Page 119 of Need You Now

“That’s probably a good idea,” Luke says with a wry chuckle.

Seth gathers himself, willing himself not to wince in front of Luke, because his hip’s sore as hell, and exits the room.

On his way down the stairs and through the back hall, he runs into Griff and Jace in the lounge. They’re bellied up to the small bar, the jukebox cranking out Guy Clark, the neon BEER sign aglow.

Seeing Seth, Jace lifts a rusty brow, waving him into the room. “Hey, man. How you feelin’?”

“Ain’t doin’ too bad.” He nods at the bottle of Johnnie Walker parked between Jace and Griff. “Drinkin’ alone?”

Jace lifts his glass in salute. “The way today’s goin’ we’re gonna be eatin’ alone too.”

Seth grimaces. “The girls—”

“Are fuckin’ pissed,” Griff finishes. He pours Seth a drink, sliding it across the slick bar top. “Alabama already gave me an earful. That woman’s spittin’ fire.” His tawny eyes, crinkling into a squint, scour Seth. “Anything broken?”

Seth sips the whiskey, thinking of Lacey. “Not yet.”

Griff, his face contrite, says, “Hell, I’m sorry, man.”

Seth’s brow furrows, and he looks questioningly at Griff. “For what?”

“That was a bad scene out there. And I’m goddamn responsible. I recommended the guy to Luke, and he brings all this shit here.” Griff twists a ring on his pinkie, regret in his expression. “Y’all are like family. And when someone fucks with my family, they fuck with me.”

Seth takes a second to appreciate Griff, what he did out there. Putting himself, his reputation, on the line to help Seth out, to get Beau gone for the Brothers Kincaid, for Luke’s sake. The guy ain’t so bad.

“Nah,” Seth says with a slow shake of his head. “That ain’t your fault. Where is he anyway?”

“Outside,” Jace volunteers. “Freezin’ to death, hopefully.”

Seth snorts.

Griff sits back on the stool and growls. “I don’t know what his fuckin’ problem is. It’s like he’s sniffin’ goddamn glue.”

Seth stiffens as the words land like a lit stick of dynamite.

Fuck.

How in the hell has it taken him this long to figure it out? Maybe because he was too focused on Lacey. Maybe he blocked revisiting that painful part of his past. But all the signs are there. Hyped up. Controlling it onstage. Wild and reckless to the point of annoyance.

Seth should’ve known. Hell, if he had, he never would have challenged the guy.

Seth swipes a hand through his hair. “He’s on somethin’.”

Jace’s eyes widen. “Booze?”

“Maybe. Maybe somethin’ else.”

A curse blasts from Griff’s lips. “Fuck.” He looks guilt-stricken.

Seth smears a hand down his face, leans in the doorway, evaluating the long corridor.

“Lookin’ for Lacey?” Jace’s lips twitch.

He sighs. “Yeah.”

“Good luck.”

“Right.” He slugs down the rest of his whiskey and steps out of the lounge.

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