Falling for the Brother

Mason couldn’t deny the truth of that one. So he took a minute to settle in with it.

“To know that what we did brought down tough-guy cop Bruce Thomas… I can still feel his body shaking as I held him, still hear him begging me to marry him. To forget you and give him the chance to spend the rest of his life proving his love to me. He said he didn’t blame me for my infidelity—that he’d brought that on himself by his own actions. He told me I was the only woman he’d ever loved—and that he’d been sure his love for me was the forever kind from the moment we met. I believed him. And felt like I owed him that second chance. I was so confused, ashamed of what I’d done, and kept telling myself that until Bruce was unfaithful, I’d wanted nothing more than to marry him.”

Mason did believe that Bruce’s love for Harper was the forever kind. Bruce still loved Harper that way. Which was a huge part of the problem between the brothers. Because Mason had never gotten over her, either.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“I’M NOT DENYING there are good sides to Bruce.” Mason chose his words carefully. The thin ice he was treading was melting beneath his feet. “I love my brother. He’s a great cop. A straight-up one. Completely dedicated to the job.” Bruce had always had wonderful qualities, which was one reason people were so drawn to him, to protecting him when his dark side got out of control. His parents had been the same way.

And so had Mason. Right up until the beginning of the week when he’d seen the cast on Gram’s arm, the bruises on her face. And had been told that there’d been other previous hairline fractures.

Did he dare hope Bruce hadn’t done it?

“I’m convinced he needs help, Harper. Believe it or not, I’m trying to get him that help before he does something he won’t be able to recover from.”

She watched him silently and he wished to God he knew what she was thinking. Did she understand what he was saying? Was she under Bruce’s mental control? Would she protect him at all costs—and hurt him by doing so?

Vacillating between anger at his brother and a deep love for him, Mason wasn’t sure how to proceed. If he took himself off the case, O’Brien would be forced to make it public within their department. He’d had a report from urgent care. He had to follow up.

The only way to protect Bruce was for Mason to find out the truth and then—if Bruce was guilty—quietly get his brother help. It wasn’t as if Gram was going to press charges against him.

O’Brien could. Bruce could lose his job.

He was hoping to prevent both of the last two scenarios.

Turning to Harper with renewed purpose, he said, “Looking back, can you see how Bruce came out of that whole situation the victim, with you beholden to him? You slept with his brother, and he made that seem worse than the fact that he destroyed the trust between the two of you. Worse than him lying to you about who he slept with that night. Beyond that, he had slept with the perp, Harper. You were unfaithful once, during the two days you guys were broken up. He was unfaithful multiple times.”

“For the job, except that one time with Gwen.”

He held her gaze for a few seconds. “Does that make it okay?”

She didn’t answer.

* * *

HARPER KEPT HER mind open. The evidence had to speak for itself. She understood what Mason was saying—to a point. Life wasn’t as easy, as black and white, as he seemed to need it to be. Emotions weren’t weighted based on the components that had sparked them. They were all part of the whole person, the whole package. She’d always been one less prone to drama.

Bruce lived—and loved—big.

“Did you know Grace hasn’t seen Miriam in over a year?” Elbows on his knees now, Mason faced her from his perch on the bench. His white tennis shoes looked brand-new. Hers were a year old. And black with fluorescent pink—Brianna had picked them out. She’d had a pair to match but had grown out of them.

Shoes didn’t matter. But they were easier to focus on than the rest of the conversation Mason seemed hellbent on having.

“Did you hear me?” he asked.

She nodded. “I just… I can’t believe it.”