He closed the door. I heard a lock turn a minute later. I blew out a shaky breath. The officer was trying to scare me straight. I knew that tactic. But what would Dalton say to someone in my position? The same fucking shit, probably. And he’d be right.
I didn’t have my phone, so I had nothing to do but think until Holden and Flynn arrived. It wasn’t pretty.
I thought not only about the choices that led me to be at the drag race tonight, but the risks I took when I hustled people over pool and why I did it. I liked winning, sure. I liked earning some cash.
But did I need to prove I was better than those men I played? At some level, maybe. I wanted to stand out. To know I was the best at something. And when my brothers—or Flynn—had to rescue me from a hothead? Well, I got to see how much they cared, right? Because deep down, I was still a little boy who got dumped by his mom for not being good enough.
“So fucking stupid,” I muttered to myself.
My brothers had itso muchworse than I did. I went to the Forresters so young I didn’t remember my mom. I sure as fuck wasn’t abused like Holden had been. I didn’t wear scars. I didn’t watch my parents die like Gray and carry a burden of survivor’s guilt. I wasn’t neglected—as far as I remembered—like Axel.
So why did I do this shit? Why couldn’t I just go to school like Holden wanted and be happy that I had opportunities noneof my brothers had? Why couldn’t I fuckingwantwhat they wanted for me?
It was an agonizing two hours, but I found some clarity. I couldn’t go on the way I had been. I had to define my future, my happiness. I couldn’t rely on my brothers for that. I couldn’t let Holdentell mehow to be happy, and I couldn’t turn to my brothers for a rescue either.
My future was mine. My life was mine.
My choices and my mistakes weremine.
The rattle of a key in the lock made my heart leap. I got to my feet as the door opened. Holden came in first, face set in a stern mask.
Shit. Telling myself I’d face his disappointment was so much easier thanactuallyfacing his disappointment.
“Hey,” I croaked. “Sorry.”
Flynn stepped in behind him, filling the doorway and blotting out everything behind him. My eyes locked on his, taking strength from the warmth there, the concern, the…if not love, very real affection.
“Are you okay?” Flynn asked. “They treated you all right?”
“He’s in a break room,” Holden said. “Looks like he’s been treated just fine.”
Flynn stepped past him, ignoring his comment, eyes only on me.
I nodded. “Just, um, feeling stupid and…sorry that you had to come all this way for me.”
“I’ll always come for you,” Flynn said.
Holden shot him a narrow-eyed look, but I couldn’t worry about that now. Flynn was opening his arms for me, and I fell into them, letting him enfold me in a hug.
“Thank you,” I mumbled into his shirt. I breathed him in, the motor oil scent I associated with home, the laundry soap and hint of sweat beneath it. The smell of my man. I tightened myarms around his waist and felt the brush of his lips against my temple.
“I’ve got you,” he rumbled. “Let’s get out of here.”
I nodded without looking at Holden. He’d have plenty to say, but I didn’t want to do that here.
Flynn turned me, keeping an arm around my shoulders, and guided me from the room. Holden brought up the rear. At the front desk, Holden stopped and asked for my belongings. I would have forgotten.
I pocketed my phone and slipped on my fleece-lined jean jacket, keeping my gaze averted. But once we were outside, there was no avoiding his grim expression.
“Okay,” Holden said. “Flynn dodged my questions all the way here. Time to clear the air. How long has this been going on?” He waved a finger between us.
“A while,” I said.
“Not long,” Flynn said at the same time.
We glanced at each other. I took a breath and stepped away from Flynn so I could square up with Holden. If we were going to do this, I had to face him like a man, not a scared little brother.
“Goddamn it, Bailey, you’re supposed to be focusing on school,” Holden burst out, as if he’d been holding in a tide of words for a long-ass time, which I guess he had. “Going to drag races and fucking around with Flynn won’t help you get ahead in life! You want to be treated like an adult, you say. Well, you need to get your fucking priorities straight.”
