trying to
envision Jess McReed walking into the bar. Colton wasn’t a scared kid anymore,
ready to cower under the sight of his belt or fist. He was a grown man, and his
father would be a fool to land a hand on him today.
He swirled the dark amber liquid around the second
glass, staring at it as he lost himself in his fantasy world. It seemed
everything was falling apart around him. He couldn’t help himself, never mind
his mother or his twin. His only escape was slipping away like water through
his fingers. Any time now and Eva would walk out of his life just like his
father did. He thought the pain twelve years ago was unbearable. Losing Eva
wouldn’t even compare.
“Set me up again,” he said to the barkeep.
“Take it easy,” said North. “You’ll regret it come morning.”
Colt choked back more throat-burning whiskey before
turning to face the crowd, his elbows resting on the bar. “Is that who I think
it is?”
Even with a good buzz building up, he recognized
Wade sitting at a table near the entrance. He didn’t even hesitate to march
over to the piece of shit.
North pulled out a chair and sat backwards on it,
inviting himself to the party of two. “You have good taste in women, Wade.” His
brother’s tone was anything but friendly.
The cowboy wasn’t fazed. “Just a friend, boys.” He
nodded to the buckle bunny to leave, smacking her ass as she sauntered off.
“How’s your sister doing, anyway?”
“She’s not our sister, and I imagine she’s off
dreaming about you right now.” Colton was seriously pissed off. As much as he
hated the cowboy for stealing Eva’s heart away from him, he wanted the best for
her. He wanted her happy.
“Look, it’s not going to work out, okay.” Wade
tipped his beer bottle back for a drink. He acted as if he was talking about
the weather.
“What the hell not? She’s fucking gorgeous. You’d
never find a finer woman that her.”
“Exactly. I’m not looking for a wife. She’s lucky I
waited on her as long as I did, but a peck on the cheek after nearly a week
isn’t going to cut it.”
“You’re a filthy bastard,” said North. His tossed
the chair to the side when he stood. “What gives you the right to play with
Eva’s heart?”
He shrugged. “Her mother should have taught her
about men like me.”
Colton’s blood was boiling. “She never had to worry
because she had us. I shouldn’t have let down my guards, especially when you
rubbed me wrong from day one.”
He wanted to fight. The alcohol only spurred him on,
pushing him to take chances.
“Let’s go,” said North. “I’m done with this.”
If it wasn’t for his twin, he’d be rolling with Wade
about now, determined to teach him what happens to men that break Eva’s heart.
He pushed his brother when he wouldn’t stop dragged
him away by the shirt. Colton hadn’t realized he was digging his heels against
the floor.
“You’re already wasted, Colt. For God’s sake!”
“Don’t judge me. You don’t know what I’m going
through.” He unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt, the heat rising up his
collar.
“Who the fuck do you think I am? I know everything.
You’ve been feeling sorry for yourself ever since dad walked out on us.”
Colton didn’t think, he just acted. He threw a punch
at his brother’s face, all the rage building inside him desperate to be
expelled. “We have no dad!”
North grabbed his wrist and punched him hard in the
gut. Colton bent forward to catch his breath. They fought back and forth,
throwing punching, grabbing, and ramming each other without holding back. A bubble of space grew around them. The patrons of the bar hooted and
hollered for bloodshed. Little did they know North was his brother and best
friend.
“Whatever. Move on. Or am I a fucking reminder to
you, too?”
North’s words sobered Colton in a hurry. His brother
was going through the same, if not more, pain as him. Their mother couldn’t
even look at him when she was
envision Jess McReed walking into the bar. Colton wasn’t a scared kid anymore,
ready to cower under the sight of his belt or fist. He was a grown man, and his
father would be a fool to land a hand on him today.
He swirled the dark amber liquid around the second
glass, staring at it as he lost himself in his fantasy world. It seemed
everything was falling apart around him. He couldn’t help himself, never mind
his mother or his twin. His only escape was slipping away like water through
his fingers. Any time now and Eva would walk out of his life just like his
father did. He thought the pain twelve years ago was unbearable. Losing Eva
wouldn’t even compare.
“Set me up again,” he said to the barkeep.
“Take it easy,” said North. “You’ll regret it come morning.”
Colt choked back more throat-burning whiskey before
turning to face the crowd, his elbows resting on the bar. “Is that who I think
it is?”
Even with a good buzz building up, he recognized
Wade sitting at a table near the entrance. He didn’t even hesitate to march
over to the piece of shit.
North pulled out a chair and sat backwards on it,
inviting himself to the party of two. “You have good taste in women, Wade.” His
brother’s tone was anything but friendly.
The cowboy wasn’t fazed. “Just a friend, boys.” He
nodded to the buckle bunny to leave, smacking her ass as she sauntered off.
“How’s your sister doing, anyway?”
“She’s not our sister, and I imagine she’s off
dreaming about you right now.” Colton was seriously pissed off. As much as he
hated the cowboy for stealing Eva’s heart away from him, he wanted the best for
her. He wanted her happy.
“Look, it’s not going to work out, okay.” Wade
tipped his beer bottle back for a drink. He acted as if he was talking about
the weather.
“What the hell not? She’s fucking gorgeous. You’d
never find a finer woman that her.”
“Exactly. I’m not looking for a wife. She’s lucky I
waited on her as long as I did, but a peck on the cheek after nearly a week
isn’t going to cut it.”
“You’re a filthy bastard,” said North. His tossed
the chair to the side when he stood. “What gives you the right to play with
Eva’s heart?”
He shrugged. “Her mother should have taught her
about men like me.”
Colton’s blood was boiling. “She never had to worry
because she had us. I shouldn’t have let down my guards, especially when you
rubbed me wrong from day one.”
He wanted to fight. The alcohol only spurred him on,
pushing him to take chances.
“Let’s go,” said North. “I’m done with this.”
If it wasn’t for his twin, he’d be rolling with Wade
about now, determined to teach him what happens to men that break Eva’s heart.
He pushed his brother when he wouldn’t stop dragged
him away by the shirt. Colton hadn’t realized he was digging his heels against
the floor.
“You’re already wasted, Colt. For God’s sake!”
“Don’t judge me. You don’t know what I’m going
through.” He unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt, the heat rising up his
collar.
“Who the fuck do you think I am? I know everything.
You’ve been feeling sorry for yourself ever since dad walked out on us.”
Colton didn’t think, he just acted. He threw a punch
at his brother’s face, all the rage building inside him desperate to be
expelled. “We have no dad!”
North grabbed his wrist and punched him hard in the
gut. Colton bent forward to catch his breath. They fought back and forth,
throwing punching, grabbing, and ramming each other without holding back. A bubble of space grew around them. The patrons of the bar hooted and
hollered for bloodshed. Little did they know North was his brother and best
friend.
“Whatever. Move on. Or am I a fucking reminder to
you, too?”
North’s words sobered Colton in a hurry. His brother
was going through the same, if not more, pain as him. Their mother couldn’t
even look at him when she was
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