A Stone in the Sea(13)

“Listen, you and I both know he’s not going to squeeze that much out of you. He’s starting high and knows he’s going to have to settle.”

“I don’t owe him anything.”

Anthony sighed, his own frustration traveling over the phone. “You think I want this guy to win even a cent of your money? Unless you want to come out with the reason for your assault, I don’t have a lot of other options to make this go away. You’ve got to give something if you want to keep this quiet.”

I looked out to my baby brother who sat still as a stone, the tide slowly making its way up the bank, like it was stretching toward him. Reaching for him. Begging for him.

And he just waited.

“What do I have to do?” I finally conceded. For Austin, I’d give it all.

“I’m going to need you back in L.A. on the seventeenth of next month. That gives you four weeks to figure out how much you want to give on this…what you want to say, and what you don’t want to say. I can’t stall them any longer than that, and if we can settle out of court on this, we may just be able to sway him into dropping the criminal charges.” His voice got tight. “I’m not willing to let you go to jail for this, Baz. I’m not.”

Scrubbing my hand over my face, I drew it down to yank at my chin, agitation tearing through me. This sucked.

No, it didn’t just suck.

It was fucking ridiculous.

“Fine. I’ll be there.”

I could feel Anthony’s relief carry all the way from California. “Good. I’m glad to hear you’re being smart about this. I know it’s not fair.”

I grunted, and he was quick to change the subject. “So tell me how the guys are holding up.”

“Everyone’s…fine.”

Antsy. Worried. But here and taking up my back, just like they promised me they always would.

“Are you all staying out of trouble?”

Cynical laughter rolled around in my chest. “Not a whole lot of trouble to be had in these parts, Anthony.”

“Right,” he countered, calling my bullshit. He knew I could find trouble wherever I went.

Sweet caramel eyes flitted through my mind. Long, long legs. Killer body with a cautious heart.

Dark. Light. Heavy. Soft.

Trouble.

Trouble.

Trouble.

I could feel it, yet I just kept going back for more, sitting in that isolated corner waiting on her to finally change her mind, just for a few hours, to make me forget.

Make me forget who I actually was.

“Everyone’s hanging tight,” I assured him.

“Good to hear. Let me know what else I can do. You know I’m here, whatever you need.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks, man.”

He laughed lightly. “All just part of the job.”

But we both knew he went far and above any duty he owed to the band. That he wasn’t just our agent. A long time ago he started skirting right along the edges of becoming an honorary member of this fucked-up family. His house we’d descended on and taken over proved that.

Had to admit, it was awesome to have someone like him have our backs.

“I’ll talk to you soon,” he said.

“Yep. Take care.” I ended the call and turned back to look out on where my little brother lifted his face to the glaring sun.

Shit.

I stepped through the glass-paned doors and out onto the deck. Rays of light cut through the sky, and I squinted my eyes against its harshness. My heavy boots thudded across the wooden planks as I treaded down the walkway, before they sank into the soft sand. Austin didn’t look behind him as I approached, although it was clear he knew I was there. I settled down beside him, mirrored his pose by hugging my knees to my chest.

“How are you doing?” I asked, finally cutting through the silence straining between us.

He shrugged his too-skinny shoulders, his tone way less than enthused. “I’m alive.”

I flinched and he dropped his head. “Sorry,” he said toward the ground, dangling his hands between his knees.

“Don’t do that to me, Austin. I can’t lose you. Don’t you get that? After everything? It’d kill me.”

It was a load to put on his shoulders. But I needed him to know his value. That maybe it felt like this entire world was against him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t the center of mine.

“Why? All I do is ruin shit.”

“You’ve made mistakes. Just like the rest of us. It doesn’t mean we love you any less.”

He scoffed. “Right. Why don’t you ask Dad how much he loves me?”

I shut down the growl that clamored around in my chest. That piece of shit didn’t deserve to call Austin his son. “Wasn’t talking about him. He doesn’t love anyone.” Not even himself. “I’m talking about me. The guys. None of us blames you for any of this.”