Razed (Barnes Brothers #2)(49)

And here Zach was, tooling away his life in a tattoo parlor. He was damn happy with the way his life was going. He had peace now, privacy, the ability to live his life without worrying how it would affect others. He wouldn’t give it up for nothing.

It was what he’d wanted for a long time, and he was doing just what he’d wanted.

Yeah, he was lucky.

He was also an idiot—

“If you don’t tell me what’s bothering you, I might not share this with you.”

Looking up, he watched as Abby crossed the floor.

She had a plate in her hand and he had to smile as she settled on his lap, one knee on either side of his hips. She had a giant brownie and the smell of it had his stomach growling.

“Maybe I’ll just take it,” he teased, trying to brush aside the brooding thoughts.

She laid the plate on the couch and cupped his face. “Tell me you didn’t fight with Zane again. And don’t try to brush this off. Don’t lie and say nothing’s wrong. I know you too well.”

If anybody could say that, it was her. But for the longest time, he didn’t say anything. “Have I had it easy, Abby?”

She frowned, sliding her arms around his shoulders as she studied him. “What?”

“You heard me.” He slumped deeper into the couch, studying her from under his lids. “Have I had it easy? I mean, the two of us both know that Hollywood isn’t exactly the dream gig plenty of people make it out to be, but it wasn’t like my parents went crazy with it. They kept my life pretty normal. They were—are good parents. I have some great brothers, didn’t have to fight my way through school, and I knew what I wanted almost from the beginning.” He stroked his thumb across her lower lip. “The hardest fight I’ve ever had was for you.”

She arched a brow. “Are you implying something there?”

“Hell, no.” He tugged her closer and caught her mouth, a punch of lust crushing through him as she opened for him. A soft hmmm of pleasure rose in her throat and he swallowed it down. Slowly, he broke the kiss and cupped her cheek, looking into the brown eyes that knew him so well. “You were worth every day, every week, every year I waited. I’d go to hell and back for you if that’s what it took. It’s just that . . .”

“Is this about Zane?”

Sighing, he closed his eyes. “I told him he didn’t have a safety net anymore. He’d up and quit his job and he’d have to start working hard.” He looked back at her. “Then he told me that not everybody was as lucky as I was.”

For a moment, Abby didn’t say anything.

Then, she straightened up, laying one hand against his cheek.

“Zane’s not afraid of working hard,” Abby said, her voice soft. “He’s afraid of not being good enough. He had to get rid of that safety net. Otherwise he won’t ever see just how amazing he is.”

Zach covered her hand with his. “I know he’s amazing. I’ve been telling him to quit bartending for years, but . . .”

“Now he’s done it. Why aren’t you happy?”

“I am,” he said. Then he closed his eyes, realization hitting him. “I . . . I just don’t know what’s going to happen if it turns out he can’t make it. He’s walking away from everything. Selling his house. Giving up a job. Trying to make a living on something he’s only played at. What if it doesn’t work? Then what does he do?”

“He tries harder.” Abby hugged him. “Zach, baby. It’s sweet that you’re worrying about your big brother like this, but Zane has a game plan. He’s thought things through and he’s got a sound business model. He’ll be okay.”

“A sound business model.” The words had made him shudder the first time Abby had put them on the table in front of him. “Does he even realize how hard running a business is?”

Abby pressed a kiss to his ear, chuckling. Then she settled down on the couch next to them and reached for the plate—and the giant brownie. “Zach, I was the one who helped you figure out a business model, remember? Zane is ten steps ahead of where you were after you’d been in business on your own for six months. He can handle this.” She cut off a bite with the fork and held it out to him. “You seem to forget who you’re talking about, slick. This is Zane. He handles everything, remember?”

“Yeah.” Despite himself, he chuckled. “He does.”

Then he sighed, slid a hand up her knee. “I guess that’s what’s bugging me. Maybe I have had it easy . . . and he fights, pushes . . . handles it. He ought to have more than just . . . handling it.”





Chapter Nine




Zane had the Realtor’s number in his pocket.

He had a figure in his brain.

He had dinner to cook.

Or, well, he had steaks to marinate and a salad to deal with, because the rest he wasn’t doing until Keelie was over here.

Keelie . . .

His brain was full and all it took to make those thoughts die was that one thought of her.

He’d be picking her up in a few hours and just thinking about that made his skin go tight, his cock start to ache, and his heart start to thud.

Since he couldn’t get through what he needed to do if he was mentally jacking off, he pushed those thoughts out of his head as he parked the rental car.