Page 139 of A Little Secret
“I don’t doubt it, but?—”
“Look at my mom, man,” I growl. “Look at the way she raised Jax. Yeah, Jax’s birth mom is still in the picture, but my mom has claimed him since day one. He might not be hers by blood, but she is every bit his mom as she is mine, and we both know she would burn the world to the ground if anyone tried to keep him from her. She’d also fucking neuter you or anyone else,” I clarify with a pointed look, “if she ever heard someone try to tell her she isn’t Jaxon’s mom or the blood running through his veins holds any kind of weight to the love she has for him. You know it, and I know it, so get off your high horse.”
His molars grind, but he stays quiet, knowing I’m right. We were raised together. Everett. Me. My older brother, Jax. He saw the way my mom treated us. Treated all of her kids. Like we were equals. And fuck, if it isn’t the truth.
“Finley’s baby is mine,” I continue. “It doesn’t matter whose name is put on the birth certificate. Doesn’t matter whether or not Drew is in the picture. I love every piece of Finley, including the pieces she’s passing on to her unborn child. So you can be pissed at me all you want, but nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to change my stance on this.” I hesitate and lean back on the cushions, spreading my legs wide as I stare at my best friend.
“You’re missing the point,” he mutters. “I get how much you care about her, Griff. And I can even get behind you wanting to raise the kid like your own. But you lied. To me.” He punctuates his words with a sharp shake of his head. “And you can say whatever you want about your reasoning, but if you’d told me the truth, if you’d told everyone the truth, you would’ve still had our support.That’swhy I’m pissed. Why I can’t even look at you.Because if we were as close as I thought we were, you would’ve told me. And you sure as shit would’ve told Uncle Henry. Now? Now, I feel like I don’t even fucking know you, and after the way you lied to me, I feel like you don’t know me, either.”
“You’re right,” I mutter. “I fucked up. I didn’t trust you enough to tell you everything, and I should’ve.”
“Yeah, apparently, it’s a theme lately,” he offers dryly.
“Apparently.” A low laugh escapes me. “I’ll work on it.”
“Good.” He hesitates. “And I’ll work on not losing my shit when things don’t go according to plan.” Scratching along his jaw, he adds, “Doesn’t help I just got off the phone with Uncle Henry when I overheard shit going down on the front porch.” He drops his hand to his lap.
“What’d he say?”
“That he’s working on shit, but he’s not a miracle worker.”
“I’ll tell him the truth,” I rush out.
“You will,” he agrees. “But only because Uncle Henry deserves to know.”
“Maybe he’ll?—”
Everett shakes his head. “The position’s gonna go to the right guy, Griff. The Lions need you. My sister needs you. The baby needs you.” Standing, he walks toward me and offers his hand. When I take it, he pulls me to my feet. “Raine and I are excited for our future, wherever it takes us. Promise.” His mouth lifts. “I even got her a gift for our new place once we move.”
“What’s that?”
“Drake, uh, he destroyed one of her drawings when they were still together. I pieced it together and had it framed.” His mouth lifts. “We’re gonna be fine, man.”
“You sure?”
With a soft thud, his hand lands on my shoulder. “You’re not the only one who would sacrifice anything for their girl. We’ll be good. Promise.”
I nod. “Thanks, Ev. For everything.”
“You’re my brother, man.” Tugging me into a hug, he slaps his hand against my upper back before letting me go. “Now, go check on my sister and show her I didn’t beat the shit out of you, all right? I don’t feel like having my balls kicked in tonight.”
With a laugh, I shake my head. “See you later.”
“See ya, man.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
GRIFFIN
“Congrats, man.” Jax hands me a cup of coffee and motions to one of the nearby oak tables. The Bean Scene is a coffee shop near campus. It’s been here forever. Rough brick exterior. Heavy glass doors. Metal chairs with polished oak counters and tables spaced far enough apart to offer a little privacy. Their coffee is always good, and the girls are obsessed with their pumpkin spice lattes in the fall, but I’m sticking with a plain black coffee today.
After my big brother found out about the baby a little while ago, he reached out, offering to buy me coffee, but thanks to both of our busy schedules, this is the first time I’ve been able to take him up on it.
“Thanks.” I start to take a sip of my drink but nearly burn my tongue off, pulling a dry chuckle from Jax as he watches me. Sometimes I forget he’s only my half-brother. He looks so much like our father, it’s hard to place any of his mom’s traits at all. Dark, wavy hair. Green eyes. He’s built like him, too. Broad shoulders. Tall. Hell, I feel likeI’m looking at a younger version of my dad, and I’m about to get a lecture.
“Seems we have a lot to catch up on,” he adds with a grin. “Apparently, you take after…Mom?”
Should’ve known he wouldn’t want to beat around the bush.