Page 13 of Unraveled

Getting up to stretch my legs, and because I was curious, I walked across the yard and turned on my phone’s flashlight, wanting to check out the sign Izzy had seen for renting the beach house. Part of me wondered how much she’d spent. It was an amazing surprise. An amazing house.

I missed the hell out of it.

Like Izzy had said last night, being here felt like coming home, and damn did it feel right to be here withher.

It just sucked that it wasn’t really ours.

I took a quick picture of the sign. I’d have to give the owners a call tomorrow and see how often they rented it out. Glancing at the time, I slid my phone in my pocket, my patience waning. I had better things to do tonight than wait outside for this, eager to get upstairs with my friends.

And later drag Izzy back to bed.

I looked up with the sound of tires approaching and watched as a dark Lexus pulled into one of the last spotsin the drive behind my truck. I walked over as the driver got out, and a motion sensored flood light the new owners had added in a palm tree lit up the drive. I winced at the light. I hadn’t planned for it, but it might be good to be able to see him. Judge his expression.

“About time,” I said as Micah opened his door.

“I’m five minutes late,” he countered.

“You’re lucky I’m meeting you at all.” I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning against the back of my truck.

“You’re right. I am.” He stood by the front of his car, the two of us facing each other.

“You can thank Izzy for it. It sure as hell wasn’t my idea.”

He nodded. “I will if you let me.”

“The only reason I agreed to this is because I think you might have an ounce of a conscience. I’ll say thank you for helping her get away from Zane a couple of weeks ago, but thanking you for pulling Ryder off of her before he could finishassaultingher after youbothkidnapped her is a bit of a stretch.”

Micah ducked his head, his hand coming up to rub through the back of his dark hair. “It really wasn’t supposed to go that far. Ryder just wanted to scare her a little. It freaked him out when you threatened to go to the police.”

“So, grabbing her and scaring her shitless was supposed to fix that?”

Micah shook his head, frustration and regret clear in his eyes. “No, I knew it wouldn’t, but I also know my brother. He was going to do it whether I came or not.That’swhy I was there. To keep him in line.”

“And what? He’s suddenly changed now? You’vebothbeen wanting to talk to me, right?”

Micah took a deep breath. “I’ve been working on him. He’s been angry since Mom… I am, too, but Ryder’s worse. He takes shit too far, and I know it. But when you punched him out and blocked us, I think he finally started to get it. Izzy’s off limits. She should have been from the beginning, the second we realized you might have a thing for her. It was evenRyder’sidea that we try to go see you at the hospital when she got hurt. He’s messed up, but he regrets losing you. We both do. You’re family.”

I stared, taking it all in, my jaw taut and my expression hard. “My family’s inside.”

Micah’s shoulders dropped, and he held out his hands. “What do we have to do, Tucker?”

I cursed, hearing the real regret in his voice. “How about not fucking terrify my fiancée again?”

Micah’s brow popped up. “You're engaged?”

I jerked a nod, and he nodded back, knowing we still weren’t good. Not yet.

“Congrats, at least.”

I nodded again.

“Izzy wants me to give you another chance.”

“Izzy does?”

I shrugged, my arms still folded over my chest. “She’s got this thing about family. But I’m not good with Ryder. Not yet. Not around her.”

“I understand. He’ll be pissed. But I get it.”

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