“Owen,” Elias persisted.
Suddenly, a giant wall ran smack into him, knocking him to the floor. A fist connected with hisjaw, and he returned one to the assailant’s gut. Glass crashed around them as they fought, each taking licks at one another.
Elias jumped in, tackling the person from behind. A loud roar filled the living room as the man knocked Elias to the ground. He landed on his ass with a big thud and immediately launched from the floor at his attacker. Owen swept the legs out from under him and pummeled the suspect for hurting his kid brother.
“Damn it, Owen, you hit me in the fucking face. I have a shoot next week,” the massive man growled. Still holding his fist in the air, Owen stopped mid-punch.
“Cade’s here,” Elias announced, making his two brothers shake their heads.
Elias held his eye and said, “They said you were at a party in Phoenix.”
“Hate to disappoint ya, brother. My PR firm puts out those crap videos. What the hell, big brother? Last time I heard, you became a SEAL. I heard you three miles back,” Cade boasted.
“It’d help if I didn’t have the clodhopper tagging along,” he said, nodding toward Elias. “He’s worried about snakes and spiders.”
“There’s a reason I didn’t join the military. My foster mom encouraged me to use my brain instead of my brawn.”
“What, those limp spaghetti noodles hanging atyour side?” Cade teased. He glanced at Owen and his mouth firmed. “I don’t know why you came, but I’m not going to the funeral.”
“Why don’t we take care of his eye before he starts whining, and then we’ll talk. Give me a broom, and I’ll clean up the glass,” Owen offered, dusting the tiny shards from his pants. “Maybe turn on a light, too.”
Cade flipped the switch and the two brothers’ mouths dropped open at the opulent, gourmet kitchen, the large TV, and overstuffed chairs.
“It appears you’ve done great for yourself,” Owen said, whistling. “I’m surprised you have muscles with all your sashaying down the runway.”
“Stow it,” Cade warned. “It pays the bills.”
“And gets the chicks,” Elias said, staring at a wall full of photos of Cade with different women.
Cade walked to the side of the kitchen and pulled out a broom, tossing it to Owen. “I’ll grab a bag. Sit your ass down, Elias, and let me check you out.” Cade winced when his brother pulled his hand away.
“If Mom saw this, she’d give us a hell of a whoopin’,” he said as he held Elias’ head back and examined the cut along his forehead and the darkening eye.
“Ya got a suture kit?” Owen asked. “I’ll sew him up.”
“Like hell you will,” Elias protested. “We crawled on our hands and knees in this freaking desert, andyou handled raw meat. Take me to a hospital,” he demanded.
“Ahhh, little brother, have you forgotten the rules of the house?” Cade asked in a condescending tone. “If you aren’t screaming or dying, it’s not worth a doctor’s visit.”
“I’m fucking screaming,” Elias said, raising his voice. “If you come at me with a needle, I swear, I’ll wait until you’re asleep and bash your head with the skillet again.”
Owen chuckled as he swept up the mess. “I’m sorry about your stuff. I hoped to waylay you when you got home.”
“It’s stuff. It can be replaced,” Cade said, taking out a bag of peas and heading into another room. A minute later, he returned with a medical bag.
Owen swept up the baby powder and put the last of it in the bag with the glass. “Where can I put this?” he asked, holding it up.
“I’ll take it. The bathroom’s down the hall on your left. Then, I’ll hold Elias down while you sew.”
“Touch me, Cade, and you’ll regret it,” Elias growled.
“Ha. He sounds like a baby kitten in search of his mama’s teat,” Cade laughed.
“Try flying with him. I gave him my peanuts to shut him up,” Owen muttered as he went into the bathroom and washed his hands.
Returning, he examined Elias’s eye. “It’s not bad.You only need a couple of stitches,” Owen said, digging through the bag. “It’ll take me two minutes.”
Cade set a glass of whiskey in front of each of them. Elias grimaced and pushed Owen’s glass away from him. “You’re not touching it until you fix my head.”
