Page 29 of Bad Decisions & Back Roads

“He’s getting aggressive again about our land though some bullshit lawsuit and…”

I stopped.

Mark’s eyes sharpened.“And what?”

Mark knew too much about me—had for years.He knew most of my ugly secrets.He even knew what made me skip so many days my senior year of high school.

“Gia’s back.”

His eyebrows shot up.Then he smiled.

“Oh, hell.”Mark leaned against the counter.His grin got wider.“That girl had you so twisted up back in the day.I mean, there were the easy girls who’d suck you off in the gym, but then there was Gia.She was a whole other level for you.I recall a time you almost broke my nose when I mentioned her tits.”

I scowled.

He smirked.“What’s it like with her now?”

“It’s bad,” I admitted, hanging my head.“Real bad.”

“Likebadbad?Or like you’re still twisted up bad?”

“She…” I blinked and couldn’t look him in the eye.“She was out at the farm dealing with Dad’s bitchy llama.She peeled off her coveralls to a tight white top and…shit, I…”

Mark barked out a laugh.“She’s been gone half your life and you’re still not over her.”

“In my defense, she was pretty way back then.Now…” I dropped my chin.That traitorous memory of her breasts in the wet shirt flashed in my head.“She’s so fuckingeverything, but…” I paused and rasped out, “Jimmy hurt her again.Like he used to.She was all bruised up.”

The room went still.

Mark’s expression hardened into something cold.“Sounds like his M.O.”

I looked at him.“My mom asked me to come out to talk with you.She’s worried.Thinks this time he’s going too far.Someone’s going to get hurt.”

“Aunt Lisa’s asking for help?”He nodded.“Then, let’s end this motherfucker.”

“My plan will require a shower, a razor, and pants that won’t frighten wildlife.”

Mark looked offended.“These are good pants.”

“They’re camouflage pajama bottoms.”

“They’re tactical.”

I held his stare.“You’ll have to go undercover like you did when you were overseas working for whatever government organization got your leg busted and you discharged.You’ll have to change your name.Or maybe just your last name.No one’s seen you in so long that if you cleaned up, I bet Jimmy wouldn’t recognize you.Hell, my own mother probably wouldn’t.”

“Couldn’t fool Aunt Lisa.Nothing gets past her.”

“I also need you to convince Jackson to come out of hiding from wherever he is.You’re going to want back up.Perhaps, he can dig up some new shit on Jimmy or figure out what Jimmy has now that allows him to sue us.”

“Jackie disappeared on a SEAL mission a few months ago.I don’t hear much from him.”Atypical worry passed across Mark’s face.

“A mission?He told me he was quitting at your mom’s funeral.”

Mark's twin was more controlled than Mark, which made him a hell of a lot more dangerous.After he'd come home riddled with bullet holes doing God knew what a few years ago, it'd taken him three months just to walk again.

“He never said he was quitting the SEALs or whatever they've got him wrapped up in now.”Mark let out a humorless laugh.“That was me telling you I'd asked him to retire.Not that he listened.”He shrugged.“He's going to die if he keeps this up.No doubt in my mind.”His gaze drifted across the lake, squinting as though he could see something far beyond the water.“He stays away because he's running from ghosts.”

The room suddenly felt smaller.