Page 35 of Perfect Bragg

Riley chuckles. “Sitting? More like lying on the floor of the back of your truck.”

“Because my hands are tied behind my back,” I repeat.

“Miller, untie him,” Peace orders.

“Don’t untie him!” Brody yells.

Peace nods to Miller. “Do it.”

“But tying him up is part of the fun,” Brody pouts.

“Which you messed up when you did your whole fake kidnapping thing in another town,” Peace explains. “Now, I have to fill out paperwork explaining this was all a misunderstanding.”

Miller grasps my hands and begins untying them.

“It’s not a misunderstanding,” I claim.

Miller stops. “It isn’t?”

My shoulders deflate. “Fine. It’s a misunderstanding. Now, untie me.”

As soon as my hands are free, I climb onto the seat.

Peace knocks on the hood of the truck. “Have fun,” he says before leaving me with my nitwit brothers.

“Have fun?” I snort. “There’s no reason to have a bachelor party.”

“Yes, there is,” Riley insists.

Brody sighs. “Did you forget you’re getting married tomorrow, already?”

“I didn’t forget I’m getting married tomorrow.”

How could I? I’m marrying the woman I want but can never have. And now I’m going to be living in the same space as her. Smelling her perfume. Seeing her first thing in the morning. I groan. It’s going to be torture.

“But did you forget the marriage isn’t real?”

Riley wags his eyebrows. “You wish it was.”

He’s wrong. Once upon a time, I did wish Harmony and I could be a real couple. But not anymore. Not since she has custody of her cousin’s baby. I can’t be a parent. I couldn’t save my twin from being bullied by our father. How the hell am I going to raise a child without fucking it up? I’m obviously not cut out to be a parent.

“Whatever,” I mumble. I’m not going to win this argument anyway. “What else do you have planned for this surprise bachelor party? Or is this drive around town it?”

Brody gasps. “Of course not. We’re having a real party atElectric Vibes.”

Electric Vibesis the only bar in Winter Falls.

“As long as there isn’t a stripper.”

“Stripper? Why would there be a stripper?” Brody’s voice is high-pitched again meaning he’s lying.

“There’s a stripper,” I say, and Miller grunts in agreement.

“Won’t Moon and Eden be upset about their boyfriends attending a stripper show?”

Brody wiggles his eyebrows. “Not if they’re going to be there.”

Riley brings the truck to a stop behindNaked Falls Brewingand we walk to the bar.

---