Page 121 of A Cold Hard Truth

“That’s his own doing.” Sebastian turned to his brother. “That’s your own doing, Rhys. You’ve forced everyone out.”

“I don’t wish this life on you,” Rhys said. “I don’t wish it on anyone.”

“I don’t even wishmylife on anyone, Rhys.” Sebastian raised his voice. “A job that doesn’t matter in a family that treats me like I’m second class. You’re the only person I’m related to that I like and you bully me and fuck my wife.”

“Ex-wife,” Rhys corrected, sounding like it wasn’t the first time. “And do you really care about that? Honestly?”

“No!” Sebastian answered, like it should have been common sense. “I don’t! I care that you didn’t tell me. That you only call me when you want something or when you want to brag about something.”

“I want out, Sebastian.” Rhys folded his arms over his chest.

“You can’t escape the name, Rhys. I’ve tried.”

“He did it.” Rhys pointed at Remington.

“I moved away,” he said.

Remington had all but abandoned his family and the weighty expectations that came with his name in order to get away from things. It had hurt and it had been a long process to find out who he was separate of the name and the money, but it had been worth it. It had gotten him Sebastian.

“I gave up a lot.”

“But look what you have now.” Rhys shifted his gesture toward his brother. “He’s worth all of it.”

“Of course he is,” Remington agreed.

“Of course he is,” Rhys repeated, like he was trying to prove the point. This poor man so desperate for Sebastian to see through the false bravado he wore like a mask on a near constant basis. The weight and burden of it.

Remington ground his teeth together, feeling suddenly resentful of all of the families, their parents, their educators. Of everyone who expected anyone to not just survive, but thrive under the expectations that had been put on them from birth. Rhys may have gone about things the wrong way, but he’d done the best he could, or what he thought the best had been at the time.

Remington didn’t like Rhys, but after the night before and after the conversation they’d just had, he did believe Rhys had acted from a good place. That his intent had been to keep Sebastian safe and out of harm’s way.

“When did you get a vasectomy?” Remington asked, the spark of a fearful thought taking hold in his brain.

“After Callahan.”

“Does your father know?”

Rhys shook his head.

“If you can’t carry on the name, won’t that shift to him?” Remington tilted his head toward Sebastian, who paled as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Why do you think I play the games I do?” Rhys smirked, slipping back into the smooth arrogance he normally wore. “She’s the one, Father. I’m sure of it. Once she’s older we’ll start trying…”

“Fucking shit,” Sebastian gasped.

“Nothing I do is without measure,” Rhys said.

“So you’re going to wait it out?” Remington asked.

“That’s the plan.”

“Here?” Sebastian dared a quick glance at Remington, and he understood the unspoken part of the question. He squeezed Sebastian’s hand in affirmation.

“Where else?”

“Myers Bluff,” Remington suggested. “Come back home with us.”

Chapter Thirty-Four