16
Walker swung the mallet one last time to finish rough-shaping a fender.He set the tool on the floor.Dripping with sweat from his workout, which had also served to vent some of his physical frustration, he headed over to his bench, where he planned to put the metal down too.Planned tobecause he never got that far.The clomp of booted feet came up behind him, triggering his instincts.He turned toward the person rapidly approaching.And that’s when Dane’s fist collided with his eye socket.
“What the fuck!”Walker roared as he dropped the chunk of metal with a clang loud enough to wake all the babies in Middletown, Arden and Noah included.
Habit had his fists balled and raised, his stance widened and his focus lasered in on his best friend in time to block the second swing that came his way.Dane’s fist glanced off his forearm as he protected his head.It had been a while since they’d gone at it like this.
Walker didn’t appreciate the reminder of their old life and their old ways.Weren’t they better than this shit now?
“You tried to foist her off on me like you’re some kind of noble pimp?”Dane lunged, reminding Walker of how fast and agile he was.He landed another blow, this time to Walker’s gut.
Walker didn’t enjoy the thought of hitting other guy, but he wasn’t a punching bag either.
It wouldn’t be the first time they’d scrapped in their nearly twenty-year friendship.Nor would it likely be the last.At least that’s what he thought until he saw the rage twisting Dane’s usually affable face into something he didn’t recognize.
Maybe this time he’d crossed a line.Dane was always more sensitive when Joy was involved.Had he done something to break them for good?
“Hey, calm down.”He tried to hold Dane at arm’s length while the guy attempted to pummel him.They grappled, Walker grunting when he caught Dane’s elbow in his ribs.It didn’t hurt nearly as much as the part of him that mourned the loss of Dane and Joy.This was only more proof that he needed to get out of their way and let them grow together.“I’m happy for you two.Honestly.”
He was.But part of him twisted in agony.The part that was going to have to let go of Dane like he’d already let go of Joy.
Walker wasn’t sure he would survive.
“You don’t get it!”Dane boomed, and broke free of Walker’s hold.
Next thing he knew the other guy had launched himself at Walker and they were both about to crash to the cement garage floor.Walker wrapped his arms around Dane and threw his weight to one side so he absorbed the brunt of the force.Plus Dane landed on top of him, knocking the wind from him.
That gave Dane the opportunity to crumple Walker’s shirt in his fists and shake him several times, hard enough to rattle his teeth.“You don’t have the right to play God.You’re not my president.This isn’t Wildfire and you’re not your motherfucking father, so quit acting like him!”
That did it.
Walker went completely still, indignity sparking his own rage.Unlike Dane, however, he got quieter and more deadly when he was pissed.
“So you’re telling me you didn’t enjoy whatever it was you two were doing in there?”He shouldn’t have goaded Dane when he was already so worked up.And yet…he couldn’t help himself.“Sounded to me and the rest of Middletown like you were having one hell of a time.Joy too.”
A slow, wide slash of a smile spread across his face.Mostly because he’d been picturing what had been going on in their tiny home and convincing himself that he shouldn’t run back there to join in.
It was why he’d started banging on that piece of metal in the first place.
“If you don’t want to be involved, don’t you dare even think about Joy like that.You don’t deserve her either.”Did Dane say either because he still believedhedidn’t deserve Joy or because he thought Walker wasn’t good enough for either Joy or Dane?
Both were probably true.
Distracted, Walker didn’t dodge the next volley of blows.Stunned, he absorbed the full impact of Dane’s aggravation.
“Dane!Stop it!”Joy came nearer, trying to rip him off Walker.And when it became apparent that he wasn’t going to budge, she started shouting for backup.“Quinn!Trevon!Gavyn!Wren!Van!Ollie!Anybody!”
Both Walker and Dane ignored her and kept hashing things out their way.
“When are you going to admit it, Walker?”Dane had the upper hand.He was fully on top of Walker now, using his forearm on Walker’s throat to keep him pinned down while he tried to force a response.
“Admit what?”Walker croaked.There were plenty of things he could go to confession for.Which one did Dane have in mind?
“That you want to nail your stepsister so bad it’s been driving you crazy for years.That you’re not going to be happy for your whole damn life because you refuse to accept the one thing that will fill the gaping hole in your soul.That I’m a poor substitute for what you’ve always really needed and never let yourself have, and now you’re trying to get rid of me while you can do it with a clear conscience.”
That was it.Walker used his bulk and his fury to flip Dane, splaying him out on the concrete floor as Joy shrieked at them in the background.Even still he didn’t plan on hitting the other guy.That wasn’t his style anymore.Instead they wrestled, reminding him of the nights they’d done something similar in bed.Except this time it was all pain and no pleasure as Dane’s knee connected with his balls.
“Hey, hey!”Trevon reached them first, sticking his arm between him and Dane.The guy risked getting it broken right off.