I’m sure I do, but I’m not willing to give him an inch. Picking up my beer, I take a nice long drink before setting it down again. Smacking my lips together, I smirk. “Why don’t you fill me in?”
Nate takes a step closer and points his finger at me. My eyes never leave his. “You need to respect the ring on her finger.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Just like you respected the one I left there?” I cock my eyebrow at him, watching as his face turns redder.
“You left her.” His words rip through me. His lies tear at my heart.
“The fuck I did,” I roar as my fist flies, connecting with his jaw. The satisfying sound of a crack has me rearing back for another punch. Nate stumbles, but doesn’t touch the side of his face. He’s a warrior after all. Ignoring the screaming, I charge forward, only to be knocked back when his fist connects with my nose. My eyes water, but that doesn’t stop me from pursuing my enemy, from annihilating my competition.
Strong arms circle round me like a vice grip, holding me back. Nate steps closer, his lip bleeding as a result of my hit. “Come at me, fucker,” I say as I spit in his direction.
Carter steps up to Nate, his hand on his chest. “Be the bigger man. Don’t stoop to his level.”
“That’s right, Nate, don’t covet what isn’t yours,” I say only I’m looking at Carter. He returns my glare and shakes his head. I don’t care for nor do I need his approval.
“Come on man, let’s take a walk.” It’s McCoy who’s holding me back. He shoves me toward the door, but not before I make eye contact with my family. My mother is showing her disapproval by glaring at me. Livvie’s eyes are going from me to Nate, and Ryley is crying. I made her cry again. Maybe that should be my sign, my clue that she’s better off with Nate and not me.
We fought when we were younger, but never like this and never over a girl. Hell, I’ve never fought for a girl. Never had to. But for Ryley, I’d fight to the death. I’m not sure she understands that about me.
For her, I’d lay down my life.
McCoy hangs on to me until we’re around the side of the bar. The sea air is somewhat refreshing over the smell of stale beer and embedded cigarette smoke from when people could smoke in bars.
I slam my fist against the concrete wall a few times before McCoy pushes me away. “Take a walk,” he tells me. His voice is gruff, demanding. He knows me. He knows what I’m capable of. I walk away with my hands linked behind my head. McCoy lingers near me and for what? Maybe save me from myself? Or save me from Nate? It doesn’t matter which scenario it is because right now, I’m a ticking time bomb.
“Can you believe him?” I ask, throwing my hands up in the air.
McCoy shakes his head slowly. “Nope, but I can’t believe you either.”
“What are talking about?”
He pushes his hands into his pockets and looks at me. “I get that you’re angry and pissed off. Hell, I’m in the same sinking boat you are. We got fucked and there ain’t a single person willing to help us out. But Ryley moved on and you have to respect that shit. Would you be this pissed if it was some other guy?”
His question stings, but he’s right. If Ryley had moved on with someone else I would have to suck it up and just deal with it, but she didn’t. She moved on with my brother and that’s something you just don’t do.
“I’d have my son, McCoy. I’d have the part of her that we created together. But right now, my boy thinks another man is his father and I don’t see that man telling my son otherwise.”
“So tell him yourself; you’re entitled.”
“Please don’t.” We turn at the sound of Nate’s voice not far behind us. Our training should’ve alerted us to the fact that he was there, but I’m too angry to even notice my surroundings. And hearing Nate ask me not to tell my son that I’m his father when I’m already this pissed off does not bode well for him at all.
“PLEASE DON’T.” THE WORDS are out of my mouth before I can stop them. It’s not how I meant to start the conversation, but after hearing McCoy suggest that Evan tell EJ the truth, it’s the only thing I could say. It’s not that I don’t want EJ to know. I actually think he should know. I just can’t figure out how to go about telling him.
I look down at the bag of ice in my hand, my peace offering. It’s not much, but what just happened in there, in front of our friends and family, can’t happen again. We aren’t Neanderthals. We’re family and you don’t treat family this way.
Evan is going to say the same thing to me and he’s right. The way I behaved after he died... I should’ve known better. I let my heart get in the way of what’s right and wrong and now a five-year-old boy is going to pay the price because the adults in his life can’t make the proper decisions.
“McCoy, do you think I could speak with Evan?” Kill ‘em with kindness. That’s what my father used to say. But he’d also remind us to never show our opponent any weakness. Ryley and EJ are the Archers’ weakness.
Evan stands facing McCoy and with his back to me, only the floodlights of the bar illuminating the area. They have a silent exchange. Something only brothers you have been to battle with would be privy to. It’s my hope that Evan will open up to me about his time away. That he’ll let me help him.
As soon as McCoy walks away, Evan turns. I toss the bag of ice at him. “It’s a peace offering,” I say in hopes to break the proverbial ice. “Look, what happened in there… we need to come to an understanding.”
“No, what we need to do is decide when EJ finds out I’m his father.”
“I’m not out here to fight with you.”
“Afraid you’ll lose?” he asks, his tone mocking.