Finn laughed. “Thank God I didn’t take after Rocky.”
“Rocky’s not intelligent?” Mitch asked.
Finn thought for a moment. “I’m not saying he’s not smart. But it’s like there are other elements of his personalitythat drive him to make decisions that aren’t….” His voice drifted off, unsure how to communicate about his brother.
“Aren’t?” Mitch prompted.
“Decisions that aren’t the best for him or the club, I guess. Take his house, for example. Owning a place like that, showing off how much money he has, hanging with the guys in public places, it’s like waving a red flag. Dad would never have done that.He blended in. He wasn’t about public appearances, where that seems to be all that matters to Rocky. He wants to be seen as successful and powerful, but that’s the very thing that will lead to his undoing. Dad had power and respect and didn’t need to show off to earn it.”
“I’m sorry about your dad.”
Finn nodded at Mitch, then focused back on the road in front. It felt cathartic to talk to someoneabout this stuff, things he’d kept bottled up for so long. He had no idea why he wanted to unload on Mitch, but he did. Maybe it was because Mitch had shown a real interest in him above and beyond the sex.
“Back in the early days of the club, it was different. The Furies were all about the brotherhood. There was a level of pride and mateship. There was a shitload of drinking and smoking weed,and the guys got into trouble, and I’m not saying it was always 100 percent aboveboard, but it wasn’t like it is today. It was more…. It was less hard-core.” He drifted off into thoughts of his dad. “It was a shock when Dad died, but such a relief when Carl took over.” He turned his head and looked at Mitch, who smiled back with so much openness. “He’s the one who encouraged me to go to uni in Melbourne.”
“You got on with Carl?”
The question made Finn grin. “Carl was like a second father. He was ten years older and he kept an eye out for me. Running interference, that type of stuff.”
They rounded the corner, Mitch nudging him to step onto the edge of the road when the longer grass made it difficult to stick to the verge. Out here there was no curb and guttering, and Finn’s heart fluttered asMitch made sure he was on secure footing.
“What do you mean? What sort of interference?”
“Let’s just say that Rocky was a bully, even back then. He never let anything or anyone stop him from getting what he wanted.”
“He hurt you?”
Finn glanced at Mitch and gave a small nod. Mitch immediately stopped walking and reached for Finn’s hand. His grip was warm as he squeezed Finn’s fingers. “I’msorry. You shouldn’t have had to go through that as a kid, not the bullying, and especially not at the hand of your own brother.”
Finn bit back a retort. It wasn’t Mitch’s fault he allowed Rocky to still push him around. “Thanks, but what’s past is past.”If only that were true.
“I’m glad you had Carl to keep Rocky in check.” Mitch’s words and the obvious concern in his voice and touch alleviatedsome of the darkness thinking about Rocky brought. “I’m just sorry Carl isn’t here to do that anymore.” Finn nodded and made to turn away, but Mitch pulled him back to face him. “If there’s ever anything I can do, if you need anything….”
It was now Mitch’s turn to have his words die on his tongue. Did he regret what he was offering, or did he realize the futility of it? Mitch held his gaze asif trying to reassure Finn of his best intentions. But what could he do? Nothing. There was nothing anyone could do to protect him from Rocky. His dad hadn’t been able to, and neither had Carl. Hell, Carl couldn’t even save himself. Finn bit back a nervous laugh. So what chance did Mitch have? Finn knew he needed to stand on his own two feet and do whatever he could to end Rocky’s reign of terror.
But as Mitch gripped his hand and spoke with so much sincerity, Finn allowed himself to pretend for a moment things would be different now he had Mitch on his side.
