tulip-shaped glass next to it. “I have a feeling I’m going to need this,” he muttered as he lifted the drink to his lips and sucked down more than he should have in one swallow. He grimaced, more than likely from the fiery burn that Adam knew he was experiencing from the liquor.
Declan chuckled darkly. “I think you will,” he said as he stood up and went toward the door. “If you end up needing bail money, I’ll be in town with Paige. I promised baby girl she could cook lunch for me at Stanton’s.” Slipping out the door, he added one final thing before pulling it shut. “But I would appreciate you two playing nice until I get our sister’s infamous apple pie. Thank you very much.”
A heartbeat passed before either Deke or Adam spoke. But when Deke caved first, Adam was dumbfounded, his jaw hitting the floor.
“I’m sorry,” Deke murmured, his gravelly voice so low that Adam struggled to understand. “About earlier,” he clarified before taking another swig of what appeared to be cognac. “I was…jealous.”
“Of what?” Adam had a sneaking suspicion he already knew the answer to his question before he asked, but he preferred to be in the know before he dug his grave.
“You,” Deke mumbled, stating the obvious without answering the actual question. “I’m giving up Sarah for her own good, and you get to keep her.”
“I get to keep her? You really think that?”
Deke nodded with a jerk. “Yeah.”
“You’re giving her up for her own good?”
Again, Deke nodded. “Yes.” This time his voice sounded firmer, more sure. But it was an act. The bleary eyes and deep frown assured Adam of that.
“Bullshit,” Adam spat. “You’re not bowing out for Sarah’s sake, and I don’t get the girl.”
Deke threw back his head and swallowed the remaining contents of the glass before slamming it down on this desk. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth then growled. “I am. You do.”
Adam snorted. “Life doesn’t work that way. Neither does love.” His declaration was met with a glare from Deke, a foul look that he promptly ignored. Grabbing the seat in front of his partner’s desk, he yanked it backward. The noise of wooden legs skating across hardwood assaulted his ears, and he flinched, but he still sat down.
Deke crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t love her.”
Adam didn’t believe Deke, not for a second. He’d stake his life on the fact that his partner loved Sarah. “Sure you do,” Adam retorted. He mimicked his partner by crossing his arms over his chest.
Deke paled, his pallor turning his face a sickly shade of gray, as he poured yet another glass of liquor. The abject fear on Deke’s face was too much, and Adam had to look away. He’d known his partner was in denial, but this was more than the refusal to believe in love. Deke was in freak-out mode, and Adam was in pissed-off-at-the-world mode.
Oh boy. Talk about a lethal combination. Still, that thought didn’t stop Adam. “Believe what you want,” he snapped as his eyes flew back to Deke. “But whether you love Sarah or not, leaving her has nothing to do with her. It’s all about you.” Like always.
Adam had been with Deke for seventeen years, and he was ashamed to admit that everything had always been about his partner. Kylia and Ansley had gotten that much right. For a Dom, Adam had allowed Deke to take the lead, as much as was possible. Well, that was over. Adam couldn’t live in an unbalanced relationship anymore. As much as he loved Deke, he couldn’t give any more. He had nothing left.
Deke didn’t speak. He continued his cold silence as he stared through Adam as though he were a stranger. Maybe I am. He’s never seen me like this. Okay, I’ve never seen me like this.
“Deke, I know you don’t want to hear it, and I know you’re at least half drunk. But you know what? I’m done. I’m done with beating around the bush. I want to have my say.”
Deke inhaled another glass of
Declan chuckled darkly. “I think you will,” he said as he stood up and went toward the door. “If you end up needing bail money, I’ll be in town with Paige. I promised baby girl she could cook lunch for me at Stanton’s.” Slipping out the door, he added one final thing before pulling it shut. “But I would appreciate you two playing nice until I get our sister’s infamous apple pie. Thank you very much.”
A heartbeat passed before either Deke or Adam spoke. But when Deke caved first, Adam was dumbfounded, his jaw hitting the floor.
“I’m sorry,” Deke murmured, his gravelly voice so low that Adam struggled to understand. “About earlier,” he clarified before taking another swig of what appeared to be cognac. “I was…jealous.”
“Of what?” Adam had a sneaking suspicion he already knew the answer to his question before he asked, but he preferred to be in the know before he dug his grave.
“You,” Deke mumbled, stating the obvious without answering the actual question. “I’m giving up Sarah for her own good, and you get to keep her.”
“I get to keep her? You really think that?”
Deke nodded with a jerk. “Yeah.”
“You’re giving her up for her own good?”
Again, Deke nodded. “Yes.” This time his voice sounded firmer, more sure. But it was an act. The bleary eyes and deep frown assured Adam of that.
“Bullshit,” Adam spat. “You’re not bowing out for Sarah’s sake, and I don’t get the girl.”
Deke threw back his head and swallowed the remaining contents of the glass before slamming it down on this desk. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth then growled. “I am. You do.”
Adam snorted. “Life doesn’t work that way. Neither does love.” His declaration was met with a glare from Deke, a foul look that he promptly ignored. Grabbing the seat in front of his partner’s desk, he yanked it backward. The noise of wooden legs skating across hardwood assaulted his ears, and he flinched, but he still sat down.
Deke crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t love her.”
Adam didn’t believe Deke, not for a second. He’d stake his life on the fact that his partner loved Sarah. “Sure you do,” Adam retorted. He mimicked his partner by crossing his arms over his chest.
Deke paled, his pallor turning his face a sickly shade of gray, as he poured yet another glass of liquor. The abject fear on Deke’s face was too much, and Adam had to look away. He’d known his partner was in denial, but this was more than the refusal to believe in love. Deke was in freak-out mode, and Adam was in pissed-off-at-the-world mode.
Oh boy. Talk about a lethal combination. Still, that thought didn’t stop Adam. “Believe what you want,” he snapped as his eyes flew back to Deke. “But whether you love Sarah or not, leaving her has nothing to do with her. It’s all about you.” Like always.
Adam had been with Deke for seventeen years, and he was ashamed to admit that everything had always been about his partner. Kylia and Ansley had gotten that much right. For a Dom, Adam had allowed Deke to take the lead, as much as was possible. Well, that was over. Adam couldn’t live in an unbalanced relationship anymore. As much as he loved Deke, he couldn’t give any more. He had nothing left.
Deke didn’t speak. He continued his cold silence as he stared through Adam as though he were a stranger. Maybe I am. He’s never seen me like this. Okay, I’ve never seen me like this.
“Deke, I know you don’t want to hear it, and I know you’re at least half drunk. But you know what? I’m done. I’m done with beating around the bush. I want to have my say.”
Deke inhaled another glass of
Similar Books
