Page 35 of The Butcher

I don’t really feel bad about it, either.

Especially since Bramley decided to make himself scarce nearly the entire time I’ve been ignoring him. It makes it easier for me to do that, but it’s given me a lot of time to think, and IthinkI’m going to knock him out the next time that dumbass pulls into our driveway.

I was pissed when I found out he split in the middle of the night to go kill a couple of Harden’s men without us. I didn’t give a damn that it was per Zeke’s request, and under some shit about keeping Clay and I out of it, for our ownsafetyat that. I was ready to ignore that fuckhead for as long as it took for him to come to his senses, even started as soon as he got home.

Then I saw the girl.

My heart dropped to my fucking balls and suddenly it didn’t matter what Bram had been doing—not that he was forgiven by any means—all focus shifted to her, and I could feel the urgency he had to take care of her.

That urgency became mine, as did the concern thumping right along with it through our bond.

We got her inside, situated in the spare room, and when Nan and Rex came in to get started, I stayed while Bramley took off to go chop fucking wood.

Which is the exact moment I decided I wasn’t going to be the one who caves this time.

I can usually feel Bram’s remorse, his guilt or even his apology before we end up talking. I feel it, and I know he’s going to struggle acting on it, right up until I explode all over again, so I usually go to him first so we can make up because he doesn’t know how to use his words, and we get it over with that way.

For some reason, this feels different, and I don’t want to be the one who tucks tail.

Nan said the woman was on the upswing, that she was healing and the chances of her waking up sooner than later were growing with each day that passes, and since she’s not only terrifying, and she’s a bonafide doctor, I trust her. That’s enough for me to stay fucking put so that female doesn’t wake up alone, and to make sure she has what she needs when she does. I honestly don’t think I could leave if I wanted to, the need to be here for her is too strong, and it has me even more pissed off at Bramley.

You’d think, after flying in here like his ass was on fire, rushing to get all hands on deck, my alpha would have wanted to be here the entire time that female was in the spare room.

Nope.

He took off the next goddamn day and stayed away until Clayton went to find him.

Didn’t keep him here, though.

Bram has been in and out over the last few weeks, restless and wound tighter than before, and while I’m still mad about how he’s handling things, I’d almost rather he be gone because I’m liable to do something I’ll fucking regret when he’s here.

Correction.

Something my alpha will regret.

“Nash,” Rex whispers as he opens the door behind me. “Is the coast clear?”

I turn slowly with a frown. “Clear of what?”

“My son,” he grunts, searching the porch and the front yard. “I’m not coming out if the two of you are fighting out here.”

“He’s still gone.”

Rex gives me a firm nod and blows out a breath before pulling out his pipe. “Where to this time?”

“Don’t fucking know.” Theand I don’t fucking careis heavily implied.

“He’ll be back.”

I stare out into the yard, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. Rex doesn’t need to deal with my shit just because I’m pissed at his son. It doesn’t really help that aside from the eyes and hair, he’s as close to identical as they can fucking get. Hard not to make him the target of my anger sometimes.

His dad is so damn different from him, though, which does help.

“Butch ever tell you about when I found my scent match?”

Arching a brow, I look up at Rex as he comes to stand next to me. “No.” And I have no idea why he’s telling me now.

He chuckles, puffing on his pipe a few times before he pops a hip against the railing. “I was already with Maeve, it was just the two of us, and she was very pregnant with your boy. Like, ready to pop at any second, ready to rip my head off just as quickly.” Rex smiles as he looks out into the yard but I know that’s notwhat he’s seeing. He just took a step back in time, thirty eight years back, and I will never not get a twinge in my chest when this sort of thing happens. “We had an appointment with her doctor but we had to pick up Nan from her office first. I went inside, it was a lot for Maeve to get in and out of the car, and as I made my way toward the back…” He shakes his head. “Carlisle was there with his mom, and we matched instantly.”

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