Ryan Steel had always been jovial, always had a smile on his sculpted face. We’d all found out recently that he was actually a half brother to the other Steel siblings. Still, though, his old personality shone through as if nothing had occurred.
Of course, he’d also found love. With Ruby Lee, a former police detective, who was the daughter of the one man who might rival my father for being the worst psycho in the world.
Reality hit me like a brick. All the Steels, including Marj, had been through just as much, or more, as I had, and they were still functioning, not allowing themselves to sink in the quicksand of self-pity.
They were better than I.
Another reason I needed to turn down whatever they were offering.
I eyed Marjorie’s perfect ass as she fried eggs at the gas cooktop. Marjorie. She was the main reason I’d turn down the Steel brothers.
I had to stay away from her.
If I didn’t, I’d hurt her.
Her brothers would never forgive me.
And I’d never forgive myself.
Chapter Seventeen
Marjorie
My back was burning. I actually felt Bryce’s blue eyes on me as I cooked breakfast for him and my brothers.
Maybe it was my imagination. Maybe he wasn’t feeling what I was feeling.
What we’d shared couldn’t be one-sided, could it?
Yeah, he didn’t want my brothers to know. I understood. I didn’t want them to know either. Not yet, anyway. It was too new. Telling anyone, even Jade, would make it seem slightly less exciting.
Except that I was both excited and sad.
Bryce had made it clear this had been a onetime deal. I supposed it was up to me to change his mind, but why should it be? I’d already been forward, which was usually out of my comfort zone. Of course, never had I wanted anyone as much as I ached for Bryce Simpson.
Truth be told, I’d been attracted to him since I was a kid. He’d been around all the time, being Joe’s best friend and all, and his blond-haired and blue-eyed handsomeness was such a striking contrast to the dark hair and eyes we Steels possessed.
I finished the eggs and flipped the slices of Canadian bacon. I divided the eggs among three plates and then buttered the slices of whole-grain toast. Then I started another pot of coffee while I waited for the Canadian bacon to finish.
The guys were talking, mostly Joe and Ryan, but every once in a while, Bryce piped in. I went back in time in my mind once more. Bryce used to be nearly as jovial as my brother Ryan. When I was a kid, he was always smiling and laughing. He’d been good for Joe, who was on the quieter side. Though I was too young to remember, apparently Joe had been as boisterous as Bryce before Talon had been taken. Bryce must have done a lot to pull Joe out of his funk during that difficult time. Of course, no one but the family, excluding me, even knew Talon had been taken. Had Joe confided in Bryce? I had no idea. They were as close as two men could be, as close as Jade and I were. I would have told Jade everything, but perhaps male friendships were different.
I’d had my own issues with my brothers over them not telling me about Talon until last year. Sure, they were trying to protect me, but I was far from a shrinking violet. I hoped I’d proved that by now.
I certainly harbored my own guilt. Talon’s abduction had been orchestrated by Ryan’s birth mother, a crazy bitch who’d been obsessed with my father. The reason? Finding out my mother was pregnant with me.
But for me, my brother wouldn’t have gone through hell.
No, I didn’t blame myself, not objectively at least. But I had at first, and I possessed the scars to prove it. Several talks with both Jade and Melanie had helped me see the truth, but still a smidge of guilt remained. It would always be there.
It was a part of me, just like Joe’s guilt would always be a part of him.
I had to learn to live with it. Assisting with Talon’s family was helping. I’d grown to love Dale and Donny, and Jade was my all-time bestie. Plus, I was getting to know my middle brother. He’d always been elusive, having been gone so long with the military. I’d always been closer to Joe and Ryan.
Maybe I’d tell Bryce about my feelings of guilt. If I had the chance, that was. He didn’t seem to want anything to do with me now.
But again, he’d been so vibrant before. Even if Bryce had known about Talon when he was younger, he certainly hadn’t known of his father’s involvement. None of us had.