Page 13 of On The Rocks

Chapter 4

Griffin

Fine

That probably wasn’t the best way to do my reveal, but after my conversation with Lennon, it seemed stupid to keep up the subterfuge. My brother was a billionaire, for fuck’s sake. He wouldn’t give a crap.

“I knew I should have done a background check on you,” Kain said, stalking away from me and down the stairs to the patio.

I sighed and jogged after him. “Will you just wait a damn minute?”

He was like a raging bull, and I’d prefer he not take a swipe at me. I was a little rusty with my hand-to-hand combat. Not to mention, my brother had at least fifty pounds of muscle on me.

“Well, out with it.” Kain was faced away from me staring out on the valley, his body language radiating flight. When I’d gotten to the orchard, he’d walked away from me nearly every time we’d had an interaction.

“Out with what?”

“Give it all to me.”

“I’m not sure what life you think I’ve led.”

“You come here acting like the affable long-lost brother and chummy with everyone and not one person knew—” He cut offand shot a snarling look over his shoulder. “Or am I the last to know?”

I shoved my fingers through my hair, pushing my hat off to dig my fingertips into my scalp. My hair hadn’t been this long since my early days in the band. I let the hat fall to the patio. “You’re not the last to know.”

“But not the first.” He went back to staring at the orchard view.

I climbed the hill to stand beside him, then I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Justin figured it out. Took him a few weeks, but he was drinking a beer at the Lodge and just pointed at me like a lunatic. You know, like that Leo DiCaprio meme?”

I saw Kain’s lips twitch.

“C’mon, that was a little funny.”

“What the hell do you want from me, St. James? Why are you still here?”

Not even my name. Definitely not a nickname for me. But it was the first time he really used any name for me other thanasshole. I supposed that meant I was making a little progress.

Very little.

“I like it here, and I want to get to know you.”

“You don’t have people?”

Look at that, the punch was direct and without a fist. “Not anymore.”

Kain sighed. “Hell.”

“I don’t want your pity, Kain.”

“Who says I’m giving it?”

I tipped back my head and laughed. “Can’t give me an inch.”

“So, what is it, you want my pity or not?”

“I want to get to know you. I shouldn’t be surprised you’re like a damn fortress. Lei was the same for a long time.”

“Then why aren’t you in Hawaii with her? Why the fuck are you beating your head here? I have plenty of people. I don’t need more.”

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