Page 114

“This place does the best all day pancake breakfast. Want some?” He holds out a fork of fluffy pancakes with syrup that drips onto the table.

I chuckle to myself, looking at Jack’s wrinkled nose.

“No, and chew your food before speaking,” Jack scolds.

“Sorry, Daddy.”

“I really have missed you fuckers,” Noah says, looking round the table. We’ve missed him. It’s always felt like there are missing pieces since we lost Scotty and Noah decided to stay in the military.

“Any chance you are going to stay this time?” Jack asks his now brother-in-law, which is weird as hell to think.

“I’m considering it,” Noah says, spinning his now empty mug in his hands.

“Well, we want you to stay, and you know Ria and the girls do. It means a lot that you are coming to the lake with us this weekend,” Jack says.

“When are you leaving?” Harry asks, finishing his pancakes and dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

“Once we deal with that asshole,” Jack says, pointing out across the bustling street, where Patrick stands, kissing a blonde.

“Fucker,” I hiss, standing up.

“Give it a second.” Noah says, gesturing me to sit down.

We watch on as Patrick waves down a yellow cab, puts the blonde in the back and waits until it drives away.

I ball my hands into fists looking at him, internally thinking of all the ways I could make him hurt for hurting Gabriella.

He turns to head down the street.

“Let’s go,” I say. Harry throws down some twenty-dollar bills to pay and we all leave. We cross the street and stay about five steps behind Patrick. I speed up when I see he’s close to where I know there’s an alley. I clamp a hand on his shoulder, my grip firm, and his body stiffens, but he doesn’t stop walking.

“I think you and I need a little chat,” I hiss into his ear.

He tries to shrug me off, but I don’t release my grip.

“Fuck off, or I’ll call the police,” he mutters back.

“You’re not going to want to do that,” Noah says calmly, taking his other arm and directing us down an alley.

Harry and Jack aren’t far behind us. Noah throws Patrick up against the wall and I’m on him.

My hand wraps around his throat, his meaty little hands cover mine as he fights to release my hand.

“What the fuck is your problem?” he tries to yell, but I silence him by tightening my grip. His face turns bright red, his eyes bulging. I clench my jaw so tightly I almost crack a tooth. I could do it right now, right here. End his pathetic life for what he’s done to Gabriella, for what he’s put her through.

He tries to fight against me, but I’m too strong for him.

“Brad, ease up a little,” Jack says calmly, forever the sensible one in the group.

I release Patrick and he slumps to the ground, clutching his neck, taking in sharp, greedy gasps of air.

I snarl, feeling nothing for this man other than pure hatred.

“What is this about?” He wheezes, trying to get up on his knees.

“Gabriella,” I say sternly.

“That slut. What’s she done now?”