“Your father’s getting old and frail. You can’t treat him the way you used to. It’s time to quit being such a dick and grow up.”

“Don’t try to pretend you’re better than me,” he said with a sneer.

Tobias leaned down to get right in his face. “I may not be better than you or anyone else, but if you ever hurt your father again, I’ll show you just how bad I can be.”

Carl flushed bright red. “How dare you!”

“It’s not an empty threat,” Tobias said and purposely knocked into his shoulder as he passed, causing Carl to stumble back.

When Carl called out his name, Tobias’s hands automatically curled into fists as he turned. After the past hour, he was looking for a target and the darker part of him, the part that was still as angry as he’d been as a teenager, hoped Carl would be it. “You got something more to say to me?”

Uriah’s son looked as though he had plenty to say, but when he saw Tobias’s expression and stance, he seemed to think twice. “You’d better start packing your bags,” he said but was careful to stay out of reach as he circled around Tobias and hurried toward the safety of the big farmhouse.

Tobias was just talking himself out of chasing the little bastard down when his phone went off. Too intent on watching Carl’s retreating back to answer it, he ignored the first few rings. But then he heaved a sigh and pulled his phone from his pocket.

It was Maddox.

Knowing his brother would advise him not to get into it with Carl, even if it was well deserved, he hit the talk button. “’Lo?”

“Tobias, I’m sorry to bother you again, especially if Harper’s still with you, but—”

“She’s gone,” he broke in. “You don’t have to worry about her.”

Maddox hesitated. “Everything okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked as though he didn’t feel like shit.

“You sound…on edge.”

Tobias let the door slam as he went into his house and started looking through everything to make sure none of his stuff had been disturbed. Fortunately, his bike, his TV, his backpack and everything else he really cared about was still there. “Carl’s doing whatever he can to piss me off,” he muttered. “That’s all.”

“Don’t tell me that douchebag’s causing trouble again.”

“Yes. No!” he quickly said, reversing his position. “It’s not what you think. Uriah’s fine. He’s not even home. Anyway, never mind. What’s going on?” It hadn’t been all that long since his brother had stopped by, so why was he calling?

“It’s Atticus.”

The tone of Maddox’s voice made Tobias uneasy. “And? What’s wrong?”

“He’s in the hospital.”