Bad Boy Brody(47)

“Brody?” Morgan stood. She could tell something was wrong.

I just waved, not looking over. “Keep talking. I’ll be in the cabin.”

“What’s wrong?”

Christ. I finally looked at her. Could I tell her? He was watching her.

Could I destroy whatever she felt toward him?

I looked at Abby. She’d be told anyway. It would get out.

I shook my head. “I don’t want to tell you this, Morgan.”

I expected to see her pull away, to become wary. She did neither. Her mouth flattened into a strong line, and she stepped toward me with purpose. Even her voice was firm. “Tell me.”

Abby jumped to her feet, biting her lip again. “Is it Finn? Did you hurt him?”

“No.” Well, yes.

I couldn’t say the words. I didn’t want to say the words. Matthew was a piece of shit, but this would send Morgan over the edge. She’d go back to the horses, and even I didn’t know if I’d see her again.

“We found video footage on Matt’s hard drive,” Finn said from behind me.

He was holding tight to Jen’s hand.

Abby gasped.

He added, “Brody destroyed it.”

There could be other copies besides the one in my pocket. My stomach rolled over on itself. If there were . . . I couldn’t go there. My hands were already forming into fists.

Morgan didn’t react. Her eyes were just questioning, looking back to me. I didn’t look away as I stepped toward her. “Morgan—”

Finn spoke over me, “He had a video of them together.” He let his sister comprehend it.

I couldn’t look away from Morgan.

She didn’t once look away from me, as I scraped the words from my throat, saying, “He watched us.”





Brody



Morgan’s face gave nothing away, but she snapped her head toward her siblings. “You won’t tell him.”

“What?”

She clipped her head from side to side. “I mean it. You lie for Brody. Matt isn’t to know it was him.”

“His hard drive is destroyed. He had business on there. He’s going to flip.”

“I don’t care. Tell him I did it.”

“What?” Abby and Finn shared a look. Abby asked again, “What?”

“I did it. I found out what was on there, and I was the one who destroyed the computer.” Morgan swallowed tightly, lifting her head higher.

God.

My heart pounded a little harder.

She took my breath away.

“He won’t say a goddamn word then.” Morgan turned, her eyes slightly wild, as if she didn’t believe what she was saying. She walked toward me, but she didn’t stop. She took my hand and led me to my cabin.

I pulled her to a stop before turning to Finn. “You get those cameras taken down.”

He nodded, running a tired hand over his face. “First thing tomorrow.”

“Tonight.” Morgan had turned back. “I mean it.” Her face was in a set mask. She was dead serious, and she let everyone see it before she tugged on my hand again. As we went for the cabin, I heard Jen murmur, “Your sister is a badass. And bossy.”

No one commented.

I went straight to the liquor cabinet but then remembered Gayle cleaned everything out. “Fuck!”

Bracing my hands on the counter, I leaned down. I was holding on to that thing like I wished it were Matthew’s throat. I wanted to strangle him. I wanted to beat the shit out of him, and once he healed, I wanted to do it all over again. And again. And again.

Morgan took a step near me, but she didn’t say anything.

A savage growl built in my throat. “I want to fucking beat the shit out of your brother.”

I expected her to cower or flinch, but she only met my gaze full on and let out a soft sigh. “That hard drive had his business on it. I’m sure there was valuable stuff on there. He’ll be furious.”

I straightened, getting a dose of humility. “I won’t let you take the blame for that. I did it.”

“No.” She raised her voice, her eyes urgent. “You can’t say anything. He can never know it was you. He’ll hurt you if he does. He won’t care about the reason you did it.”

“Morgan.” The house was hers. He put those cameras up without her permission. She had to know. I destroyed his private property, but in the grand scheme of things, Matthew did so much worse.

“I don’t want to hear it.”

It clicked with me then. She wasn’t reacting because she wasn’t reacting. She was on lock-down. I could feel the distance between us, which only got wider with each flick of her eyes toward the window.

She wanted to bolt. She wanted to go numb to this world again.

“You’re going to go.”

I wasn’t asking because it was inevitable. I wouldn’t be able to keep her there. She needed to go.

She jerked her head in a stiff nod. “I have to. I can’t—” She gulped again. “I can’t breathe here right now.” She looked at me, searching for understanding, maybe even a sliver of permission.

I nodded, giving her both. Giving her whatever she needed. “Go.”

She started, not waiting another second.