Page 79 of Wild Hearts

“I think you need to leave her alone,” Brady snarls in Flynn’s face. His voice brings me back from my thoughts. Even from a metre away I can smell the alcohol on him.

Shit, Jordan! You had one job today.

“Brady, stop it!” I storm over and try to pull Brady off Flynn, but he’s got a good thirty kilos of muscle on me. People are watching us, and I feel the colour rise in my cheeks.

“Brady!” Jeremy Willis is pissed.

Ivy rushes over to try and help me pull her brother off Flynn. Lachy steps between the two guys as we finally wrestle him away.

“What the hell is going on?” Jeremy reaches out to grasp Brady’s shoulder.

“Get off of me!” Brady shrugs his father off him, and I gasp as he pulls back to take a swing. Jeremy steps out of the way causing Brady to lose his balance, and Ivy let’s out a surprised shriek when her brother’s wayward fist connects with her eye.

Jordan and Harley seem to appear out of nowhere and grab Brady around the waist. Jordan starts to shove him toward the front of the house while Lachy checks on Ivy. I move to her side but she shakes her head.

“I’m okay,” she assures me. “Take him home. Take care of him.” She hugs me and then moves over to talk to her dad and Tarshia, who is deep in conversation with Flynn. He catches my eye and gives a small shake of his head, which I take to mean that he’s not going to say anything. Relief floods my veins. I turn on my heels and follow the guys. I don’t realise that Lachy is behind me until he speaks.

“What the fuck was that, man?” Lachy gets in Brady’s face, and I’m worried another fight is going to break out.

“Get out of my face,” Brady growls, shoving Lachy away. I’m surprised at his strength, considering how drunk he is. Lachy stumbles slightly before regaining his balance and stares at Brady in shock for a moment before rushing him, pinning him against Brady’s car.

“You hit your sister,” Lachy shouts. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

Brady tries to shove Lachy again but Jordan and Harley step in, holding each of them back. As Brady struggles against Jordan’s hold an orange pill bottle falls out of his slacks. I bend over and pick it up and read the label. Oxycodone. There are only a couple of pills left. I glance up at Brady, but he turns his head to deliberately avoid my gaze. My eyes drop back to the bottle and I realise my hand is shaking.

Is this what Drew used on me?My biggest regret about that night is not saying anything until three days later. By the time the doctors ran a tox screen, the drug was already out of my system. Yet another reason it was his word against mine.

“You’re pathetic!” The venom in Lachy’s voice causes my head to snap up. He drops his hands from Brady’s chest and shakes his head. “You couldn’t even put your own shit behind you for one fucking day? How many of these did you take?” He turns on his brother. “And don’t even get me started with you,” he spits. “You had one job, Jordan. One job. But yet Brady’s plastered.”

“I don’t need a fucking babysitter,” Brady snarls.

“Clearly you do,” Lachy spits back. He turns back to Jordan. “Where were you, man? Hooking up with some random chick in the bathroom?”

Jordan glances at Harley who gives a subtle shake of his head, but I don’t miss it. Something is going on there. I file it away to chase up later.

I step between the boys, placing a hand on Lachy’s chest. “It’s not Jordan’s fault,” I say quietly. “Listen, Ivy needs you. I’ve got Brady, I’m taking him home.”

“Good idea,” Lachy says, still shaking his head as he walks away. When he gets to the gate that leads out to the backyard he stops and calls out, “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, man. Mixing oxy and alcohol? Ruining their special day by hitting your sister? Accident or not, this is a new low, even for you.”

I look at Jordan and Harley who are having some sort of unspoken conversation. I sigh. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but right now I don’t have the energy for anymore drama.”

Jordan opens his mouth to protest, but I hold up my hand to stop him.

“I’m going to take Brady home, but Ivy deserves to enjoy herself. You two are going to lay low here until they’re ready to leave, okay?”

Harley nods, then grabs Jordan and pulls him over to the Kombi.

Brady’s breathing heavily and the overwhelming scent of whiskey washes over me, making my stomach roil.

“Get in the car,” I say, avoiding his gaze as I pull out his keys and press the fob to unlock the doors.

“Rookie–” his voice breaks.

“I don’t want to hear it, Brady. Just get in the car.”

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