I wasn’t one to fly off the handle. Had learned to play it cool. To keep the old demon that thrashed inside chained.
But this?
I was half inclined to toss him from my shop. The other part knew we both were overreacting. He was only doing what he thought was right.
Standing up for his sister before she got herself hurt.
I mean, fuck, could I blame him?
I took a step back, trying to put some space between us. Wasn’t like a thing had gone down between his sister and me, anyway, so every bit of this was misplaced.
Darius winced, finally catching up to the fact that he was out of line. He scrubbed a palm over his face, and he dropped his gaze to the ground. “I’m sorry, Sir.” He might have been apologizing, but his voice was hard.
“She’s been hurt, and I’m not sure I could stand aside and watch it happen again,” he admitted low.
“Not necessary, man. Just…chill. All’s good. I got her to safety to ride out the storm. She slept in my guest room. It started and ended at that.”
Left out the part where I’d felt chained.
Spellbound.
Truth be told, if the girl had wanted one of those wild nights that caught you unaware? Nothing but pleasure without any of the aftermath? I’d have gladly peeled her out of those drenched clothes.
But that possibility had sailed the second I’d realized she was related to Darius. I sure as shit didn’t need that kind of complication. Think more than that, though, was the fact there was something about her that felt like more.
Pain lanced. A dull moan from that vacant space.
A knife in my chest where my heart had gone missing.
And in the middle of that void, there was no space for more. I forced a smile. “Are we good, man?”
Nodding, Darius lifted his gaze. “Yeah. Sorry. That was uncalled for. Get a little crazy when it comes to my family. Want you to know I appreciate this job. Need it, and I know you hired me when I wasn’t exactly qualified.”
I let a huff of a laugh leave my nose, and I reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t sweat it. Something is wrong with us if we don’t go a little crazy when it comes to protecting our family.”
Truth that family should mean everything.
“Just watch how you do it next time, yeah?” The warning dropped from my mouth as I backed away. I might get it, but I wasn’t about to take any shit, either.
I started to walk before I punted out the words, hard and direct, “And I’ve got her car covered. Gonna need her number. Text it to me before you leave.”
For a beat, he hesitated, clearly wanting to argue, but he finally dipped his head in surrender and turned around to get back to work, grumbling, “Whatever you say, boss.”
I spun around, only to catch Brock grinning like a smug prick from where he stood next to the engine he was rebuilding, asshole rocking his hips and wagging his brows.
Boob shots, he mouthed with an overexaggerated nod and a wink.
I roughed a hand over my face.
Fuck my life.
Ignoring him, I strode back to the bones of the bike I was slowly rebuilding. I cranked the music back up, pulled on my welding mask, and got lost in the work. Got lost in the feel of the metal beneath my hands.
The peace in it.
Guessed it reminded me I still had something to offer.
That the darkness could create beauty.
That the condemned could whisper grace.
That I had something good to show for my life.
A purpose.
Hours must have passed, I didn’t know, I was so lost in thought, sound banging through my ears and vibrating through my body, that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a hand landed on my shoulder. I ripped off my mask as I whipped around, ready to floor a motherfucker.
Old habits died hard.
I blew out the strained breath when I saw it was my youngest brother, Logan.
Asshole cracked up, stumbling backward and shouting over the music, “Bro, you jumped like fifteen feet in the air. If the whole restoration thing doesn’t pan out, think you have promise. Olympic hopeful.”
He lifted his hands out like he was catching a dream.
Fucker.
I tossed my mask to the table and wiped the sweat from my brow with my sleeve. “Yeah, and you’re lucky you’re not fifteen under. Don’t sneak up on a man like that unless you wanna get cut.”
Logan laughed like it wasn’t our reality.
I rolled my eyes as my attention drifted to our older brother, Trent, who was smirking behind him.
And there was Trent’s son, Gage, jumping at his father’s side, all kinds of hope and light and every-fucking-thing that was right in this world.
Took a beat just to take in this messed up, beautiful family.
Our scars went deep.
Were ugly and brutal.
But here we were, forever fighting for the other.
“You’re gonna give him a one, two, three, kapow, right, Uncle Jud, right?!” Gage tossed his little fist forward and gave a good kick, giggling the whole time. My sweet nephew who nearly slayed me every time I looked at his adorable face. Kid too much. Had so much love for him, it hurt.
“That’s right, Gage in the Cage,” I told him, and the kid came barreling my way the second I said it.
Affection pushed hard at my ribs. Didn’t matter how many times I met him this way, the loss still screamed.
Begging to be filled.
I caught him just as he was throwing himself at me, and I tossed him onto my back the way I always did. I spun him around, pretending like we were in the ring.
“What? You think you’re gonna pile drive me! I won’t even let you, Uncle.” My favorite little wrestler scrambled around, locking his tiny arms around my neck like he was going to choke me out. “You might be big as a monster, Uncle, but I’m as wily as a coyote. You won’t even know what hit you.”
I was holding my laughter, and Trent rested back against the worktable, his arms crossed over his chest and his booted feet crossed at the ankles.
A chuckle rode from his mouth. “Pains me to admit it, but for once, Logan is right. We’ve been standing back here waiting on you for the last ten minutes. You didn’t even notice we were here. Now that is the shit that’s not safe.”
I glanced at the huge clock mounted on the wall while Gage kept trying to take me down.
“Sorry, lost track of time.” Honestly, I’d forgotten we’d planned a family meeting this afternoon. Had to blame it on my thoughts getting tied up on things they shouldn’t.
“No shit.” Trent grinned.
Gage slowed his attack, staring over at his father.
“Sheesh, Dad, doncha know you’re gonna get in trouble saying those kinda words? And trouble is really bad. Have you learned nothin’ yet? We have to get all the A’s and you keep gettin’ the F’s.” Could feel Gage shaking his head in stark disappointment.
Laughing, I flipped Gage off my back, kid squealing like mad as I set him onto his feet.
I straightened to Logan tossing me one of his smirks. “Think it’s your uncle Jud here who is getting the F’s, oh young Gage.”
Asshole widened his eyes at me like he was vexed.
“Here I was, just rolling in to remind him of our meeting, and he goes threatening me. Why so violent?” Logan blinked, his head barely shaking.
Dude was a nut.
Constantly goofing and throwing barbs.