Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
I ran my hand through my hair. “Cohen, I had a lot of fun last night, and I really do like you, but I think I’m going to take a walk.”
I felt like such an ass, seeing so much sympathy in his expression. He was trying to be there for me, but I couldn’t let him. Not while I was so pissed at my siblings…and Big Daddy.
And the past.
And myself.
Cohen relaxed his hand, and I pulled away.
“I’ll call you later, okay?”
He nodded, and I turned and darted off, the sting in my chest burning like a motherfucker.
In a moment—a fucking instant—that innocent, playful, delicious night we’d shared had been spoiled.
Fuck being an O’Ralley.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Cohen
I was so damn angry, I couldn’t stop shaking. I wasn’t pissed at Brody, even if I was a little hurt that he’d walked away—I got it. No, I was pissed at this. At this whole fucking situation, the stupid goddamned feud and his family.
Without letting my logic talk me out of it, I spun and went back for the kitchen. Isaac was talking to Walker, but the second he saw me, he rushed my way. “Excuse us! We’re going to go chat for a minute!”
He was trying to help, to diffuse the situation, but I shook off his concern.
“Co…it’s not your place,” he said, but the words wouldn’t penetrate the anger flushing my system. Brody was…fuck, Brody was incredible. He was kind and funny, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for people he cared about. He was helping us with the distillery when we were the enemy, but also helping his father when the guy didn’t even know or appreciate all the work Brody put into O’Ralley’s.
I walked around Isaac and didn’t stop until I got to Dwain. The rest of them, I was pissed at too, but he was the worst. “You’re a real fucking asshole, you know that?”
Everyone in the room went silent. Seriously, it was so fucking quiet, I wasn’t sure anyone was breathing or their hearts were beating. Everything went in slow motion from there.
Dwain’s head lifted until his eyes were on mine, murderous and hard. For one second I doubted myself because he was a big motherfucker and I was sure he might kill me, but then I thought about the look in Brody’s eyes when he’d left and the pain in his voice, and fuck that. I wasn’t letting this shit go.
“’Scuse me?” Dwain said, and I rolled my eyes.
“You heard me. Christ, I’m so fucking tired of hearing about this stupid feud, Mitchells and O’Ralleys fucking bullshit. Grow the hell up! That shit happened a hundred fucking years ago. Newsflash, none of us were involved. I didn’t even know I was a Buckridge Mitchell until a couple of months ago. And I could deal with it if it was just me, but he—” I pointed to the door as if Brody was still there. “He doesn’t deserve it. Brody’s better than all of it. He’s better than all of you, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his family. And fuck you all if a no-good Mitchell can see it and you can’t.”
I turned and went for the back door, shoving it open so hard, it slammed against the house. My hands were shaking, I was so pissed. I wasn’t wearing any shoes, and only had on pajama pants, but I didn’t care. I made my way across the property to the distillery I couldn’t even get into because I didn’t have the damn keys.
I sat down on the stoop and leaned against the door. This whole thing was so fucked up. Just last night I was balls-deep in Brody, and it was all…well, I wasn’t going to say perfect, because that was a little sappy, but it was really fucking good. And then, just like always, life was right around the corner, this world I didn’t understand. I grew up so differently. My family wasn’t like theirs at all.
It wasn’t long before I heard footsteps. I didn’t have to look up to know it was Isaac. He sat beside me and rested his head on my shoulder. “Hi.”
“Hey.” I turned and kissed the top of his head.
“Everyone left. Dwain’s head nearly exploded. It was all good fun.”
I groaned, rubbing a hand over my face. If I’d wanted to make his family like me more, I’d royally fucked up, but I couldn’t help it. I’d been quiet through most of the morning and even the night before, but I was tired of it. Why should they give a shit if Brody wanted to spend time with me? “Thanks for staying until they left.”
“It’s fine.” He waved me off. “So…I have a question.”
Part of me knew that whatever Isaac had to say, I really wouldn’t want to answer, but he was my best friend, the closest person to me in the world, so if I couldn’t talk to him, who could I talk to? Plus, I knew him, and he wouldn’t stop until he got his way. “Shoot.”