Page 93 of Truck You

He steps into my space and nudges his chest against mine. “Why don’t you say what you’re really thinking?”

My eyes dart in Sophia’s direction. The car she’s working on is jacked up on the front and she’s currently under it. She may not see what’s going on, but I know she can hear every word of our exchange.

I drop my voice so only he can hear me. I don’t want Sophia thinking ill of Christian. He may have a shady past, but he’s still a good guy. “You smell like you drank the entire bar dry. How much did you really have?”

“Whatever, asshole.” He turns away from me and heads toward the bench by his workstation.

I sigh and run my hands over my face. “Christian, I’m not trying to be an asshole. You can’t blame me for being concerned when I see you like this.”

“There’s nothing to be concerned about!” he yells. His anger elevates with every word that passes between us. “Leave me the fuck alone.”

“Everything okay out here?” Liam asks from the doorway. He’s standing just inside the garage with Ash and Chase on either side of him.

Chase’s shoulders are slumped, and he looks like he’s ready to break. It’s never easy for any of us to see Christian like this, but it’s so much harder on him. They may be opposites, but as twins, they share a bond the rest of us don’t have.

“Great. Are you three going to give me shit, too?” Christian asks, his tone harsh and accusatory.

“I’m not giving you shit.” I reach for his arm, but he jerks away. He stumbles, trips over his own feet, and falls backward. He slams into his workbench. It tips over, sending his tools flying in all directions.

My eyes follow a wrench that’s spinning in the air and heading directly toward the car Sophia is under. It hits the release bar on the jack just right, and the jack falls. The car crashes to the floor with a loud creak. An even louder yelp escapes from Sophia, where she’s now trapped under the car.

“Sophia!” I rush toward her, but my brothers are closer, and they reach her first. Ash and Chase lift the car while Liam pulls her out from under it.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” She calls out before they even have her free.

When I reach her side, I drop to my knees. “You’re bleeding!”

The same anxiety I felt after her car accident surfaces. My chest feels tight and every nerve ending in my body feels overly sensitive. My skin tingles and my hands itch.

Her eyes widen when they meet mine. She must see the panic in them because she grabs at my hand and shakes her head. “Mac. I’m fine. I was low enough it barely grazed me.”

“You’re not fine. There’s blood on your face.”

“Mac.” Liam gently touches my arm like he’s trying not to excite a wild animal. “It’s just a scratch. It doesn’t even look like it needs a bandage.”

“Fuck!” I push to my feet and spin around. The first thing I see is Christian. His expression is remorseful, but the urge to punch him is strong.

If he had nothing to hide, he didn’t need to act out like that. If he’s using again, then he’s out of control and needs help. Either way, he’s responsible for hurting Sophia. I want to hurt him in return.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I yell. I can’t kick my brother’s ass, no matter how much I want to. But I have to get rid of all this pent-up anger and anxiety inside me.

I push past my brothers and rush out the back door. All of them call after me, but I don’t stop. I need to get away before I do something truly stupid.

Rushing into our private garage, I grab the keys to one of the ATVs. I have it started, and I’m out the door before any of my brothers reach me.

I just need some space. Once I clear my head of this anxiety, I’ll be fine.

* * *

The ground ishard and slick. Riding ATVs does not mix with a light dusting of snow followed up with sleet and freezing temperatures. A full-fledged snowstorm with several inches? Sure. ATVs can be a blast in six to twelve inches of white, fluffy snow.

But this? This is stupid.

Enough water and moisture gathered to create ice patches in strategic locations. And not strategic for my safety. The exact opposite, in fact. Every dip and low spot on the trail is nothing but ice. Add in the canopy of the trees, and the temperatures are probably ten degrees colder here than in the open where the sun is shining.

The trail will not get better.

I should turn around.

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