Page 3 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

A big ol’ ‘fuck you’ in a nice, neat little package.

Atlas was the king of saying it without actually saying it.

Scott narrowed his eyes and was about to reply when his phone rang.

He looked at his Apple watch—which in my opinion was too small for his wrist and was usually reserved for women and not men—and cursed. “You’re dismissed.”

We both left and headed for the parking lot.

We made it as far as the bullpen before we were stopped, yet again.

“Thank you, thank you!” Sage jumped in front of us, all but throwing herself at my brother. “I appreciate you taking my shift so much. I know it was last minute, but I was having an episode and couldn’t make myself leave the apartment.”

I narrowed my eyes.

She was lying.

She was also milking the hell out of her ordeal.

Years ago, Atlas had been the one to save Sage from a very bad situation. Her ‘episodes’ were more like days where she didn’t want to go in to work.

And speaking of work, the day Atlas went out of his way to get Sage into the Dallas Police Department as a brand new recruit was the day I wanted to shoot him the most. And, just sayin’, as my brother and twin, there were plenty of those days in our many years together.

“No problem,” Atlas extended his arms to set her back, putting distance between them.

I wondered if Sage saw that Atlas didn’t like to be touched as much as she touched him.

I also wondered if she had any clue just how much he didn’t want to take the relationship they had in the direction Sage wanted it to go.

Atlas was convinced she had a savior complex.

I didn’t know what she had. What I did know was that she was a fucking leech and had attached herself to Atlas and refused to let him go.

Sage insinuated herself into our daily lives like she had a right to be there.

She didn’t.

“Sage,” I said as I grew tired of the back and forth she was initiating. “It’s nice to see you, but we’re headed out of town. Right now. We’ll catch you later.”

“Oh, where are y’all going?” she asked. “I…”

“Have to work,” I pointed out, jerking my head toward my brother, Quaid, who shifted impatiently with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed, as he waited for Sage to get into the room where she belonged so he could start his daily debrief on what he needed/wanted from them for the day.

Sage pursed her lips and looked behind her, uncaring that my brother was waiting for her, very impatiently.

“Oh, well, I’m not actually supposed to be here right now…”

“You said you’d push back your shift,” Atlas said, no longer as patient with her as he usually was. “That’s the only reason I took your shift and not the one I agreed to take. So get in there before Quaid gives you the shittiest section he can find today.”

Sage giggled, and I’d had enough. “Bye, Sage. Let’s go.”

I physically caught Atlas’s arm and gave him a good yank.

He left without another word, and we were out in the parking lot moments later.

Since Atlas drove, I headed to his pickup and caught a few waves good morning as I passed, returning them.

Atlas unlocked the doors and we got into his truck.