“Stop fucking shrugging!”
Stephen caughthis eye and then, deliberately, shrugged.
With a greatroar, Oliver launched at him.
Surprise heldStephen still and, when Oliver threw a wild punch, it glanced ofhis jaw. Anger flared, harsh and bright, and he balled his handinto a fist, catching Oliver in the stomach. Oliver grunted andthen charged him, locking them in a grapple. He managed to clipOliver in the jaw in return, while his brother dug his hand intohis shoulder.
Suddenly, theywere pulled apart and, dazed, Stephen found himself in a headlock.“That’s enough,” Maxim said.
Christ, he’dforgotten his younger brother was there, he was so focused on hiselder. Glancing over, he saw Maxim had Oliver in a head lock withhis other arm. He struggled, but he couldn’t get free. Jesus, washis younger brother really that strong?
“I’mnot letting go until you both sort this out,” Maximcontinued.
Stephen swore.Christ, what was his brother about?
Oliver seemed toagree. “What do you know, Maxim?”
“Iknow apparently you two haven’t had a frank conversation since I’vebeen gone,” he said. “If I have to muscle you into it, then Ibloody well will.”
This washumiliating. His younger brother held him in a stranglehold and nomatter how he twisted, he couldn’t get free.
Of a sudden,Oliver wrenched against Maxim’s grasp. Maxim absorbed it easily.Well, at least Stephen wasn’t the only one who couldn’t break theiryounger brother’s hold.
“Areyou going to talk to each other?” Maxim asked.
A beat ofsilence and then— “Fine,” Oliver said.
Maxim turned toStephen.
It burned. Itreally did.
“Stephen?”
“Fine,” he said sullenly.
Maxim let themgo and Stephen immediately backed away, rubbing his neck. Oliverrotated his shoulder, looking at anything except hisbrothers.
“Now,” Maxim crossed his arms over his broad chest.“Talk.”
Still rubbinghis neck, Stephen stared at Oliver. His brother didn’t look at him,his gaze averted.
“You’re a blockhead, you know,” Stephen said.
Oliver’s gazejerked up. “What?”
“Acomplete arse. Always have been.”
Fury stormedacross Oliver’s face. “What are you, twelve?”
Stephenshrugged.
Oliver’s facedarkened. “Don’t. Shrug.”
“Whydoyou shrug?” Maxim asked curiously.
“There’s no point doing anything else. He won’tlisten.”
Oliverimmediately interrupted with, “I always listen—”
