Holden nodded. “You did your time. Just don’t put that baggage on Bailey. That’s all I ask. He came through a childhood in foster care without any real damage. He’s lived with our trauma. I just don’t want to add any more weight on his shoulders.”
My chest went tight. I’d already put my baggage on him, hadn’t I? I’d told Bailey what I did. Let him offer me absolution when maybe I didn’t really deserve it.
How could I be with Bailey, be open and honest with him, if I tried to keep that part of myself from him?
The guys were all for second chances, but I was the last guy they’d really want for their brother if they knew everything. Going to prison changed me. It sharpened all my edges. There were things I had to do there that still haunted my nightmares, and I wasn’t one of the truly awful ones. I was big enough that most men wouldn’t fuck with me, which allowed me to avoid a lot of the gang fuckery in there.
But damn, the things I’d seen had cast a permanent shadow over me. Was it too selfish to keep Bailey, knowing I might dim his light?
A sharp bark cut across my thoughts. Holden and Gray turned toward the open garage door as Loki trotted inside.
Axel was right behind the German shepherd, his rottweiler, Sugar, at his side. She looked around, alert, sniffing the air.
Taz, the Chihuahua, ran in behind as quickly as his short legs would carry him, panting and quivering.
There was a tension among the dogs that put me on my guard. I bent down to scoop up Taz with one hand.
“What happened?”
Holden and Gray both gave me a surprised look, but Axel tipped his head. “Had a break-in attempt this morning. Sugar ran them off, but not before they cut a chunk out of our fencing.” He curled one hand into a fist and cracked his knuckles. “Wish I’d been awake to catch that bastard.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you call me?” Holden demanded.
“Dalton was there. He called it in and took down a report. Made it all official. I just got away.”
“You should have let us know,” Gray said. “We’d have been there first thing.”
Axel threw up his hands. “So you could do what, man? The perp was gone. Sugar made sure of that.” He patted her head. “She was a good guard dog. I only wish she’d gotten a chunk of his hide while she was at it.”
“Not like it’s a big mystery who it was,” I said. “I’m sorry, guys. This is on me.”
“It’s not your fault,” Axel said. “The junkyard is always a theft risk. We’re used to that. It’s why I like having the dogs out there with me.”
“But we know who this fucker is,” I said. “He’s targeting the place because of me.”
“Nah, I think he’s targeting you because of the place,” Gray said. “He thought you’d get him in. You didn’t. So here we are.”
“It doesn’t really matter why he tried,” Holden said. “We’ve got to take precautions.”
“I’ve been staying there every night,” Axel said. “Dalton made the report, but without seeing the guy…”
“Exactly,” Holden said. “We should get some surveillance cameras up. Make sure we see him coming next time.”
Gray nodded. “That’s a good idea. I’m not super busy today. I could make a run into town and see what I can find.”
“I’ll go too,” Axel said. “I need some wire to repair the fencing.”
“Thanks,” Holden said. “Just bring me the invoices, and I’ll reimburse you out of the business account.”
Gray headed out, Axel tagging along, and all the dogs went with them. The office phone rang, and Holden went to answer it.
My chance to confess had slipped by, and I was relieved. Because for at least one more day, the brothers wouldn’t hate me.
I returned to the brake job, throwing all my focus into it so that I wouldn’t have to think about the truth the brothers still didn’t know—and whether I’d ruin the best parts of Bailey if I let him share the burden of my mistakes.
By the time I got home that night, I wasn’t in the best mood. I’d let Holden’s words eat at me all day. When Bailey called, I almost didn’t answer.
But I couldn’t resist the siren call of all that sweetness and light. I picked up the video call.
