by Abbi Glines
“Brent Sutton shut up and listen to me. This is MY wedding day. And this is MY best friend. I do not care about the past. You should be past it too. Sadie stood up here with me today. You have told her you love her. That being the case, you have moved on from Scarlet. I will not have her leave here because you want to have a little fit like a freaking baby!”
Dallas chuckled but I didn’t look his way.
“Guess I should have let her handle it to begin with,” Asher said with an amused tone.
Brent glared at me, but his expression softened on Dixie. “She’s why Bray has gone missing.”
Dixie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t care. Let him run. He can be an ass if he wants to. But I want to dance and enjoy my reception with my best friend there too. You and Bray got to stand by your brother. I didn’t have Scarlet beside me.”
Brent thought about that a minute. Then he shrugged. “Fine. You’re right. It’s over. Who cares if Bray is here or not,” Brent said, the tension leaving his stance. He didn’t look my way again.
Asher stepped in front of me. “Thanks for coming, Scarlet.”
“Thanks for letting me stay,” I replied.
“One question though. Did Bray see you?”
I nodded. “Yes. We have spoken and gotten our closure.”
Asher didn’t look convinced. “Good.”
Dixie squeezed my hand. “It’s going to be okay.”
It never would be. Not for me.
Bray
THE WALK FROM Dixie’s house to mine didn’t give me the time I needed to get over that shit. The party was starting up in my front yard. A band was already playing and the tent in our yard was filling up. I’d stood there and had to endure the entire thing while watching Scarlet. That’s all I could manage for Asher.
Instead of going toward the house I tuned toward my barn. Dallas’s punching bag no longer seemed stupid. I needed to hit something. The frustration was turning into rage the further I got away from Scarlet.
I hadn’t expected her to run back into my arms but damned if I expected that cold shut down. The regret in her eyes fucking killed me. That’s not how I felt. I thought she felt the same as I did. Hell, I had thought she felt more than I did. Apparently eight months was enough time to forget and move on for her.
“Bray Sutton!” Momma’s stern voice called out loudly over the yard before I reached the barn. For one second, I considered ignoring her. But that was only for a brief second. I wasn’t insane. Close but not entirely. “You keep walking boy and you’ll wish you hadn’t!” she warned.
“Shit,” I muttered before stopping and turning toward my angry mother. “What?” I replied, unable to keep my own emotions in check.
“Don’t even think about taking yourself in that barn. I told you at the wedding the girl was here and for you to keep your head about you. There’s pictures going on up there,” she pointed at Dixie’s. That’s where you belong.”
When I had walked down the aisle, Momma had whispered. “She’s here. Don’t you dare ruin your brother’s wedding. Keep your head.”
I wasn’t a kid who needed warning. But then again, I was doing exactly what she said not to do. This keeping my head for Asher’s sake was getting old.
“You’re asking too much of me,” I told her.
She closed the distance between us and shoved her finger into my chest as she looked up at me. “No! I am not. You did this boy. You made this bed and now lying in it ain’t no fun. What good did you ever think would come of it? Sleeping with your brother’s girlfriend? I ain’t saying it was all you. She did it too. But you were his brother. His twin. Taking what ain’t yours was wrong. Now, today is about Asher and Dixie and you will not make it about you. You’ll march yourself right into that reception, smile, and be a good brother.”
Scarlet had only started dating Brent to get to me. I’d had her first. I wouldn’t be exclusive. I didn’t want one woman. The idea suffocated me. She’d gone and tried to force my hand using not only my brother but my twin. It had worked. She’d made me fucking crazy with jealousy. But I wasn’t going to tell Momma that because I didn’t like how it made Scarlet look. And motherfucker if I didn’t want to protect her still.
“Okay,” was all I could say.
The old Bray would walk into the reception, find a single girl and seduce her right there in front of Scarlet. But getting up the desire to even try was too damn draining.
“Good. They’re headed this way now. You missed pictures. I ain’t forgetting that!” she snapped. Turning, she stormed off back toward the house.
I had been in plenty damn photos before the wedding with Asher and the others. I didn’t see why there had to be more anyway. Fuck the pictures.
With one last glance at the barn and the punching bag I’d been about to go release some aggression on, I followed Momma back to the house to meet the others as they arrived. If I was lucky Scarlet would have left.
The second I thought that, the pain in my chest squeezed at the idea of her leaving again. Away from me. Away from here. She was done with us. I had to do the same. At one time she’d wanted me so badly, she’d tried to force me to want her by using jealousy. I’d messed up. It was over.
Time to move the fuck on with my life. Stop thinking of her. Let it go. Brent sure had easily enough.
I reached the tent about the time the others had parked and were headed toward us. Brent, Dallas, and Steel were all shooting daggers my way. My absence during pictures was a bigger deal than I thought it would be. Dixie must have been upset. Shit. Now I’d have to deal with Asher.
“You’re a complete dick,” Steel said angrily.
“Selfish motherfucker,” Dallas added.
Brent studied me before finally saying, “It’s over. Move on.”
I was too raw from the confrontation with Scarlet, being forced to be here by Momma, and my own all-consuming pain that I didn’t fucking want to be threatened by Brent. I took three steps toward him until I was in his face. Before I could say anything, hands were on both my arms and I was pulled back.
“Jesus, Bray! It’s Asher’s wedding reception,” Steel said, pulling me harder.
The glint of red hair in the corner of my eye caught my attention and my eyes shifted over Brent’s shoulder. Beside Dixie was Scarlet. Both of them were paused, watching me. Us. Waiting. Dixie looked angry. Scarlet looked terrified. She hadn’t left. Her eyes almost appeared to be begging me to stop. She’d told me it was over.
I jerked my arms loose from Steels grasp. “Let me go. I’m not going to do anything,” I said, glancing at Brent. “But you need to keep your mouth shut. You moved the fuck on. She’s not yours anymore.”
Brent scowled at me. “No, she’s not. But she’s not yours either. She’s here for Dixie. Let her be. Leave it alone.”
He was right. She hadn’t come back for me. She’d come back for Dixie. I turned and stalked to the far-right corner where the bar was set up to get a beer. I’d stand back here and keep to myself. I’d watch her from here because I was fucking weak.
I picked up a beer and downed it not caring if anyone had a problem that I was under age. This was private property. They could suck my dick. I needed a damn beer. I needed a case of fucking beers.
“She was going to leave. Dixie begged her not to,” Dallas said from behind me. “She wants to be here with Dixie, but she doesn’t want to cause any drama.”
I took another long drink. I knew why she was here. Why did everyone think I needed reminding. I wasn’t hitting anyone. Brent’s ass was still standing. They could calm the fuck down.
“I know that,” I replied when I finally turned to face him. “You went and talked her into coming. Congratu-fuckin-lations, but back off, baby brother. I ain’t in the mood to listen to any more warnings.”
Dallas frowned at me. “I’m not scared of you, Bray. If I have to, I will stop you.” His tone didn’t seem threatening. More nervous.
I laughed. Loudly. Because that was the funnies
t shit I’d heard all day.
I pointed my beer at him and grinned. “You may be large but don’t think you can take me. It takes more than size, baby brother. It takes truly not giving a fuck mixed with crazy. And I got both.”
Dallas looked concerned. “Then control your crazy. For Asher.”
“Back off my ass. For Asher,” I shot back.
Dallas sighed, shook his head, finally resigned to leave me the hell alone.
Brent’s gaze was locked on me. Watching me. I downed my beer and held his gaze. When he didn’t stop staring at me I did the mature thing and gave the fucker my middle finger before getting another beer.
Scarlet
DIXIE SQUEEZED MY hand. “It’s okay. The others will control Bray. I have to greet people with Asher. Get a drink. Relax. Enjoy yourself. When we take our seats, I’ll have a chair added to my table for you. Come sit there.”
I knew she couldn’t stay with me the entire time. It was her wedding. She had to go be the bride, but facing this alone was terrifying.
I forced a smile. “I’ll be fine. Go be social,” I told her.
Asher put an arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. The happy glow on her face was enough for me to push through my fear. I could do this for her. She wanted me to be here. I would be here.
Dixie smiled and made her way toward the other guests who were anxious to gush over the beautiful bride. I watched for a moment, glad she had gotten her Sutton boy. She would have never been this happy with Steel. He was a good man, but he wasn’t the one for her. Asher always had been. Even when I hated him for hurting her, I knew they were meant to be. I just couldn’t say that. Dixie had lived through enough pain.
Glancing around I saw Dallas heading my way. He was one Sutton brother I didn’t mind talking to. Brent still hadn’t spoken to me alone. I didn’t want to face him without others around. He hated me still. That much was obvious.
Dallas was taller than the others now, but his face still held youthfulness. His age was easy to detect. Although he seemed to think he was grown now. That was cute. He’d always been the prettiest of them all and the most charismatic.
“You made it through the hardest part. Time to take a deep breath and chill,” Dallas said as he came to stand beside me.
I didn’t agree. “Brent hasn’t approached me alone yet. He hates me. I would like to avoid him.”
Dallas shook his head. “I don’t think he will. If Sadie sees him talking to you he’ll have trouble in paradise. She’s a bit jealous. Sweet and all, but she doesn’t know about you. At least not yet. He can’t talk to a good-looking woman and her not get upset.”
“I’m glad he found someone,” I replied honestly. I wouldn’t have been able to say that if we’d been talking about Bray. That would have been too much.
“Bray hasn’t. He’s back to not taking women seriously.”
When had he ever not done that? Even when he was with me he slept around. I was never enough. He wasn’t a one-woman guy. Knowing that should have been enough for me to have kept my distance. Instead of trying to force him to want more with me. But I was broken before Bray. I didn’t expect to ever have the kind of love normal people had. It would take a person who could handle my . . . issues.
“Let’s get a drink,” Dallas suggested.
“You’re not old enough to drink,” I told him.
He grinned. “Neither are you.”
“Maybe we should get a soda or punch,” I replied.
“Yeah, you’re right. If Momma catches me with a beer, she’ll be pissed.”
She absolutely would. I nodded my head in agreement.
“Dixie was really happy to see you. I believe I delivered the best wedding gift here. Thanks for coming.”
I smiled up at Dallas. “I was your wedding gift?”
He nodded. “Hell yeah, you were. And a damn hard one to achieve.”
He was proud of himself for getting me here. I was thankful he’d talked me into coming. He was right. Dixie wanted me here. If I thought about the distance I had put between us, the guilt came back. She hadn’t deserved my ignoring her calls and text.
Once again, I had been selfish. Seemed to be my thing. I had to change that too. Think about others first and myself last.
“Scarlet, we need to talk,” Brent said stepping in front of us as we reached the drink table.
“Don’t do this,” Dallas said to him. “This is Dixie’s day. Back off.”
Brent glared at him. “I’m aware of that, but I’m not asking to cause a fucking scene right here in the middle of everyone. I am asking to go somewhere alone and talk. There are some things I need to say.”
“And she’s aware of all you need to say. She knows what happened and her part in it. Go find Sadie,” Dallas told him.
“Fuck off, Dallas,” Brent snarled. “No one asked you to get in the middle of this.”
I had to do something before that scene they were talking about not having blew up.
“It’s fine. You want to talk, Brent. We can talk,” I said stopping them from going any further. “Dallas get your drink. Let me get this over with. He has a right to tell me whatever he wants to. I was the one in the wrong. Not Brent.”
Dallas didn’t look convinced. “I promised Dixie I would protect you from this shit.”
“You can tell her I agreed to it if she asks,” I tried to reassure him. Then I glanced at Brent. “Lead the way.”
Brent didn’t reply. He turned and headed for the back of his house. I followed with one last smile at Dallas. He was worried. There was no reason to be. I wasn’t scared of Brent. I dreaded what he had to say, but he wasn’t like Bray. They were complete opposites. Brent was the guy who would love completely. The one you could trust to cherish you. I had thrown that away for the wild look in Bray’s eyes.
Heat. I felt it. The warmth that filled my veins. A tingle that went down my spine. Turning my head my eyes locked with Bray’s. He was watching me. His dark gaze following me as I left with Brent. Excitement came quickly and left. That look had been one that came before moments with him I would never forget. Right now, it meant something else. He wasn’t about to give me the orgasm of my life, he was angry.
For once I wasn’t using Brent to make him jealous or get his attention. I was giving Brent the satisfaction of telling me how much he hated me. How awful I was. What a terrible person I was. That was all I was doing. I tried to relay that with my eyes, but I doubted it worked. Bray didn’t know me like that. He hadn’t taken time to get to know me other than my clothes being off, his dick in my mouth, or pumping into me while I screamed his name begging him to never stop. That was all Bray knew about me. My willingness to do whatever he asked of me.
I tore my eyes off the man that I’d let own me. I had been looking for some sort of acceptance. To be owned. He seemed like the man to do it. I shook my head to clear that thought.
I continued following his brother who was stalking toward their barn. Yet another barn with another Sutton boy. Seemed to be the theme of the day. Hopefully, Brent would walk away, done with me like his brother had. Then I could truly put this behind me.
He stopped before we reached the barn. Swung around to face me. “He’ll be here in a few seconds. I don’t have much time,” Brent said looking disgusted.
If he meant Bray, I knew he was wrong. Bray was done. We’d had our ending.
“I know you came for Dixie. When I first saw you, I was furious. After calming down, I realized it wasn’t about Bray or me. It was for Dixie. If it had been about either of us, you’d have come back sooner.”
I simply nodded. I was waiting on the cursing and name calling.
“What you did . . . I almost let it destroy Bray and me. I hated him. Blamed him. One day, I realized I loved my brother more than I ever loved you. I had to forgive. Move on. You were gone. Bray was in a dark place with his issues. Bray isn’t like me. Hell, he isn’t like the rest of us. He’s twisted in a way we all have to accept. What he
did shouldn’t have surprised me. What you did, however, was shocking. Painful.”
I started to say I was sorry because I was. But he held up his hand to stop me from speaking. “Let me get this all out. I don’t need you to speak. I’ve heard enough from you already.”
He spoke to me as if I were the most distasteful thing he’d ever experienced. That stung.
“I found happiness again. I found real happiness. Sadie loves me. Really loves me. She doesn’t give Bray longing glances like I’d seen you do. I had refused to believe. I saw hints. I just didn’t want to think it was true. It was my fault for ignoring the obvious too.
“I feel sorry for you. Bray doesn’t love. His world revolves around lust and taking what feels good. What he wants. You fell into that and got sucked right in. He used you for his pleasure. It was as unfair to you as it was to me. But again, I love my brother. I can forgive his insanity. As for you, there is no forgiveness. I have nothing to forgive. I only feel pity for you.”
He stopped talking.
I stood there waiting for him to say more, but he was done. I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came. He felt sorry for me. He had no idea. My loving Bray was the last thing he should pity. There were more painful things. Things he’d never know.
We had something in common
“I do too,” I finally replied.
He frowned “What?”
I shrugged. “We agree on something. I feel sorry for me too. Now, if you’re done I’d like to return to the party.”
Brent didn’t reply right away. He had thought his words would hurt me. Cause tears or drama. That Scarlet was no more. After a few moments, he simply nodded.
“Goodbye, Brent. And for what it is worth I am happy you found love. The real kind,” I didn’t stay to hear his response or see his expression. I walked away. Back to the tent. One more door to the past closed firmly behind me.
Bray