Page 259 of St. Mary's Rebels Box Set Volume 1

My brothers don’t care about that though.

Reed’s cavalier words have made them frown and they each take a threatening step toward him.

Except Conrad.

Conrad, who stands a little farther away from the rest of my brothers, says, “Callie, come here.”

I breathe heavily, glancing from my three ready-to-fight brothers to my oldest one. “Con, please. He didn’t do anything.”

“Callie.”

“He didn’t –”

“Get over here.”

I wince and start walking toward him. And as soon as I do, the rest of my brothers shift and sort of make a boundary out of their bodies, a line between me and the rest of the world,himmore specifically, in a very obvious display of protectiveness.

As soon as I reach Conrad, I tell him, “Please, Con. He didn’t do anything. I promise and –”

“You lied,” he says.

Not loudly or bitterly or in anger.

He says it in a matter-of-fact way and my heart twists.

It’s not as if I’ve never lied to my brothers. Of course I have, but this is something big. Something serious. I know that.

As I said, they only have one rule: they need to know where I am at all times. So they know that I’m safe.

They give me everything that I ask for.

Even though they can be controlling and dominating – as evidenced by this display – they try to be reasonable. They try to understand where I’m coming from. They respect my freedom.

So I’m at fault here.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Conrad’s chest pushes out on a breath and instead of anger, there’s disappointment. “Let’s go home.”

I look at my three angry brothers, who still appear ready to fight, and turn to Conrad. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I lied. Just please tell them not to fight. H-he didn’t do anything.”

At this, I see anger though.

I do see his broad features going tight. “Come on.”

“But Con –”

“Not a word right now.”

I snap my mouth shut.

Then glancing over my shoulders, Conrad calls out, “Just one. No more.”

I don’t know what that means or which brother he’s talking to.

Until I hear a thump and a crunch. And loud gasps and murmurs from the crowd.

At which point, I spin around and see that Ledger has punched Reed in the face, and Reed’s wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, somehow with his smirk still in place.