Come Back for Me (Arrowood Brothers #1)(69)

“What can I do for you?” I say, hand ready to react.

“You can open the fucking door before I freeze my ass off.”

Fuck. I really didn’t need this tonight.

I put the gun down on the side table, open the door, and release a sigh while glaring at the asshole standing on the porch. Declan has come for a visit, I wonder why.

“What? Not happy to see me? No welcome home, brother . . . it’s nice to see you?”

“Unexpected to see you, Dec, didn’t know you’d be coming by.”

“Yeah, I talked to Jacob and Sean and drew the short straw to come check on things, make sure the conversation we had wasn’t because of some head injury, and meet your girl.”

Good for him, but I don’t want him here. I was about to have a happy night, and that has just disappeared.

“Go find a hotel,” I say and try to shut the door.

“Connor?” Ellie says from the other side. “Is everything okay?”

My brother pushes through the door, his smile as wide and as charming as ever. “You must be Ellie, I’m Declan, this ingrates older and more dashing brother.” His hand slaps on my shoulder. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your night, but I had a few days with no meetings and wanted to come out.”

“Oh!” She rushes forward with her hand out. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Ellie, which you knew, and well, I’ve heard so much about you.” Ellie’s voice is soft, and then she looks down. “I’m a mess. Please don’t judge me on this.”

“Of course not, it’s late, and I dropped by unexpected. Please don’t judge me on whatever manners my brother doesn’t have, and we’ll call it even.”

She laughs, and I shoot daggers at the back of his head. Such a fucking tool. “Dec was going to find a hotel.”

I make my way to stand beside Ellie. I have no idea what exactly my brother’s motives are for coming here. I don’t think it’s just for a friendly visit, though. If I had to guess, he’s here to make sure Ellie is real and that my request for land isn’t because I’m being run around by my cock. God forbid I be happy. Just because he’s too chicken shit to go for what he wants, doesn’t mean I am.

“A hotel?” Ellie asks.

Declan looks back to me and then to Ellie. “Is there even a hotel in Sugarloaf? I figured you’d offer me a room at least.”

Ellie slaps my chest. “You can’t make him go to a hotel!”

“Yes, I can.”

“I wasn’t interrupting an important evening, was I?” Declan’s grin makes me want to punch him.

“Yes.”

“No,” Ellie answers at the same time.

He smirks at me as though he knows what he spoiled tonight. That’s fine, he isn’t the only one who has something to use against the other. Declan forgets that this town is small, and we’re not in the days of no cell phones and where we have to sneak out to see someone. I can get a message to a girl he’s avoiding very quickly.

“We just got Hadley . . . our . . . my . . .”

“Our daughter,” I answer, saving her from trying to figure out if I’d told him or not.

Her smile is warm, face shining with joy. “Our daughter to bed. I’m sure you guys have a lot to catch up on, and it’s getting late, so I’m going to head to bed.”

“Please, don’t feel you have to run off on my account.” Declan tries to stop her.

“No, no, it’s not that. I have work in the morning, and I really am beat.”

I want to choke my brother.

“Dec, why don’t you go to bed, I’m sure you’re tired after your long, uninvited drive out here. Ellie and I were going to talk.”

“Connor, it’s really okay, we can talk anytime. You and your brother probably want to catch up.” She walks over to me, places a kiss on my cheek. “Good night.”

“I really wanted us to be happy.” I know I sound like a petulant kid, but I don’t care.

She smiles. “We can be happy tomorrow.”

Declan laughs but covers it with a cough.

He’s dead.

Ellie blushes and then takes a step backward. “Good night, and it was nice to meet you.”

“You too, Ellie.”

When she’s out of sight, I turn to my brother. “What the hell are you doing here, Declan?”

“We have to talk, and I thought it was best to do it in person.”

He turns and heads outside, giving me no other option than to follow.





Chapter Thirty-One


Connor





Declan and I walk in silence, and I can feel the tension rolling off him.

He keeps going, and as much as I want to stop him and demand he spill it, I know my brother. Sean and Jacob can be pushed, Dec can’t. He works through things in his mind, weighing each possibility before attacking. It’s why he’s successful in his business. He sees the field before making a play.

When we get to the barn that I’ve busted my ass in getting fixed up, he finally stops. “She’s pretty.”

At first, I’m not sure if he means the barn or Ellie, but then he looks back toward the house. “She’s more than just pretty.”