guitar. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner.
Before I can open my mouth, Seth's eyes level on a spot above my head. "Ain't that right, Bro?" he slurs right before Brody pulls out the stool next to me.
Signaling the bartender, Brody calls out, "I'll take a Guinness." Then, turning to us, he slaps me on the back before asking, "What are you two dipshits up to?" I don't know exactly what it is, but the air shifts between us. Something feels off.
Seth sits up straighter in his chair, his back and shoulders stiff, as he looks at Brody expectantly, like he knows something. The hair stands up on the back of my neck when I realize he does know something. Fuck .
He knows about Quincy.
I thought I was the only brother who knew Brody's dirty little secret. There's a part of me that knows this Jerry Springer episode we've got going on is going to end in disaster while the other part of me is damn relieved that I don't have to be in it alone anymore. It's been hell watching the drama play out, never knowing when the shit will hit the fan, hating myself for even being a part of it. But dammit, the more people who know, the worse the fallout will be.
"Seth was just giving me some advice." I paste a fake grin on my face, trying to distract them. There's no reason for us to air out brotherhood business in public. We may be one big dysfunctional family, but we keep our shit at home.
"Yeah?" Brody drawls. His rock star voice used to amuse me, and I've gotten a lot of mileage out of it, but right now, it just pisses me off.
From the beginning, when we first met, it was the fucking three amigos - Brody, Declan, and me. We picked Seth up along the way, but it was always us. I mean, yeah, there are other brothers I'm close to, but I don't trust anyone the way I do them. Problem is, there is no winner in this game. It's hard to choose between your two best friends.
When neither of us speak up, Brody's eyes travel back and forth between us, a smile on his face. "So, you gonna tell me or what?"
"This drunk fucker is telling me that I need to lose the bet. On purpose." I roll my eyes, shooting him my cocky smile, as if I wasn't contemplating doing just that.
"Why the hell would you want to do that?" He laughs, taking a swig of his beer. "I mean, hell, it's almost over. A few more days, right?"
Seth picks that exact moment to throw some shit in that fan I was thinking about. "Why don't you tell us what you would do, Bro? Share some of your wisdom with us. You know so much about women and all." What the fuck?
I act like Seth isn't even talking. He doesn't exist. "Two. Two more days. Anyway, I was thinking it might actually be a good idea. You know, let her know I really care about her, that kind of thing." I shrug my shoulders, trying to act as normal as possible.
Brody's eyes never leave Seth's face as he replies, "Sounds about right. Girls like that kind of shit." You'd never know what was going on if you couldn't feel the electricity in the air, humming with tension, ready to ignite.
"Yeah. I was thinking-"
"Tell us what girls like, Bro. You're the pussy expert." Seth interrupts. My nerves are wearing thin. Why won't he just shut up?
"Seth, you got something to say? Because I ain't got time for your bullshit." Brody's hand tightens around his bottle, his knuckles turning white, as he clenches his jaw.
"You know what, Bro? I never thought you'd do it." His voice breaks, and I look at him in shock. I've never heard Seth get emotional. "I never thought you'd choose a piece of ass over your brothers."
Brody stands up, throwing a few bills on the bar. "Seth, you're a lousy drunk. I'm giving you a free pass, but I'm warning you just this once. Don't ever talk shit about Quincy again." When he says her name, there is a fire, a passion, in his eyes I've never seen before.
It tells me all I need to know.
With a quick nod in my direction, he walks out. I'm stunned, shocked into silence. That was not how I planned for things to
Before I can open my mouth, Seth's eyes level on a spot above my head. "Ain't that right, Bro?" he slurs right before Brody pulls out the stool next to me.
Signaling the bartender, Brody calls out, "I'll take a Guinness." Then, turning to us, he slaps me on the back before asking, "What are you two dipshits up to?" I don't know exactly what it is, but the air shifts between us. Something feels off.
Seth sits up straighter in his chair, his back and shoulders stiff, as he looks at Brody expectantly, like he knows something. The hair stands up on the back of my neck when I realize he does know something. Fuck .
He knows about Quincy.
I thought I was the only brother who knew Brody's dirty little secret. There's a part of me that knows this Jerry Springer episode we've got going on is going to end in disaster while the other part of me is damn relieved that I don't have to be in it alone anymore. It's been hell watching the drama play out, never knowing when the shit will hit the fan, hating myself for even being a part of it. But dammit, the more people who know, the worse the fallout will be.
"Seth was just giving me some advice." I paste a fake grin on my face, trying to distract them. There's no reason for us to air out brotherhood business in public. We may be one big dysfunctional family, but we keep our shit at home.
"Yeah?" Brody drawls. His rock star voice used to amuse me, and I've gotten a lot of mileage out of it, but right now, it just pisses me off.
From the beginning, when we first met, it was the fucking three amigos - Brody, Declan, and me. We picked Seth up along the way, but it was always us. I mean, yeah, there are other brothers I'm close to, but I don't trust anyone the way I do them. Problem is, there is no winner in this game. It's hard to choose between your two best friends.
When neither of us speak up, Brody's eyes travel back and forth between us, a smile on his face. "So, you gonna tell me or what?"
"This drunk fucker is telling me that I need to lose the bet. On purpose." I roll my eyes, shooting him my cocky smile, as if I wasn't contemplating doing just that.
"Why the hell would you want to do that?" He laughs, taking a swig of his beer. "I mean, hell, it's almost over. A few more days, right?"
Seth picks that exact moment to throw some shit in that fan I was thinking about. "Why don't you tell us what you would do, Bro? Share some of your wisdom with us. You know so much about women and all." What the fuck?
I act like Seth isn't even talking. He doesn't exist. "Two. Two more days. Anyway, I was thinking it might actually be a good idea. You know, let her know I really care about her, that kind of thing." I shrug my shoulders, trying to act as normal as possible.
Brody's eyes never leave Seth's face as he replies, "Sounds about right. Girls like that kind of shit." You'd never know what was going on if you couldn't feel the electricity in the air, humming with tension, ready to ignite.
"Yeah. I was thinking-"
"Tell us what girls like, Bro. You're the pussy expert." Seth interrupts. My nerves are wearing thin. Why won't he just shut up?
"Seth, you got something to say? Because I ain't got time for your bullshit." Brody's hand tightens around his bottle, his knuckles turning white, as he clenches his jaw.
"You know what, Bro? I never thought you'd do it." His voice breaks, and I look at him in shock. I've never heard Seth get emotional. "I never thought you'd choose a piece of ass over your brothers."
Brody stands up, throwing a few bills on the bar. "Seth, you're a lousy drunk. I'm giving you a free pass, but I'm warning you just this once. Don't ever talk shit about Quincy again." When he says her name, there is a fire, a passion, in his eyes I've never seen before.
It tells me all I need to know.
With a quick nod in my direction, he walks out. I'm stunned, shocked into silence. That was not how I planned for things to
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