Teague took a seat next to Seg. "I'd say they shouldn't be fuc-" Teague snapped his mouth shut as he glanced at Liam, then took a deep breath. "Messing around with some chick."
"I agree." Seg wasn't going to argue that point. He deserved to have to face the music. He'd fucked up. It was only fair that Roan's friends had a chance to tell him how they really felt. Perhaps this wasn't exactly the appropriate place, but whatever.
"Despite your obvious lack of sense at times, I think you're good for Roan."
That surprised Seg. "Do you?"
Teague waved him off. "Oh, don't go gettin' all gooey on me. I'm probably the most screwed up here, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. My husband does."
Seg noticed Teague grinning as he glanced across the room at said husband.
"And I like that you tell him like it is," Teague noted, peering sideways at Seg as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "He needs that. Roan's the quiet type, always lost in his head. He's proven he knows best for himself. Or thinks he does, anyway. I haven't known many people to change his mind either."
"You know quite a bit about him." It wasn't a question. What Seg was wondering, though, was why Teague was sharing all this.
"I don't, actually. I've been a partner for years, but I've managed to keep my distance. Personal shit and all that." Teague caught his slip, his eyes darting to Liam in apology for the curse word.
Sitting up straight, Teague smacked his hands on his thighs, then pushed to his feet. "Well, that's all the words of wisdom I have for today, children. I'm off to irritate my man." He grinned. "It's what I do."
When Teague walked away, Seg turned his attention back to Liam. "I can only assume that's the first of many talks I'll have in the near future."
Liam grinned as though he knew what Seg was talking about.
"You got my back though, right?"
Liam swatted at his mouth.
"Good deal. With you on my side, I can handle anything."
In fact, with Liam and Roan on his side, Seg had the key to his happiness.
"It's true, you know?"
Seg looked up to see Cam walking his way. "What's true?"
"That little boy makes you feel like you can conquer the world." Cam took a seat in the chair Teague had vacated. "You're good with him. You got experience with kids?"
"Not a lick," Seg admitted.
"Wouldn't know it by looking at you with him."
Was he supposed to say something to that?
Cam sighed. "I wanted to get in my two cents."
"Get in line," Seg told him, keeping his voice low.
"Teague's harmless. He means well."
"He does."
"And so do the rest of us. Roan's like a brother to me," Cam told him, his eyes watching the men on the other side of the room. "He's got his faults." Cam peered over at Seg, grinning. "But don't we all?"
Seg nodded, glancing back at Liam.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to read you the riot act. I like you. I like that you're fighting for Roan. He needs that in his life."
"He makes it difficult," Seg admitted softly.
Cam laughed on an exhale. "Ain't that the truth." His face sobered. "Just keep in mind that he's trying. Why he thought he had to take this all on himself, I don't know. I think I'm partially to blame. We were closer before Gannon and I got together."
Seg knew how that was. He'd spent years hanging out with teammates. Women came and went in their lives, but every now and then, one stuck. And when that happened, the guy got snagged in her web faded away from the pack, spending time with the person who meant most to him. It made sense.
"You mentioned earlier that you didn't know about Liam," Seg prompted, bouncing Liam on his knee.
"Not until the night Roan's sister died. He kept it a secret, which again falls back on me. We grew up together. Shared everything."
Until Gannon. Seg got it.
Cam's voice lowered as he looked directly at Seg. "Don't give up on him. He's the one who usually gives up. Until Cassie, I'd never seen him fight for much of anything. Then Liam came along … "
Seg understood. However, he also knew he couldn't be the only one fighting for this relationship. If Roan didn't want it, Seg had no recourse. As much as it would kill him to do so, he would have no choice but to walk away.
Peering down at Liam, Seg's heart squeezed in his chest. He'd only been part of their world for such a short time, but he felt like he'd been there forever. He didn't want to walk away, but he couldn't do all the work either.
"He cares about you," Cam said. "I know he does."
Seg nodded, never looking away from Liam. He didn't want to see the sympathy in Cam's eyes. He could hear it in his voice.