“Bullshit!” Donny scanned the house behind Greer as if he were lying. “Now I get what the fuck’s going on. Did my brother have to suck your dick to get you to work with us?” He advanced as he spoke, and Greer dug in his heels, determined no one was getting past him. “Is that why he’s gotten away without doing jack to help run our company?” Donny jammed his finger into Greer’s chest. “Mine and Duncan’s company?”
“Donny, this is your last chance…” Even getting robbed on the side of the road hadn’t pissed Greer off like this. And that was before fucking Donny cut him off mid-sentence again.
“I’m not having a fag brother. It’s not gonna happen.” The offensive words reared Greer back, and Donny took advantage, shouldering past Greer into the house. He yelled as if Dallas would hide and cower to this dumb fuck. “He knew the deal. Where the lines were drawn. And he didn’t fucking care. So why should I? Dallas! Get your ass out here, you pansy ass.”
Greer’s restraint reached its peak. “Donny, get out of my house…”
Donny whirled around on Greer, stalking back toward him. “You know Dallas is a fucking head case, right? This is how he’s always been. He can’t keep a goddamn straight thought. He’ll ruin everything you have like he’s ruined everything my whole life. I want out. I should have never gotten involved with him in the first place. I knew fucking better.”
“Dallas is gay, Donny, and it’s been the hardest fight of his life. I’ve spent some part of every day with him for almost the last year. I know Dallas like I know myself. Your brother is a good man. Maybe the best man I know. He’s no headcase or whatever you keep calling him. The way your family has treated him has caused untold damage—”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. I was there. All my parents ever did was try to help him.”
And the motherfucker cut him off again.
He could do little more than laugh a sinister sound in Donny’s face. Greer moved in closer, done with this conversation. “Help? You call that help?”
“What’s going on?” Ducky asked quietly from the front door. Greer risked a glance over his shoulder to see Skye standing behind Ducky who had come to a dead stop in the middle of his doorway.
“You knew about this, didn’t you?” Donny accused Ducky. His youngest brother didn’t back away. He stayed calm, tucking his hands inside his front jean pockets.
“About Dallas and Greer getting married? Yeah. Why’re you here?”
Donny’s angry gaze clashed with Greer’s. “Married? You’re getting married to Dallas?” His hands flew in the air as if this whole thing wasn’t worth a second more of his time. “I want out. I’m so out of this. I’ll start my own goddamn company.” Donny’s finger shot out, pointing in Greer’s face. “If you try to lowball me, I’ll shut this whole goddamn deal down, and we can fight it out in court. This is bullshit and it’s fucking gross.” Through Donny’s dramatics, he turned aggressive, staring at Ducky who took a large single step to the side, letting Skye in through the door. “I bet you’re a goddamn fag too.”
“I’m bi,” Ducky said as he leaned against the small entryway table. Clearly, comfortable with himself and this situation. Since Dallas wasn’t there, Skye hovered close to Ducky just as Dallas might do, but Ducky didn’t need it. He was the solid young man Greer had gotten to know. “How y’all treated Dallas made sure that I’d never tell any of y’all about my sexuality. It wasn’t right what you did to him. It fucked him up for a long time because he only ever wanted y’all’s acceptance. That’s not right. He’s not wrong.”
The pulsing vein in Donny’s forehead might have actually burst with the way he drew back in outrage. Greer was ready to light a match to this guy. Let the fucker know exactly who ran this show and the provisions Greer had added to the contract for this very possibility. Donny could easily be cut loose, and would be, without a backward glance.
Fuck the guy for trying to intimidate him with his violence and threats.
“What’s going on?” Dallas asked. Skye hurriedly stepped aside, letting Dallas in, but he didn’t come far.
“Fuck you. You remember, you fucking did this.” Donny started to leave but flexed his muscles at Ducky in a show of force. Ducky gave a small shake of his head and visually shrugged Donny off. Dallas’s instincts got the best of him. He threw out an arm, protecting Ducky. At the same time, he reached for Donny who automatically reared back to throw a punch.
Greer’s blood boiled, but before he could react, Dallas blocked the incoming fist and executed a maneuver that made Greer’s inner wrestler sing with joy. Within three seconds, Dallas, who out-matched Donny in both size and bulk, had him pinned in some sort of physical restraining hold. A move he’d seen used before on children intent on self-harm.