Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(74)

It wasn’t long before Stephanie opened the door to Al’s apartment. I opened my arms and she gave me a stunning smile before falling into them.

“Now can we go home?” she asked as she held me tightly.

“Yes, sweetheart,” I told her, stroking her hair, “and we can stay there.”





CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN


Stephanie



Michael was only fourteen months older than me. When I was around eight my mother admitted that my arrival had been something of a surprise, as she and my father weren’t planning on having more children after Michael was born.

“But a wonderful surprise you were,” she’d said, kissing the tip of my nose.

I used to believe that was why Michael didn’t like me, because I had in essence stolen his thunder and seized his role as youngest child. As I grew older I realized his contempt was more universal. No one was immune. Not my parents, not Robbie, no one.

Both of my brothers were chronic troublemakers but Robbie had more of a playful nature. Michael was hard-edged and unyielding. Girls adored him no matter how callously he treated them. I had grown used to thinking of Michael as someone who didn’t have feelings. But I had glimpsed his desolation on the day my mother died when he locked himself in his room and sobbed so loudly the horrible sound echoed through the barren house. Several days later, when Robbie was murdered, Michael screamed at our father and called him a f*cking coward. I never knew why. Michael was basically checked out after that. He left with only a month remaining of high school. He also left me alone to deal with Nick Bransky’s trial and the shunning of our family.

I sighed thickly and looked at the man seated several feet away. I didn’t know him at all.

“I heard you’ve been in the area for a while,” I said, trying to keep my voice from sounding accusatory.

“You heard correctly,” Michael said, keeping his tone neutral. “I’ve been around for a little over a month I guess.”

“Oh.” I crossed my legs and stared down at my lap. I didn’t know how the hell to talk to this brother of mine. I never did. “Did Alonzo know that?”

Michael leaned back into the ratty sofa and stretched his arm across the back. “Alonzo found out a few hours ago when I came here prepared to remove his f*cking lungs with a spoon.”

I swallowed. “Why?”

He stared at me solemnly. “You know why, Steffie.”

Even my own brother saw me naked and disgraced.

“It wasn’t his fault,” I sniffed.

“Well he goddamn well didn’t lift a finger to help.”

“He couldn’t have helped if he tried. I got in over my head, Mike.” My voice was losing strength. “I didn’t want to do it.”

Michael’s face crumbled and he shut his eyes. “I know. I knew that even before Alonzo told me.”

There was the murmur of voices just outside. Somewhere nearby tires squealed and a girl laughed crazily into the night.

“Where have you been all this time?”

My brother shrugged. “Dozens of places. None of them lasted. None of them mattered.”

I tried not to get angry over the way he’d largely ignored my existence these past few years. After all, I hadn’t reached out to him either. “But you were keeping in touch when you felt like it. Uncle Rocco seemed to be pretty well versed in your whereabouts.”

“I wouldn’t have done you any good, Steffie.”

“Screw that. I would have liked to know that you gave a shit. You’re my brother.”

He watched me for a minute before answering. “I know. That’s why I’m here now. I’m going to exercise a brother’s privilege.”

“What does that mean, Michael? Are you going to kill someone for shooting a dirty video of me against my will?”

“No,” he said shortly. “But I’m going to hold them accountable.”

“Why?”

He sighed. “Because I couldn’t do anything about Robbie.”

“Michael, please stop speaking in riddles and half truths. Do you know who killed Robbie?”

“No. I tried like hell to find out but no. I knew Dad had an idea but he wouldn’t tell me a f*cking thing. He told me I was forbidden from avenging my big brother and that was the last thing we fought about.” Michael crossed his arms over his chest and I saw the inflexible will he had shown the world his whole life. “He didn’t have the right to refuse me that.”

“He was trying to protect you.”

Michael’s look was far away. He’d started down a different path already. “Do you know how many f*cking times he made her cry, Stephanie? You were always daddy’s little princess. But did you realize what kind of man he was? Shit, if Nick Bransky tells you it’s sunny outside you should still stick your head out the window and let the sun pierce your eyeballs because he lies as often as he breathes.”

“Don’t, Michael. Don’t do it.”

I can’t lose my last brother. Please.

He exhaled and looked away. He’d said he wasn’t thinking of murder but his voice sounded pretty deadly. “Nobody f*cking does that to my sister and then goes about his business.”

I wasn’t going to be able to talk him out of a thing. “Then I’ll ask a different favor. Keep Chase out of it.”