Arrogant as fuck.
Still, he was good, through and through. It was the only reason I let him get away with that shit.
His hair was as black as the night, same as mine and Trent’s, but where Trent and I had eyes that were so dark they were basically coal, his were these sparkling emeralds that forever glinted with a tease.
My heart tweaked at the sight.
He favored our mom so much that sometimes it stung to look at him.
Dude stuck out in both the club and the shop considering the asshole might as well have been an Armani model, wearing his tailored suits and driving his flashy car.
A scoff rolled up my throat. “If I wanted to hurt you, you’d be hurt.”
“Can you believe this guy?” Logan hooked a thumb at me while talking to Gage. “Grizzly, I tell you.”
Gage cracked up. “Like a bear? He sure has enough hair.”
Sound that left me was close to a growl.
“Did you hear that, Gage? Proof. Right there.” Logan pointed at me.
I smacked his finger out of my face. “You point that finger at me again, and you’re going to lose it.” Warned it like he was a little kid, but hell, since he acted like one half the time, that’s what he got. Funny, considering he ran stocks and was fuckin’ flush. Smarts for days yet as heedless as they came.
Dude was a walking, talking mindfuck.
“Jud, man, come on. Lighten up. I’m just playing with you. And here I thought this one over here was the funsucker.” He tossed a mocking jab to Trent’s upper arm. “All thanks to pretty little Eden. Remind me I owe her.”
“Oh, oh, now that he’s gettin’ some, he doesn’t have to be such a d-i-c-k anymore, right, Uncle Logan, right?”
Little Gage was grinning way too big, and I was shaking my head. We were going to have to watch it. Kid was getting way too clever, and I was pretty sure one day he was going to surprise us by knowing exactly what we were talking about.
Leave it to Logan to egg him on.
“That’s right, Gage. We finally got a little mercy from the beast. Thank the Lord.” All kinds of dramatic, he pressed his hands together in a prayer and lifted his face toward the sky.
A chuckle got free of my throat just as Trent was throwing a punch back at him, only a little harder than the one Logan had landed on him.
Logan jumped back, holding onto his arm. “Ow, a-hole, that hurt.”
We might give Logan shit for being smaller than the two of us, but I was pretty sure if push came to shove, dude could hold his own. He was as easygoing as they came, but there was something there, running below the surface.
Lawson blood. And that blood ran thick and dark.
Pussy, Trent mouthed over Gage’s head.
“Wow, Trent, wow.” Logan touched his chest, mocking injury. “Two of you are dangerous to a man’s ego.”
“Believe me, a little depletion to your ego would not be a bad thing,” Trent grumbled.
I grabbed a hand towel and ran it over my face and hair to soak up the sweat.
“Are we ready to do this thing?” Logan asked, smacking his hands together. His entire demeanor shifted when he got down to business.
“Yup.”
“We got work to do!” Gage hollered, grinning at his dad as he ran to his side and took his hand again.
I followed them out of the stall where I’d been working and into the main shop.
Doubted anyone but me noticed the skeptical glance Darius shot as we passed.
We filed into my office made of glass walls that was tucked at the far-right corner.
I clicked the door shut.
Logan spun around, lifting his arms out to the sides. Cockiness streamed from him in waves.
“Now, now, I know we all know how brilliant your baby brother is but prepare for me to take it to the next level.”
He dug into the bag he was carrying and pulled out his laptop. Setting it on my desk, he faced it out, lifted the lid, and punched in a few things to populate the charts he updated us with quarterly.
He waved a dramatic hand at the screen as he sank into one of the chairs in front of the desk.
All kinds of smug.
But in this case?
It was warranted.
“Read ’em and weep, boys.”
“I’m not weepin’，” Trent mumbled in shock when he looked at our skyrocketing numbers.
Logan laughed. “Happy tears, brother, they’re good for the soul. Let’s see them.”
“Seriously, Logan, you some kinda wizard? Because this shit can’t be legal.” Disbelief filled my voice.
The smile dropped from Logan’s face, his expression morphing in sincerity. “You know I’d never gamble with your money like that. You’re my brothers. You wanted it aggressive, I did it aggressive, and it paid off big. Simple as that.”
Trent roughed a tattooed hand over his mouth. “Don’t even know what to say.”
A smirk took to Logan’s face. “Hmmm…let’s see…pretty sure it goes something like, Forgive me, oh, amazing one, I underestimated you. Big time. You’re definitely the smartest and best looking of us Lawson bros. Where would I be without you? And just because you’re so awesome and handsome and basically the coolest guy I know, I solemnly swear to never punch you again. Not even when you’re checking out my smokin’ hot woman.”
His smirk widened as he pressed his hand over his heart in a mock oath. “A little somethin’ like that will do.”
That was two seconds before he got punched again.
“You even look at Eden, and I gouge your eyes out,” Trent growled.
Gage giggled wildly. “You better watch it, Uncle. Everyone’s comin’ for you, and even I won’t be able to save you.”
“Never, Gage. These ogres love me.”
That time, the tease drained from Logan’s tone as he looked between us.
“Of course, we do. Doesn’t give you the clear to check out Eden, though.” Trent almost smiled when he said it.
Miracles did come true.
Was pretty sure that miracle came in the form of a sweet little blonde who’d changed Trent’s world.
Logan lifted both his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. You know I’m just messing with you. Happy for you, brother. Honestly. Love that you found someone as awesome and hot as Eden.”
The ribbing was back on the last as he tapped his fist on Trent’s knee.
Trent grunted. “Know it. Still feels like a dream. Never thought I’d get so lucky. Speaking of…there’s a reason Gage is here with me today. We have news.”
He tipped his gaze down to Gage who beamed up at him.
My chest stretched tight.
Was hard witnessing something so perfect.
“You want to tell ’em, buddy?” Trent urged.
The whole room lit up with the force of Gage’s smile, and he started jumping on his toes, all that caramel hair bouncing around his face. “We’re gonna ask Miss Murphy if she wants to get married!”
Excitement poured from his mouth. Almost as fierce as the hope and worry that blazed from Trent’s spirit.
I saw it roil in his eyes. Old wounds that would never let him go fighting against the truth that he deserved happiness. Dude would give it all for us. It was about damned time he got it in return.
“We even got rings and everything and Miss Murphy is gonna be the happiest in the whole wide world. All the way to the highest mountain.” He stretched his arms over his head. “And that’s where we’re gonna love her forever and ever. Right, Dad, right?”