“I have hope she’ll come to trust me enough.” I shot a look at Lachlan. “It isn’t exactly fun to know your brother probably knows more about the woman in your bed than you do.”
He sighed. “I understand. That would stick in my craw too. But it can’t be helped. I won’t tell you anything she doesn’t want you to know.”
“Just tell me if … is she safe?” And I realized as soon as the words fell from my mouth that the worry for her well-being had been weighing on me.
Lachlan nodded. “I’ve made sure of it.”
Which meant there was something to keep her safe from.
Fuck.
“Give her time,” Thane offered. “She’ll tell you when she’s ready.”
“Do you know?” I asked sharply.
“No. I don’t believe anyone but Lachlan and Mac have been entrusted with Eredine’s history.”
That relieved me. It would be utter shit if I were the only one in our family who didn’t know.
“You really do care about her, don’t you?” Lachlan mused.
I swallowed hard against the rising emotions. “More than any woman I’ve ever known.”
“Good.” He clinked his beer against mine. “Just be there for her. Let things play out naturally.”
“Thanks,” I murmured.
“I hate to bring it up, but … you should call Brodan,” Thane said, expression grim. “I don’t know what happened between him and Ery—”
“Nothing happened,” I replied. “I’ve already asked.”
My brothers shared a look before Lachlan shrugged. “We all saw there was something between them, even if nothing technically happened. And considering your history, you need to call Brodan. You need to be the one to tell him. Don’t let him find out from someone else.”
“If he wanted her, he should have stayed,” I argued, hating that this conversation was bringing up the old guilt about Monroe and transferring it to my relationship with Ery. “She’s a human being. Not some fucking toy he had dibs on.”
“For fuck’s sake, we know that,” Thane grumbled. “But he’s your brother, and he had feelings for Eredine, so be a grown-up and call him.”
* * *
Most of my calls to Brodan lately had been going to voice mail, so I was certain it would this time as I stood on Thane’s back lawn staring out at the water that glittered beneath the waning sun.
Four rings in and the line clicked on. “Hey, what’s up?” Brodan answered.
Things had been tense between us ever since I’d told him Monroe had come home.
I had a feeling this conversation would do very little to defuse the tension. “Eh, aye, I’m good,” I wavered. “You?”
“Fucking exhausted,” he said, sounding it.
Worry cut through everything else. “You’ve been working nonstop, Bro. Surely, you’ve made enough money to take a breather?”
“There’s nothing to take a breather for.”
Hurt, I snapped, “Uh, your family?”
“Shit,” Brodan huffed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean … I’m just tired. I didn’t mean … I’ll think about taking a break, but the schedule is packed for now.”
“You are coming home for the wedding in a few weeks, right?”
There was a hesitation.
Anger flared through me. “Bro, take it from me … if you don’t come home for your brother’s and sister’s weddings, you’ll hurt them beyond anything you can repair.”
Brodan cleared his throat. “I’ll be there. I’ll make it happen.”
“Good.”
“Did you just call to lecture me?”
Swallowing hard, I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me. “No. I called to tell you something.”
My tone must have alerted him because he sounded frantic. “Is everyone all right? Has something happened?”
“No, everyone is fine,” I assured him. “I just … Considering everything …” I took a deep breath again. “Bro … I’ve started seeing Eredine. We’re in a relationship.”
Silence greeted me on the other end of the line.
“Brodan?”
“Right,” he bit out tersely. “Good for you. They’re calling me back to set. I need to go.” He hung up before I could say another word.
“Fuck!” I threw my phone in the grass and glared up at the darkening sky.
“I take it that went well, then?”
I turned to find Thane standing on his deck, frowning.
“I refuse to feel guilty,” I growled. “She’s been here for eight fucking years, and if he wanted to be with her, he should have made his move. I wanted her, and I made my move. I won’t give her up for him.”
“I know, I know.” Thane nodded, stepping down toward me. “And you’re right. Brodan used to drop back home, shower Ery with attention, and then fuck off, only to be photographed with some actress or model a few days later. You have nothing to feel guilty about. But you do, anyway, don’t you?”
“It’s not guilt.” I shook my head. “Not for this. I just …” I eyed my big brother. “A few weeks ago, I told him Monroe was back, and he couldn’t get off the phone fast enough. Things have been strained between us since. I’m worried that this, on top of that, will take him back to that place we worked really hard to get out of. I miss him as it is. I don’t want to push him even farther away.”