“What the fuck were you thinking?” Cross stalked forward, but Wraith shot up from the couch, shoving him back. He wouldn’t have done anything to her. Cleo knew that.
“Don’t you fucking come at her.”
Cross pointed at Cleo. “She told a fucking stranger about us.”
“I didn’t tell her anything else,” Cleo said, hoping that would ease his mind.
It didn’t.
His jaw squared. “You don’t fucking know her.”
She didn’t. Addison was a stranger. But…
“She has Knox’s heart.”
The best part of him.
****
She has Knox’s heart.
That one statement had him, Cross, and Ace struck into silence. It lasted a few minutes. It was obvious no one, not even Cross, knew of Knox’s intentions after he died. Cross was the first to leave the house. He hadn’t said a word but stormed out. This would hit him differently with his strong bond to Knox. Ace handed Cleo her letter and walked out the door, and Wraith followed.
Cross had his hands gripped on his waist as he paced in front of the motorcycles.
“This needs to end,” Cross said to Ace and pointed to the house. “No more fucking letters.”
Wraith understood his brother’s emotions were running high, but he wouldn’t let that come down on Cleo.
“She’s not giving up her only connection to her brother ’cause you can’t handle your fucking grief.”
Cross lunged forward, but Wraith was prepared. He straightened, waiting for Cross to strike, and for a brief second, it was going in that direction. Cross stopped a few inches from Wraith, the veins in his forehead visible.
“Fuck you, Wraith.”
“You’re not takingthisfrom her.”
Ace moved in between the brothers. With Wraith’s sole focus on Cleo and her needs, hearing Cross’s demand put him over the edge. Still, he could sympathize with Cross’s position.
“We’ll figure this shit out, but I’m not gonna have two brothers fighting over fucking letters,” Ace said.
Cross was the first to back down and walk away. He stalked tohis bike without another word, mounted it, and started the engine. Ace slapped his shoulder, walking to his motorcycle parked beside Cross. This was a fucked-up situation with no one prepared for something like this. For anyone else, this wouldn’t be a big deal. But they didn’t allow outsiders in their business, and Cleo had cracked the door open for it.
Wraith turned back to the small front porch just as the door opened and Cleo walked out. She clutched onto a plastic bag, but he couldn’t see what was inside. She stopped at the stairs, eyeing his president and VP. A few seconds later, Cleo rushed down the steps making her way to the bikes, bypassing Ace and stopping next to Cross.
“These are her letters.”
Cross stared straight ahead, not even acknowledging Cleo.
“I want you to read them.”
“I don’t need that shit,” Cross snapped, and his grip tightened over his handlebars.
“I know, but think of it more as looking into it. Maybe she’s doing something diabolical, and I’m just too naïve to see it.” Cleo paused. “Or? Maybe she’s just someone who’s grateful to Knox for being given a second chance.”
Cross didn’t move to take the letters.
Cleo stepped to the side, bent down, and unlatched the saddlebag strap. Wraith was prepared to run interference if Cross refused. He didn’t. Cleo stepped back from the bike and they took off. She watched until they disappeared down the driveway, then walked back to him.
