Melt (Steel Brothers Saga 4)

Talon nodded, his gaze still on the road. He was clenching the steering wheel with white knuckles.

“Do you want me to drive for a while?”

He shook his head. “I’m okay.”

“It’s okay for you to be angry.”

“I am angry.”

“And it’s okay to be angry at me.” The minute the words left my lips, I regretted them. Because frankly, I worried he would say the words I feared most—that yes, he was angry with me. He always said he wasn’t, that he didn’t blame me for not being there to protect him, but maybe, somewhere in the back of his mind, he did.

“The only thing I’m angry at you about, Joe, is not letting this go.”

“Pull over,” I said.

“What? We’re on the middle of the highway.”

“Take the next exit. We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“Why in the hell do you want me to pull over?”

I gritted my teeth. “Because you and I are going to have this out. Now.”

“You’re not going to suck me into this, Joe. I refuse.”

I grabbed the steering wheel. “Goddamnit, I said pull over.” I jerked the steering wheel so the car headed onto the off-ramp.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m getting off the goddamned road. We are getting out of the car, and you are going to punch me in the face.”

“Are you crazy?”

Maybe I was. I was feeling crazy right now. I hadn’t had a good beating in a while, and my brother, the one I had failed…

And Melanie… I had failed her, too.

She and I were over before we ever began.

I wasn’t interested in her apologies for leaving me so abruptly, and I wasn’t interested in anything else from her.

She was a mess, and I was a mess. The two of us together were a nightmare. Her, I would let go. I had to let her go. I had no choice.

But I could never let my brother go. We were blood. And I couldn’t go until he gave me what I deserved.

“Fine.” Talon jerked the car to stop. “Let’s get this over with.”

He got out of the car. I followed. We were on a back road that led into a few small Western slope towns. It was doubtful anyone would come by, and that was exactly how I wanted it.

I stalked around to my brother. “Come on. Take a shot. I know you’ve wanted to for twenty-five years.”

“Oh, hell, no. This is your battle, Joe, not mine. I forgave you a long time ago.”

“A-ha. So you admit there was something to forgive.”

Talon raked his fingers through his tousled hair. “Jesus Christ.”

“Take your best shot, little brother. I’m not getting back into the car until you do.”