Page 244 of Things Left Unsaid

“Callan talks too damn much.”

How the hell did the little shit even know that?

“Only fitting. One fake alibi deserves another.”

His nostrils flare and that serves as my first warning. When he punches me, I don’t fight back. Just hiss as blood spurts from my nose. Then, he shoves open the door and jumps out, striding off to the house without another word.

I watch him go.

I don’t stop him or call him back.

He’s within his rights to be furious at me and I more than earned that punch.

Tenderly, I touch where his fist landed. Accepting that I probably earned the busted nose too.

Finding a less-than-clean rag in the glove compartment, I stem the bleeding as best as I can, not willing to start the engine until Cole’s made it inside.

When I see him disappear into the house, I set off once more, but instead of joining him and the rest of the family, I turn toward what was the border of Zee’s land and mine and what’s now ours, and I park up ten or so feet from one of the Bar 9’s lakes.

Does it come as a surprise when, forty-five minutes later, I spy Jas in the rearview mirror, Zee atop her saddle?

Not particularly.

I have no idea how she knew where I’d be, but I’m not going to complain. I watch her amble to the driver’s side of the truck, her movements silken as she and Jas work together like they’ve been partnered for a lifetime.

“Cole’s pretty much his own weather front,” is her greeting.

My lips quirk at the apt description. “Can bring a blizzard and a heatwave all in the same day.”

“You told him about the fire?”

I shift a look at her, glancing away from the crystalline surface of the lake. “I did. Was he cruel to you?”

“No. You need ice on that.”

I shrug. “Isn’t the first time one of my brothers hit me. Probably the first time I deserved worse though.”

“He didn’t?—”

“I lied to him. For a decade, Zee.” I suck in a breath, regretting it when it makes my busted nose ache. “There were always going to be repercussions for that.”

“You told him everything?”

“Sure did. He’s a blabbermouth. He’ll tell the others too. Saves me the job.”

Whistling, she jumps off the saddle.

“Let her go. Jas won’t run away.”

“You sure?”

“100%.”

As I thought, Jas doesn’t chase liberty—she’s too spoiled to want it. The Camarillo merely wanders to the shoreline.

“Have you changed your pump site today?”

She rolls her eyes. “I know you’re the town’s daddy, but you don’t need to baby me.”

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