Page 51 of Love Fire

42

ERIN

I’m the first to react. I spring up and open the tent's flap. Brent tries to hold me back by grabbing my arm.

I expected a wave of bullets to greet us. Instead, I see my little brother walking up the hill. Muttering and cursing to himself.

“Nate? What the hell are you doing here?”

He gets closer. “No, what are you doing here? I heard what you idiots did at the office!”

At this moment, Brent and I look like we got caught with our hand in the cookie jar. I knew rumors would spread. I never thought how quick it’d reach Nate’s ears.

That means my father already knows what we’re up to. He’s probably the first in the know. I don’t know if this should frighten me or motivate me.

Nate keeps yelling. “Erin, what the fuck were you thinking? Why didn’t you let me know about this? Stop doing everything yourself!”

Brent pulls me behind him. Nate doesn’t care and keeps his glare towards me. His oldest sibling. I try to display my authority as the oldest. It quickly deflates with his yammering.

“It was last minute, Nate. We needed to do it quickly.”

He gapes. “So you did this on a whim? Are you fucking insane?”

When Nate steps closer, Brent holds him back by the shoulder. His biceps flex and Nate slightly winces. There’s a low growl in his throat before he speaks.

“We needed to get the information. This was all my idea. Calm down.”

Nate throws his arm off. To my surprise since Brent’s built like a tank. I try to step in front of him. He blocks my path with his other arm.

“I can’t calm down. Do you have any idea what this may have caused? You don’t even know what this means for us!”

Brent shots back. “And we never will if you keep cowering in the shadows. Do you want to be under your father’s foot your whole life? I know your sister doesn’t.”

Nate narrows his eyes. “So you know everything now, huh? Draconis Fire agent?”

The growl comes back. “I know just as much as you do, Vincent. This affects me as much as it affects both of you.”

“Does it though? You are an outsider. You have no idea what our father is like.”

“Are you listening to yourself right now? How can you trust someone that makes that type of drug?” Brent asks.

Nate’s face turns red. “You’re sleeping with one who does!”

I jerk my neck back. “What the fuck? Excuse me?”

I walk past Brent to get in my brother’s face. I have to extend my neck upwards since the brat’s gotten tall. I shove him.

“I stopped doing that! Don’t fucking throw it at my face you asshole!”

He makes a mocking expression. “Oh when? When did you stop, Erin? Was it before or after you got in his bed?”

“Shut the fuck up! Take it back!”

“No!”

He shoves me. I smack his face upwards. He responds by flicking my forehead. I kick his shin while pressing the inflicted area of my face.

“Stop fucking hitting me,” Nate says.

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