Page 234 of Mountain Men Heroes

The silence hung heavy and I couldn’t help but wonder if Dyson and Eeli were having the same thoughts I was—trying to decide the best way to announce it wasn’t just Eeli.

“And me.” Dyson’s voice was quiet and firm.

“The holy fuck… you’re shitting me?” Mac spoke up this time and his eyes didn’t know who to land on.

It wasn’t like him to stay quiet, but I could suddenly see why he did so well in Special Forces. He stood still, a little off to the side of all of us. His gaze took in everything and he looked ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Lucky for me my third brother, Trent, wasn’t on the mountain or he’d be having bricks too.

I returned my gaze to Sawyer to see his confusion clearing. “And you what, Dyson?” he asked, dangerously quiet.

“Clara is my soulmate. I think I knew it before I actually knew it, if that makes any sense.”

My heart stuttered and stopped and restarted at twice its usual speed as emotion rushed through me. Joy at Dyson’s quiet, simple words mixed with the fear of my brother’s reaction, and I was so thankful for Eeli’s grip around my waist. It was the only thing holding me up.

Sawyer moved swiftly toward Dyson. A gasp broke from me as my heart jumped into my throat out of fear.

But Eeli’s arm tightened around me. He pushed me behind his hard body just as Mac shoved his way between Dyson and Sawyer.

Mac placed a hand on Sawyer’s chest. “Calm down, man.”

Sawyer’s eyes glowed with fiery rage as he bared his teeth, pushing against Mac’s restraining hand. His gaze went over Mac’s shoulder and landed hard as a punch on Dyson. “You dragged my little sister into your fucked up shit?”

Dyson’s gaze shifted to where Eeli and I stood. A bleakness that stole my breath flashed and was gone, hidden behind a blank mask, in an instant. He turned his attention back to my brother.

“It’s not that easy. It’s not like we decided to do it. It just happened,” he said quietly. “You know that better than anyone. Do you think, given a choice, Eeli and I would choose to drag our girl into what’s going on with us right now? You don’t think we want to offer her more than what we’ve become?”

Pain and pride warred within me. Dyson didn’t say he wouldn’t have chosen me. Or even that he wouldn’t have chosen to share me with his friend. Only that if he could choose, the timing would be different. Even in the face of my brother’s anger, he didn’t deny our relationship.

But I hated that he thought he and Eeli weren’t enough for me.

“Dyson.” My voice was a husky rasp through a throat clogged with tears.

Sawyer’s gaze snapped to me. “You want this, Clara? You know something’s wrong with them. You told me at the party at Aunt Nola’s. Do you think they’re even capable of loving you, protecting you at this point?”

He shook his head and moved his eyes to Eeli.

“We’ve all been tap-dancing around you two since you’ve been back. We haven’t wanted to push you too much because we were afraid you’d be even more messed up if we did the wrong thing.”

“Sawyer.” Mac’s voice was a quiet warning.

“No, Mac. We’re not keeping quiet about this anymore. It’s bad enough the two of you are so fucked up, do you have to drag my sister into your mess?” His gaze lanced through Dyson. “What happens when you finally manage to get your heads on straight? You going to fight over her? You going to realize she’s not really who you want and drop her? You know you’re not okay. What makes you think you can take care of her like she deserves?”

Dyson went back a small step as if he just took a blow. I couldn’t take this another minute. I couldn’t stand here and watch my brother inflict pain on men who have done nothing but show me love and desire.

Eeli tried to snatch my hand as I moved past him, but I twisted out of his grip and lunged at Dyson. He caught me to his side, pulling me into his body in a gesture so smooth, it felt like we’d been holding each other like this for always.

I rubbed a hand over the center of Dyson’s chest, but a growl tore my attention away from him. I narrowed my eyes on Sawyer. “Enough. You have no idea what you’re talking about. What about you and Trinity. The times you weren’t there for her. Did she hold that against you, Mr. High and Mighty?”

Sawyer’s eyes softened slightly. “I do know, Clara. I also know that we need to do what’s best for those we love. I knew for a long time Trinity was meant to be with me and vice versa. But I knew she wasn’t ready to handle someone so much older so I left until she was old enough to understand what was happening between us. Until she could decide for herself.”

I could feel my temper dying down at Sawyer’s words. He just wanted the best for me. If only he’d stopped there, but my hackles went right back up when he started talking again.

“Dyson and Eeli are in no shape to care for you. They should have done the right thing and left you alone until they got things figured out between them.”

“Did you ever stop to think if you hadn’t left Trinity alone so long, her life wouldn’t have been so hard? If you’d stuck around until she was of age, you could have had years longer together and you could have helped her through everything she went through?”

Raw pain flashed in Sawyer’s eyes, making me immediately regret my words. I knew my brother had struggled to do the right thing where his fiancée was concerned. Had he known what she went through, he’d have moved heaven and earth to get to her.

---