“Yeah.” Shane frowned at the empty hallway.
“Huh.” Matt kicked off his combat boots. “I don’t think any of us has ever been dumped.” Sure, they’d had lovers try to kill them. But never just… dump them. “So, ah, what are you going to do?”
Shane shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Maybe it was better this way. Though the frown on Shane’s face revoked that thought. “Shane, we’ve been trained by the best psychologists in the world to manipulate people. You can win her back.”
“No.” His brother threw the notebook down on the sofa. “This is real. Not the same.”
Well, now. That was true. Matt rubbed his chin. “I’ll talk to her.”
Shane snorted. “You can’t fix everything.” He stood, stretching his neck. “I may not remember all of my childhood, but you, I remember. Always present, always trying to protect us.” His eyes darkened. “Thank you.”
Matt shook his head. He didn’t deserve the gratitude. Nathan had spent a lot more time raising Shane and Jory than he had. Besides, if he’d done his job, Jory would be alive. “I’m taking a shower.”
Shane stood and headed for the door. “I need some fresh air.”
Matt sighed. “We should get out of here. Your wife needs to get those files from her work tomorrow.”
Shane nodded, his back to Matt. “She will.”
Chapter 22
Shane sat on the rough porch step and threw rocks across the field, his mind spinning. Thunder rolled across the sky, a perfect match for his mood. Josie had meant the words—she really was finished with him. Maybe it was for the best.
The idea of losing her ripped him apart, and the thought of betraying his brothers sliced deep. Why would staying married betray his brothers? Because it added that much danger to all of them—especially to him. As brothers, they’d always been each other’s weak spots. He shook his head. This was all so fucked up.
The sky opened up, and rain slashed down.
Nathan stalked up from the forest, casting a large shadow. He’d been walking all day.
Shane stretched out his legs. Irritation heated through him. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Out.” Nathan glanced up at the clouds covering the moon. “My red-eye leaves in an hour, and I thought I’d grab my laptop.”
“Good idea,” Shane snapped.
Nathan lifted an eyebrow. “Is there something you’d like to say?”
“No.” Shane’s hands curled into fists.
Nathan stomped dirt off his boots, squishing wet leaves. “Out with it, Shane.”
Shane bounded to his feet and into the deluge. “My memories aren’t all the way back, but you’ve always been a bossy bastard, haven’t you?”
Nathan’s eyelids slowly rose, while his chin lowered. “Watch yourself, little brother. That head injury gives you some leeway, but not much.”
“Screw you.” Frustration needed an outlet, and Shane was looking at a good one.
Nathan slowly removed his coat, folded it, and set it inside the SUV, his gaze never leaving Shane. Rain matted his hair to his head. “What’s your fucking problem?” Curiosity, not heat, rode his deep voice.
Shane eyed his brother. “Oh, you’re so damn calm, so uncaring, aren’t you?” The instant flare in Nate’s eyes pleased him. Instinct told Shane just where to strike. “You can’t keep a woman, so nobody gets one? Really?”
Nathan smiled, and his fist shot out.
The right cross threw Shane against the porch railing. Satisfaction welled through him along with the pain. “That’s what I thought.” He ducked his head and charged his brother, hitting him in the midsection. Metal crunched when they crashed into the wet Jeep.
He shot a hard punch into Nate’s jaw.
Nate’s head snapped back, and he rolled them over, straddling Shane. Wet pine needles coated his neck. Two hard punches to the face, and Shane saw stars.
Damn it.
He shoved Nathan off and pushed to his feet, kicking Nate in the chest. His brother rolled backward and flipped to his feet.
Shane stepped back and then settled his stance.
Nate wiped blood off his mouth. “No matter how hard you hit, or how hard I hit you, the pain won’t go away. Deal with it.”
The ring of truth made Shane see red. He rushed forward in a tackle, and Nathan fell back, tossing him over his head. Shane twisted, turned, and moved to tackle again, only to run smack into Matt.
No expression sat on Matt’s hard face. Nathan spat blood on the leaves behind him.
Shane backed up. Rain drenched his clothes.“Get out of my way.”
Matt’s eyebrow rose. “Why? You’re mad at yourself, not at Nate.”
Nate stepped to the side. “That’s all right, Mattie. I don’t mind beating some sense into this jackass.”
Matt cut a hard look at Nate. “Knock it off.”
Nate faltered and then sighed. “Fine.”
Shane snarled. “Always the obedient soldier, aren’t you?”