Page 14 of Savage Obsession
There’s a rawness in his voice that I’m not used to hearing from Cash. Emotions aren’t usually his thing. Maybe Jordyn’s changing that in him.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I answer. “I’m right here.”
Cash sets his cup on the table next to him and rests his elbows on his knees, then looks over at me. “Are you? Right here, I mean. Because I’m looking at my brother, but it feels like I’m looking at a man who has given up on life.”
I stare into my glass, rolling the liquid around the bottom.
“Why are you still so hung up on her?” he asks when I don’t speak.
“It’s notherI’m hung up on. I don’t give a fuck abouther. It’s the deceit. I was willing to give her everything because I thought she was real. I thought she wasmine. How the fuck did I fall for that?”
Cash sighs. “Because she painted a perfect picture for you. She was a manipulator and a liar. And being the good guy you are, you believed her.”
The fact that my brother considers me good is laughable. He’s seen me do some fucked-up stuff over the years. We’re Savages. There’s nothing good about us.
“I always thought I would have the kind of marriage that Mom and Dad had,” I tell him. “The kind where it was undeniable that those two people were meant to be.”
“You can still have that happiness. But you’re going down a rabbit hole of self-destruction. I’m worried about you. We all are. It feels like, ever since we lost Dad, we’ve lost you, too.”
We sit in silence for a long moment before I look over at Cash and meet his worried gaze. “I’m struggling, bro,” I say after a long pause. “Just as I started to get over Nicola, Dad wasmurderedin our streets. I don’t know how to get over that.”
“I don’t know that we’lleverget over it. But maybe we should lean on each other to get through it together instead of searching for answers at the bottom of a bottle. That’s what Mom and Dad would want.”
Leaving the last drink of whiskey in the glass, I place it on the table and rise. “I should go home to bed.”
Cash stands and follows me into the house, but before we make it to the front door, Jordyn comes down the stairs and cuts us off.
“Where do you think you’re going?” She cocks her head at me, eyes narrowed.
“I’m going home. Thank you for dinner. It was amazing.” I dig my keys out of my pocket and smile at her, unsure whetherI should hug her or not. I’m still not totally sure where I stand with Jordyn. I wasn’t overly welcoming toward her at first, and she felt it. Not exactly brother-in-law of the year. Or brother, for that matter.
She reaches out and snatches the keys out of my hand. “You’re not driving anywhere. Are you serious?” She slides her glare to Cash. “Were you really going to let him drive drunk?”
“I’m not drunk,” I tell her. “And Cash isn’t the boss of me.”
“Thanks, asshole. You’re getting me in trouble with my wife,” Cash snaps, then glares at Jordyn. “But I am the boss ofyou, so you’d better watch your tone, kitten.”
Jordyn raises her eyebrows at him and sticks her tongue out, completely unfazed, then looks at me again before she jabs a finger at my chest. “If Ievercatch you driving under the influence, I will make your life a living hell and cut your balls off. Jesus, you idiot. What is wrong with you?” She lets out a huff and flips her hair over her shoulder. “The guest room is set up for you. You can find your keys on the lawn in the morning after I throw them out of our bedroom window.”
Then she spins around and stomps upstairs, slamming their bedroom door behind her. I gape up the stairs, like she’s going to come out and say, “Just kidding.” But that doesn’t happen. Jordyn is really going to throw my fucking keys onto the lawn. Which would be impossible to find right now in the dark.
“I have a naughty wife to spank. You know where to find shit. Sleep good, bro.” Cash grins at me as he jogs up the stairs, and I can’t help but smile back at him.
Sprung bastard.
CHAPTER 6
Quinn
FOOT RUBS AND BLOODY KNUCKLES
“Areyou sure you don’t mind watching Moose while I’m visiting my sister?” Mrs. Cooley blinks up at me with hopeful, magnified by her glasses, blue eyes, and there’s not a chance in hell that I can say no.
It doesn’t matter that I’m working every day for the next two weeks or that I’ve even picked up longer shifts so I can make more in tips. Besides, her cat, Moose, is easy to look after. Feed him twice a day and give him head pats. Easy peasy.
“I’m positive. We’ll have so much fun. We can watch movies and paint our toenails, and do all the things.”
Mrs. Cooley’s mouth drops open as my words register, giving me the perfect out.
