Besides, she told me she was moving here permanently. With me. Though I’ve kept things from her–for her own safety and because Colt insisted it during a club meeting–and she absolutely considers it a breach of trust.
We barely started our relationship and something as withholding shit or sidelining her is not a small speck to simply shrug and get over it. Not like Colt plays it off. Hell, I’d be fucking pissed if someone did it to me.
“Her life isn’t in Shreveport. It’s here. With me.” The words should have fallen from my mouth with determination but instead there’s a hint of defeat because I don’t know where her head is at right now. “And if it’s not, so be it. I don’t care what town or state we settle down in.”
Colt is grinning like a loon and it actually makes my skin crawl.
“I don’t know why you’re happy, but it doesn’t suit you. Get back to your grumpy self and think of a way to make it up to your sister because this is all your fault.” I grab my Stetson and let my fingers slide through my hair before putting it back on. “You know what? Never mind. I don’t want your interference and I’ll make sure Prez knows too. As of now she’s not your sister when it comes to club business. She’s my old lady and if you ever interfere with anything concerning her…brother or not, her brother or not…I will fucking kick your ass.”
Colt’s grin only gets bigger and right when I’m about to wipe it off with my fist, he holds his hands palms up in surrender. “Understood. I see it now. Not lovesick any longer, eh? The look in your eyes gives me the impression you’re over the sick part and there’s only the love part left. It’s all I need to know and want for my sister. She’s too good for just a fling and that’s what I thought it was when you two were sucking face the minute she showed up.”
I can’t believe this shit. “You did it on purpose? Withholding information and keeping her out of the loop was your way to test us? Motherfucker. Mere minutes before Kay showed up, she told me she was moving here permanently and now with this shit–kicking me out of the damn cabin–you kindly state you labeled what we had a fling? She was never a fucking fling, asshole.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose. Club business is between brothers, knowing everything isn’t always a good thing and there was nothing she could do about anything anyway. It’s for us to handle. She doesn’t have reason to be pissy about it.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Do you even know how a woman functions? Not saying anything, keeping her out of things, or merely saying she couldn’t help so she didn’t need to know is stupidity on your part. No woman would ever agree with your reasoning and it’s degrading.”
He shrugs. As always. The man doesn’t care and waves my reasoning away. “They sulk and get over it. Meanwhile we handle business so they have no reason to complain.”
“You’re never going to get a woman. And if you do? I hope she carves your ignorant heart out of your chest to show you how dysfunctional it is. Maybe then you’ll see the flaws regarding matters of the heart because the way you describe it? You consider a woman an object to use as you see fit. They have working brain cells you idiot.” A sigh rips from my body. “Whatever. You’re going to find out for yourself when you find the right woman you want to spend–”
He cuts me off with a fierce, “Never going to happen.” To emphasize his statement, he shakes his head. “I’m a loner for a reason, Ledger. The cabin on the edge of the ranch gives a good indication I can barely stand to be in the company of my brothers. I need space. Getting involved with a woman would mean spending enough time with her to make it work. Like I said, never gonna happen.”
Our discussion breaks when Colt’s phone indicates he has a message. He takes it out of his jeans pocket and thumbs the screen before he says, “My sister wants to talk to me.”
I grab my phone to check but I don’t have a message. “What the hell?” I grumble underneath my breath, pissed Colt received a message and I didn’t.
“Come on,” Colt says and takes a step toward the cabin.
I stay rooted to the ground. “She texted you, not me.”
“For fuck’s sake, get your panties out of your ass crack.” Colt steps closer to me. “I thought you owned the manual of the women species. But let me explain the whole reading between the lines part. She texted me, yes. I’m going to get the brunt of her fury. Not you. If my sister told you she was going to move here permanently it tells me you already own her heart. Or a piece of it anyway. Even if you blow this issue out of proportion, she considers her anger with me higher on her priority list. Come on, I’m not getting an earful on my own. When she’s angry she always tends to scream in a high-pitched tone where only dogs can hear her. She’s your woman, I’m her brother. You get to save me, it’s family shit.”
A smile spreads my face because I can see straight through his bullshit. “You’re scared of her.”
Colt narrows his eyes. “She has nails that turn to claws when she’s pissed, Ledger. I’d rather face Kay.” His hand goes to his nose, touching it lightly. “At least she throws punches like a dude.”
“You’re insane,” I grumble.
“For sure,” he agrees as we head for the cabin.
Once inside we head for
