He stops. “No, you fuck off, Murph. Go back to your tattoo shop and be a miserable dick for the rest of your life.”

“Oh, I will. Unlike you, I don’t need to stick around for the will to be read.”

“Then, why are you here? The only person who could stand you is gone.”

He steps closer until we are only a foot apart, both our chests puffed out at each other, fists balled.

Ryder points a finger at my chest. “And I see what you’re doing with the new girl. She doesn’t deserve to be fucked and forgotten.”

“At least I had the good sense to wrap it up first,” I snap back, and I can sense he’s about to punch me. There’s a change in the air when you know someone is about to throw a swing, and if I’m being honest, I want him to. I push his buttons on purpose because I want Ryder to throw the first punch. It gives me a good reason to finally knock him to the ground.

But he hesitates. I can see the flinch in his stance, like he’s about to lay into me, but he stops.

Instead, he steps closer, putting his nose close to mine. His words come out in a bitter spitting accusation. “The only person that connected us is gone. We are not family. You are not my brother. As soon as business is settled here, you can go back to your miserable fucking life, and I’ll never have to see you again.”

“Can’t fucking wait,” I respond just as he steps back and I pass him. On my way to the bedroom, I grab the drink he poured and down it in one swig. I can feel his eyes on my back as I disappear down the hallway.

His words sting, but I have no fucking clue why. I don't want anything to do with Ryder anymore than he wants anything to do with me. We never were brothers, not really. But his perception of me as a miserable loner puts a sour sting in my gut. If he had a life half as bad as mine, he’d think twice about judging me. He has no clue what I’ve been through.

Savannah stirs when I walk in the room. The light glow on the window signals the coming sunrise, and I didn’t want her to get out of bed. I can’t stand the thought of her leaving.

So when she tries to get up, I settle my weight between her legs and kiss her deep and hard. She lets out a sweet whimper as I cup her breast in my hand and squeeze it, hoping the feel of her pleasure will erase all of my anger. I need to wipe away this sting from that conversation.