“We did,” Dax said.
Then why are there tools all over the place. Heat rose in my cheeks, and I scrambled to think of an explanation.
“Well,” Dax brushed a hand over his hair. Shit. Was he going to tell the truth? “I was angry. The man came here to take Travis. He thought Travis would just go with him. He thought he was so fucking superior and—”
“So you threw my tools around?” Beau asked.
I prayed Beau would buy Dax’s story as I bent to pick up a screwdriver. That’s when I realized my boxers were still on the floor. I’d just pulled on my coveralls and not thought about anything else. I grabbed them and stuffed them into my pocket as I cleaned up a few wrenches. I glanced up once they were hidden. I didn’t think Beau had noticed, but I was worried Corbin had. At least he didn’t say anything.
“I’ll clean everything up,” Dax said. “And if anything is broken, I’ll fix it.”
Beau sighed. “Fine. Why don’t you go take out your anger on the fucker you shot?”
“I can now, but I wasn’t going to leave Travis here alone.”
“You could have—”
Corbin laid a hand on Beau’s arm. “He wanted your brother to have the best protection. Don’t argue about that. Things could’ve gone a lot worse tonight.”
“Thanks for keeping Travis safe,” Beau said, and I knew he wasn’t really angry with Dax. “We’re here now, so go get us some answers.”
When I glanced at Dax, he smiled and gave me a nod. I knew he was trying to reassure me that things were going to be fine, but I didn’t like thinking about what he was about to do. Was it fair of his family to expect him to provide such a gruesome service? Maybe. Someone had to do it, and Dax said he needed that outlet to keep himself in check.
If that were really true, what the fuck was I doing? Whatever it was, I was in too deep now to back out. I’d never been known for making good choices. Why should that change now?
It had, though, hadn’t it? All the men I’d been with before had only been a means to an end, a way out from poverty or from under my brother’s control. I thought they were a ticket to wealth, a way to get what I wanted. I thought I was using them when really, they were using me, but I hadn’t gone after Dax on purpose. I hadn’t even tried to impress him. I’d just… never grown out of the crush I had on him as a kid. Now I’d fallen harder than I ever had back then. Could I really turn that off if I needed to?
“Don’t leave Travis alone for any reason,” Dax demanded.
Did they really think I was completely helpless? “I’m—”
Dax cut me off. “Any reason.”
Beau nodded. “We won’t.”
He looked at me then. “Promise me you’ll stay here until I come back for you.”
“Beau and Corbin don’t need—”
Dax’s murderous look made Corbin smile. Damn, he was way too perceptive. “We don’t mind you staying with us tonight if—”
“No.” Dax growled. “I’ll be back, and I’ll take him home.”
“You don’t—”
Corbin laid a hand on my arm. “Dax is right. You shouldn’t be alone. Beau, why don’t you take Travis up to the apartment. Dax and I will clean up here, then I’ll join you.”
If I’d used that patronizing tone on Beau, he might’ve killed me, but all he did was roll his eyes, then motion for me to follow him.
12
Dax
Corbin was up to something. He only got calculating when he had an agenda.
My cousin studied the cleared counter and the mess on the floor. “What really happened, Dax?”
I shrugged. “You know my temper.”
“I know you being angry didn’t make Travis’s boxers fall onto the floor.”
“No. You’ll have to ask Travis about that.”
“Will I?”
I scowled at him. “Yes.”
“What are you doing, Dax?”
“Don’t start in on me.” I ignored him as I picked up tools from the floor and laid them on the counter.
“You think Beau will consider that cleaned up?”
“Do I fucking care?”
“Since you’re fucking his little brother, you probably should.”
Dax glared at him. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, I see. Was he modeling for you or—”
“That’s enough, Corbin. I’m not fucking kidding.”
Corbin smiled then, and I knew I’d made a misstep. That calculating bastard. I was used to dealing with men who had straightforward goals. Usually their primary focus was surviving an encounter with me, begging for mercy, or staying silent while I went to work on them. The latter two were pointless. I didn’t believe in mercy once you crossed my family.
“So you do care for him?”
I was not ready to start making fucking confessions. “Let’s just clean up the damn tools.” I made a pile on the counter, then began moving them to the hooks where they belonged. Corbin worked silently with me for several minutes before he spoke again.