He pulled her back into his body and wrapped his arms around her. Keeping his cool took everything inside him. His anger was a burning force, coiling his muscles and tightening his skin. He looked over at Jaxx and Brooklyn, and although he hadn’t meant to sound harsh, the barked order came out that way anyway. “I don’t have time to search for Rys. Can one of you find him and bring him back to our place?” Both of them nodded, and he didn’t miss how their worried expressions kept going to Jane. He pulled her in tighter, knowing they wouldn’t hurt her, but he needed to be the one who took care of her. Where in the hell is Rys?
“Come on, sweetheart.” He pulled her toward his truck. He had to walk fast just to keep up with her, which was saying something, since she was so much smaller with shorter legs. He helped her into the truck just as he heard Rys’s raised voice calling out to stop.
“Let’s go, please, William.” He hesitated as he saw Rys sprint toward them. “Please.” Her tears tracked down her face faster, and rage exploded inside him. Had Rys hurt her? He knew his brother wasn’t capable of it, but he was rough, more aggressive. Maybe he had inadvertently harmed Janey. Regardless if he did it or not, William’s fists clenched, and he held his ground, ready to beat the shit out of his brother.
When Rys was close enough, he pleaded, “I’m so sorry. Please, baby. Please.” There was desperation in his brother’s voice. William didn’t think. He just acted.
William’s knuckles connected with Rys chin, and he heard Jane cry out for him to stop, but he couldn’t see or comprehend anything but Rys in front of him. The punch sent his twin stumbling back. Rys grabbed his jaw, casting a shocked look at William that then turned furious.
“What the fuck, dude?”
“Stay away from her, Rys. I don’t know what the fuck you did to her, but it’s clear you hurt her in some way.” Rys took a step forward, his eyes flickering back to Jane. Will turned around, saw Jane had gotten out of the truck, and immediately went to her. She was crying harder, her eyes red and swollen as she stared at Rys.
“He didn’t hurt me—not in the way you think, at least.”
Will wrapped his arms around her, and she molded into his side. “He hurt you somehow, sweetheart. Tell me.” She looked up at his face and smiled sadly. When her mouth opened, a commotion had the three of them turning and watching Christa Martine march toward them.
“Fuck,” muttered Rys. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked back at Jane. “It’s not true, baby. I swear to God it’s not true.”
Before Will could demand what the hell Rys was talking about, his twin continued speaking.
“You have it all wrong, Will.” Rys’s voice was soft, distant. It was so unlike his normally hard-edged brother.
Jane buried her head in Will’s side and sobbed. Hearing Jane cry had him feeling so helpless. Christa marched up to Rys and looked around his shoulder to give a narrow-eyed look to Jane.
“Just leave, Christa. I have nothing more to say to you.” Rys sounded defeated, and a thought flitted through Will’s head, but he shook it off. No, Rys wouldn’t have cheated on Jane. He loved her so much. They both did.
“Everyone already knows, and I think your little slut should know too.”
Rys took a menacing step toward Christa, and if William hadn’t known his brother would never hurt a female, he would have been right there holding him back. “You don’t call her that. She isn’t the one who spreads her legs to half the town.”
Christa snorted loudly. “What-the-fuck-ever.” When Rys didn’t respond, Christa’s eyes grew large. “You know, everyone has heard the rumors about the three of you fucking around, but I was hoping that was all they were, rumors. It’s clear everyone was right about Jane Silver being a little white-trash slut.”
No one insulted their girl. No one.
“You gonna tell ’em or do you want me to?” By now, the whole party was at a standstill, everyone’s attention on them. A minute passed, and then Christa smirked cockily. “Fine.” Taking a step to the side, she glared at Jane, who was now no longer clinging to Will. “I’m going to have his baby.” Her grin widened, and she looked at Rys with an almost dreamy expression. “I’m nine weeks pregnant. I tried to tell Rys when I saw him at Rowdy’s the other day, but he brushed me off like I was some piece of shit on his shoe. Well, he can’t brush me off now, can he?” She looked smug, and it pissed Will the hell off.
It wasn’t like he didn’t believe Christa was knocked up. Hell, the whole damn town was just waiting for it. It was no secret she slept around, but now she was blaming it on Rys. The thing was that Rys never, and he meant never, fucked women without protection. His twin was a stickler for it, same as Will. They might not wear a condom with Jane, but she was Jane, their Jane.