She sat.
“Drop it.”
She dropped the ball.
“Good girl.”He gave her head a rub before reaching for the ball and throwing it again.
“It just seems—”
“It doesn’t,” Atticus interrupted, turning to face Slade.“It doesn’t seem like anything.I’m not ignoring you.I’m not upset.I’m not anything.We’re at work.We’ve got things to focus on.I assure you, if I were mad at you, I’d let you know.”
“Would you?”
Clamping his teeth together, Atticus turned back to Tesha.They went through the motions again until she was darting after the ball.
“I—”
“Slade,” Atticus said slowly.“I can’t do this right now.”
“Can’t do what?”
“The insecurity.If you can’t trust me for a day, I’m not sure why we’re even tryin’ this.”
Slade’s mouth opened, then closed again.Atticus could see the pain in his eyes, the fear.Whoever hurt him did a serious number on the guy.But as much as he wanted to heal him, to prove to him that not everyone was out to cause him pain, Atticus wasn’t sure how.And he certainly wasn’t sure how to do that and work with the guy at the same time.
“Right now, let’s focus.Once this”—he gestured toward the barn—“is done, we need to keep followin’ leads and find that statue so we can move on with our lives.”
“Move on?Is that—”
“Stop,” he snapped under his breath.“Just.Stop.”
Taking a deep breath, he turned toward Tesha, smiling as she jogged toward him.
“Come on, girl.Let’s get you some water so we can get back to work.”
“You ready to head back over there?”
Brantley stared blankly at the wall.“I’m not sure what I want right now.”
He wasn’t sure whether he should feel bad that Reese was perched on the back of the couch, shoulders slightly hunched, looking utterly defeated, but he did.Guilty was probably a better word for it.He wasn’t one to lose his cool often—or liked to think he wasn’t—but he was definitely dangerously close to the edge today.And Reese obviously knew because Brantley could feel the concern wafting off him.The man was watching him like he was a caged animal whose door was about to be opened.He wasn’t too far off because that was exactly what he felt like.Only thing was, he wasn’t sure why.
“I know you’re pissed at Deck.I get it.He kept information from us.”
“Vital information,” Brantley pointed out.
“Yes.What we don’t know is why he did.I’m sure he has a valid reason.”
“You really think so?”Brantley pivoted, dropping his arms to his sides.“The guy was in New York talking to the woman he’d been screwing since he was a kid.”A shudder ran through him at the thought.“A woman who everyone claims is missing.You think Z and Decker wanted us chasing our asses in New York for a reason other than that?”
“I’m not sure Z—”
“Don’t,” Brantley bit out.“Do not defend your brother right now.”
“I’m not.”
Brantley grunted.“He obviously knew Decker was up to something when he sent us up there.”
“I’m not arguing with you.”
