Page 52 of Brick

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Brick

The house on Burgundy was coming together. The team had completed the framing, along with the plumbing, electrical, and insulation. They would start to drywall today, which meant soon, they’d have real walls, and it would finally feel like a real house.

The guys had hit a problem on the other build. Something about the buyer wanting to make some changes. So, the project sat on hold until the higher-ups could get it all sorted out. Brick had heard Xander on the phone with his bosses off-and-on almost every day this week.

Poor bastard.

He studiously ignored Will when he pulled up outside. He hadn’t seen him in months, but Liv’s brother would be working upstairs, so there was no reason for them to cross paths. He took his time lingering at the ice chest while Will passed behind him and climbed up.

Kane slapped him on the back. “He’s gone, brother, you can stop hiding.”

He shot his friend a look that would make most guys wither. Kane just laughed. “Hey, I wouldn’t want to face the guy, either, if I was the one who fucked his sister.”

Before he knew what came over him, he had Kane up against the two-by-fours which would soon become a wall. “I didn’t fuck her,” he hissed.

Kane appeared totally unfazed. “Oh, I can tell there’s absolutely nothing going on there.”

He sucked in a deep breath and let go of Kane’s shirt. “Sorry,” he muttered. He’d been on edge for weeks.

A dozen times, he’d picked up the phone, tempted to call Olivia. Even more often, he caught himself staring at the ring she gave him, questioning whether he’d be a bigger fool to break things off or to keep putting his selfish desires ahead of her safety.

“I don’t know what to do, man. You ever been involved with a woman who was too good for you? Someone who doesn’t belong surrounded by the shit we live in?”

Kane’s jaw tightened. “Once.”

“I want her. More than fucking air sometimes. But having her feels selfish. She could be with some guy who’s got class, some guy who doesn’t have blood on his hands and dirt under his nails. A guy who—”

“She doesn’t want some guy, though, dumbass. She wants you. Or at least she did.” Kane tapped him lightly on the forehead. “If she wanted another kind of guy, she’d be with one. So, man up.”

He almost let the conversation end there, but more words spilled out before he could stop them. “I don’t even know how to be with her. What the fuck do I talk about? How do I act? I feel like I’m playing a part in a goddamn movie. Like I’m pretending to be a regular guy. One who calls her on the phone…or takes her to get ten-dollar hamburgers…or wears her fucking jewelry. That’s not me.”

Kane shrugged. “Isn’t it? You did all those things, right? Her shiny gold band is right there on your finger, am I right?”

Cocky fucker.

“You feel like it’s a part? Play it. Maybe it’s not who you can be most of the time, but it’s who you want to be when you’re with her. There’s no shame in it.”

“Xander.” A woman’s voice rang out from the front of the house. It was strong, loud, and more than a little pissed off.

Kane’s eyes widened, and Brick spun around to get a glimpse. The woman stood in the doorway as though she owned the place. She had thick, straight, dark red hair, which fell to the center of her back. Her skin glowed porcelain. A black pencil skirt ended right above her knees, and a cream-colored silky blouse tucked into the top.

Everything about her screamed power and class.

Her gaze flew right past him and landed on Kane. “Where is he?”

“What are you doing here?”

His head swiveled around and did a double-take at the venom in Kane’s eyes.

“It’s still my company, Kane. Tracking problems is my responsibility.” Her eyes were green with little flecks of gold, and her gaze fired with every bit of intensity as Kane’s.

“I thought your brother was guaranteed to manage our crew.”

Finally, a little chink appeared in her armor. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “Mike was in a car accident.”

Kane stepped forward, the malice on his face replaced with concern.

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