We both lunge at the same time but Danny gets to it first. “This is Drew.” Frowning, his eyes meet mine. He speaks the words slowly, as understanding breaks across his face. “Why do you have a picture of my little sister?”
“It’s old.” As if that somehow makes it better.
He turns it over to read the back. “My first? What the fuck?”
My stomach is tight. I knew this was long overdue, but I hadn’t intended to do it now, right before we pull out. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“We’re talking about it now. How long has this been going on?”
“Your sister’s back home, Danny. Nothing’s going on.”
He steps to me, pushing his arm against my chest. “When did she write this?”
Hazel eyes scan my expression, searching, studying my response. I’ve never been a great liar, and he knows how many girlfriends I’ve had.
“That last night at the lake house. We were talking downstairs.”
“You said you never touched her.”
“I never said that.”
Anger flashes across his face. “You fucked my kid sister.”
The words are a low growl. Danny has always been a hothead.
“It’s not like that.”
“Mother fucker. She’s just a kid.” He pulls his fist back to punch me, but I dodge, grabbing him around the chest.
“Calm down.” My voice is louder, matching his.
“Let me go, asshole. I’m going to kick your ass.”
“No.” I hold him firmly against my chest. I’m stronger than he is, but not by much. “Settle down. I’m not going to fight you.”
“You’re three years older, and you fucked her. You ruined her and walked away just like my dad said you would.”
“It was not like that. It was never like that.”
“You worthless, good for nothing piece of shit. Drew is fucking royalty. She’s so far out of your league, you can’t even see her.”
Like I said, I expected something like this, but it still pisses me off. Danny and I know each other better than anybody, and he knows I’ve never been a player. It’s fucking hypocrisy, considering what he does, up to and including this week—putting our entire unit in jeopardy to screw around with the daughter of our host.
At the same time, I can’t argue with him. “I told her to find somebody better.”
“It didn’t stop you from sleeping with her.” He makes a sudden move, jerking to the left, and he’s out of my grasp.
Before I can duck, light blasts behind my left eye as his fist slams into my cheekbone. I actually see stars.
“Fuck,” I groan, staggering back and holding my face.
Pain radiates up through my skull, into my temple. He’s worse off, shaking his hand.
“Fuck!” He yells louder.
I hope he broke it. “If you’d calm your ass down and talk to me—”
“Who else knows about this?”