CHAPTER 8
COYLE
Something is wrong. I can feel the storm brewing like I’m a damn meteorologist. It’s making me feel uneasy and on edge.
I’ve been home for a little while and unpacking the last of my boxes. What I told Jude was true, I didn’t have any attachment to the house Killian and I lived in. Now I can use it as a rental property or sell it, which is exactly what I intended to do from the start. I just got complacent.
Edison doesn’t need a complacent man. She needs a safe space. Jude’s house is massive. We helped him to move into one of the guest rooms so we can get the primary bedroom ready for when we can get our woman home with us.
It’s a solid plan and makes me feel like we have something to really offer Edison. When she’s ready to hear it. I don’t think that’ll be today and, damn, it stings.
We pushed her too far the other night. It would be easy to blame Killian and his plan, but I was right there next to him, enjoying the way she fell apart for us, without thinking about how we were going to navigate the next part.
I’ve always prided myself on being rational and making smart choices, but the moment I saw Edison, I needed her. It was primal and it drove me to think about the moment instead of the long-term. It’s not like me to get caught up instead of planning.
I’ve always been the big picture guy, especially after I took over raising Killian when I was far too young to do so. There wasn’t another option in my mind, though, so I stepped up.
That’s when I found construction. It was money I could rely on and work I was capable of. After Killian graduated, I set out to create my own business and I’ve spent years focusing on it. Now, I’m in a place where I don’t have to be out on the job sites daily. I have men under me who know how much I value them. They respect me as not just a boss and the owner, but a man.
I’m in a good place, but now it doesn’t feel like enough. I know what I’m missing and it’s Edison. I didn’t even realize I was missing anything until I saw her across the room at Club Sin and things clicked into place.
Part of me had been waiting to prove Killian wrong and pull him out of his fantasy land. It had been years since Killian brought up the idea of us sharing a woman for more than one night, and almost just as long since I had considered it. Then with one look I knew everything he’d told me was true.
When a door closes loudly enough that I hear it upstairs in my room, the pressure around me becomes even more oppressive. My feet are moving before I realize it, taking me downstairs and into the living room. With one look at Jude and Killian, I know something has happened and it’s not good.
The harsh words are out before I have a chance to temper them, “What the fuck did you two do?”
Jude brushes past me and drops down onto the couch, burying his face in his hands. “I saw Edison today. I tried to talk to her, I mean, I did talk to her. Then I pulled her into the supply closet. Things,” he lifts his head and looks me in the eye, “happened. She sucked my dick like a fucking champ.”
“I’m the one who fucked up,” Killian interjects. “I walked into the supply closet, and she had questions.”
Realization dawns on me and I try and keep my voice neutral, “Like why the hell you were there?”
Killian nods. I want to scream at them, but it’s clear they’re beating themselves up already. I don’t want to add to it.
Killian sounds defeated, “I didn’t lie.” He swallows hard and looks away in shame. “I fucked up.”
“She ran,” Jude sounds like a broken man.
“More like speed walked,” Killian tries to inject some levity into the situation, but it falls flat. “But, yeah,” the dejected note in his voice is like a whip to my soul.
I take a deep breath, but it doesn’t do much to stop the pure fucking anger welling up in me. It’s a battle I’m losing and there’s not much I can do about it. Not right now, not when it’s our woman which hangs in the balance.
“She needed some time,” I spit out. “She needed some time and space, it’s the reason she ran from us. Why did you push her? You already said she was avoiding you.” Jude can’t meet my eyes and I whirl around on my brother. “Why couldn’t you help yourself?”
“They were in there a long time, I needed to know what was happening,” he tries to explain, but there’s no defending his actions today and he knows it.
“Give me her address,” I demand.
Both of their heads snap up to look at me. I cross my arms over my chest, not willing to budge on this. Not even a little bit.
“You’ve fucked up. I’m going to go and fix it,” I explain even though I shouldn’t have to, but if we’re going to do this then we need to do it without secrets and bullshit.
Not like I’ve ever been a man big on bullshitting. I don’t lie. I go at people directly. I don’t fuck around, especially when it’s important and this is probably the most important thing I’ve ever dealt with.
Killian pulls out his phone and types something. A moment later when my own phone goes off, I pull it out of my pocket and look at the address he’s sent me. My eyebrows shoot up, not liking the area of the city that our woman lives in.
“Yeah,” Jude almost snarls, “I hate that she lives there. It’s one of the reasons I kept an eye on her so much. I don’t like it at all. I can’t stand the idea of her not being safe.”