Page 93 of A Cold Hard Truth

“Why?”

“Because those were the instructions.”

Sebastian had started to push open the door to the car, but stopped, collapsing back against the soft and warm leather seat. He closed his eyes and covered his face with his forearm.

“I’m an idiot,” he groaned, pulling the door closed.

Rhys had gotten out of the car, but he climbed back inside, closing his door behind him and sighing.“What now?”

“I should have known you weren’t the one behind this.” Sebastian opened one eye and focused on his brother, who looked as put together as he had when he’d shown up at Sebastian’s apartment in Myers Bluff.

“Your wife is the one behind this,” Rhys said. “It’s her mouth and her pussy that’s bringing us all together like it’s Christmas.”

“We don’t do Christmas together.”

“Your wife’s mouth has gotten our father’s attention,” Rhys said. “Did you think it would go ignored?”

“I don’t even know what she’s been saying.”

“He’s not home right now,” Rhys said, speaking of their father. “Come inside. We’ll talk about it and meet him in the morning with a united front.”

“United front,” Sebastian muttered, shoving open the car door and stalking up the gravel driveway toward the house he’d grown up in.

He hated everything about the St. George estate, most of all being there, but he was in Mallardsville with no car and a pushy older brother to contend with. He ached for the comfort of Remington’s steadfast presence, but found nothing but cold marble in the mansion’s foyer.

Rhys’s dress shoes clacked against the floor as he followed Sebastian inside and the door closed behind them with a deafening thud. Rhys brushed past him down the entry way and to the right. Sebastian listened to Rhys’s footfalls grow quieter the further away he walked, and with a sigh, Sebastian went after him.

He pulled out his phone as he walked, firing off a quick message to Callahan to let him know he’d arrived in Mallardsville. Before he could put his phone away, it rang. He stopped and backtracked, plopping down on the bottom step of the grand staircase and answering the call.

“Hello?”

“What do you mean you’re in Mallardsville?” Callahan asked.

“I’m sure you would have heard.”

“I did. But not from you. Not from my best friend.”

“Jace told you,” he said.

“Jace isn’t my best friend,” Callahan reminded.

“Isn’t he?”

“Don’t do this right now. You are my best friend.”

“It doesn’t feel like it sometimes,” Sebastian whispered.

“I’m allowed to spend time with Jace,” Callahan said, “but I wouldn’t have him if it wasn’t for you. I’m allowed to enjoy him and still have you, too. Being with him doesn’t mean you’re exempt from your duties.”

“My duties.” He chuckled and rested his head against the ornate stair bannister.

“Like telling me directly when you’re in a relationship with someone, telling me when you’re going out of town. The same things we’ve always talked about.”

“I’m not…” Sebastian cleared his throat. “I’m not in a relationship.”

“No?” Callahan sounded doubtful.

“I don’t think so.”