes in. He hangs his elbows over the side of the truck.

“He’s worried,” he tells me. “What the hell does Macon have when we’re gone?”

He looks past me, and I follow his gaze, seeing Macon toss two tires out of the garage. The sun beats down on his back, his head hanging like it weighs a ton.

“He has no woman who loves him,” Trace goes on. “No kids of his own running around. He has nothing but us. Liv left. You’re going,” he says to me, then looks at Dallas. “And how long are you gonna stick around without him here?” He doesn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll be next, and Army will stay only because he has Dex in tow. What will Macon have to do with his life then?”

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