Case opened Hutch’s freezer. How much ice cream could one man eat? It was all in pint tubs. Couldn’t the dude have a couple of popsicles or something? Case couldn’t shove a pint of Chunky Monkey down his jeans.
“It’ll get better in about ten minutes,” Michael assured him with an amused expression on his face. “The flaring pain, that is. The ache will be with you for a while.”
“Had your balls busted much?”
“I grew up on a ranch. You haven’t felt pain until a horse you’re shoeing manages to kick you there.” Michael handed him a beer.
Hell, it was cold at least. He put it on his aching crotch.
He didn’t even have beer at his apartment right now. He’d counted on Theo to buy food and shit for so long that he was just empty. While Theo had been in Africa, his sisters-in-law had made sure he had groceries. They’d tried since Theo died, but he’d held them off. It was pathetic to have Grace and Charlotte have to take care of him.
So he’d moved through his days drinking protein shakes and eating takeout and keeping his place like he’d kept his bunk in the Navy. He was only messy when he was happy. When he was miserable he tended to keep his place perfect and pristine, as though he had to control something.
Welcome to his world. Everything was neatly in its place and meant absolutely fucking nothing.
Mia’s apartment had warmth and light and she loved to bake. She looked cute with all that blonde hair piled high on her head and an apron around her curves.
He’d definitely thought about ordering her to cook for him wearing nothing but that silly apron of hers. Her nipples would peek out and he would be able to see that luscious ass. They could make a game out of it. When she was bad, he could spank her with a spatula, and when she was good, he would sit her in his lap and feed her, his hands moving over her, caressing her.
Fuck that hurt. She’d found a way to make his damn erections unbearable.
“I actually meant for you to drink that.” Michael had popped the top on his beer.
He still would. He wasn’t picky.
His cell trilled and he looked down. Shit. Sean. He was picking up Case and Hutch to head over to Erin’s and help her settle in with TJ. Someone would be spending the night with them for a week or so until Erin found her groove.
He picked up the line. He had to come up with a way to get out of going over there tonight. “Hey, brother.”
“Grace and I are downstairs. You guys ready? Tell Hutch if I find him slipping Carys pixie sticks again, I’ll murder him and force him to pay my daughter’s dental bills. Doesn’t he have a skateboard or something? Because he could hang on to the rear bumper.”
Case didn’t have time to negotiate a truce right now. “Something’s come up. I’m going to be a little late so I’ll bring Hutch with me.”
Sean was quiet for a second and then his voice was deeper, going serious. “Anything I can help with?”
He should tell his brother. He should tell Sean and Ian and get Li up here.
If she was right and this dude would run if they didn’t play this Mia’s way, was he willing to risk it? His eyes drifted over to the folder she’d left that contained the first glimpse of his brother he’d had in months.
What would Theo want him to do?
Protect Erin and his son first and foremost. Protect them from harm, from hurt and loss. Erin couldn’t lose Theo twice. If they couldn’t get him back, it was better for her to think he’d died in her arms, that he’d been dead all this time. She needed peace in her life right now, needed to bond with her son.
If she knew Theo was alive, Case wasn’t sure what she would do. The trouble was if no Taggarts showed up at her place tonight, she would know something was happening.
And then there was the fact that Ian would take over. Ian would make all the decisions and Case would be expected to fall in line.
Ian would make decisions about Mia and that didn’t sit well with Case.
“It’s Mia. She showed up and we…well, let’s just say it ended with her getting a little violent. I need to talk to her.”
Sean chuckled over the line. “I always liked that girl. Get out to Erin’s if you can. If you can’t, just text me to let us know you’ve got something else to do. You know I always thought you two could be good for each other. Whatever you did, it might be helpful to beg.”
He wasn’t sure begging would work. He wasn’t sure he wanted it to work because he knew anything he got from Mia would be short term. A woman like Mia didn’t get serious about a man like him. “Bye, Sean.”
Michael was staring at him, his eyes narrowed. “You just lied to your brother.”
Maybe he’d worked with Michael for too long. “I did not. Mia was here. I’m trying to find her so I can talk to her.”
“Not buying it. Oh, I get that Mia was here and you had a fight, but you wouldn’t be delaying her plane and potentially getting Hutch thrown back in jail over a lover’s spat.”