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“Great. If you guys could all work down here for a bit, I have a few calls to make upstairs.”
Kane still hadn’t returned, so he headed over to Matt to team up on the drywall. Together, they loaded the first piece of sheetrock onto the lift to install on the ceiling. Cyrus helped them tack it to the joists, and they made quick work of the dining room.
Robby brought pizza for lunch around one o’clock, and the guys fell onto the boxes like they’d been starving for days. The calories chipped away at the effects of their hard work and stress.
He tossed his trash into the big waste barrel. Before he could get back to work, Will grabbed his left arm.
“Where did you get that?”
He resisted his first instinct, the one to wrench free. The thought it would upset Olivia kept his temper in check. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, man.”
Gripping his arm tighter, Will lifted it into the air and shook it. “The ring. You’re wearing my sister’s ring.”
He had no idea how to respond, so he said nothing.
“Give it back to me, you dirty fuck.”
Cyrus pulled Will back as he tried to rip it off Brick’s finger.
Cradling his hand to his chest, Brick spoke softly. “She gave it to me.”
Will’s face darkened with fury. “Liar. Izzy bought that ring because it looked like one our mom used to wear. It was her good luck charm when she had fucking cancer because it made her feel like Mom was watching over her. She would never give it away. Never.”
It didn’t make any sense. Olivia hadn’t told him the ring was special. “I don’t know what to tell you.” Cancer? “She wanted me to have it. If you don’t believe me, call and ask her yourself.”
Will tried to shake loose, but Cy kept him from lunging again. “Stay away from her. You’re not fit to breathe the same air as my sister, you shit thug. You think I’m scared of you because you chop up people for Sucre de la Cruz?”
The words took the air out of the room.
“Yeah. I said it. I know what you are. Which is exactly why I will do whatever it takes to keep you away from her.”
He couldn’t even get mad. Will only spoke the truth. Still, hearing the words come from someone else hollowed him out. “We’re not together.” No one could know the truth.
“Let. Me. Go, Cy.” Will’s eyes glinted wildly. Cyrus didn’t budge.
He wanted to tell Will he was crazy about his sister. He wanted to keep her safe. If the information got into the wrong hands, though, it could destroy the very thing he was fighting for. He liked the guys he worked with, but he didn’t trust them with Olivia’s life. So instead, he repeated, “We’re not together, Will, and you don’t want to do this here.”
“Don’t tell me what I want to do, motherfucker. What I want to do is bash your ugly face in. You are not good enough for my sister.”
“You’re right.”
Finally, Will stopped struggling.
He shot Liv’s brother a cold look and hardened his voice. “I’m everything you say I am, and your sister is a sweet little school teacher with a crush. But I don’t even remember the last time I saw her.” Lie. “We’re not playing house. I didn’t even fuck her. So, cool your jets.” He stepped forward, crowding Will, but no one got in his way. His stone-cold killer voice fit like a glove. “Don’t come at me again. There will be consequences.”
Xander cleared his throat from the staircase. “Do we have a problem here?”
“No problem.” He raised his eyebrows at Will, daring him to argue.
Silence.
“Let’s keep it that way. We don’t have time for petty squabbles. Let’s get back to work.”
Kane stomped back onto the property right as their boss made his pronouncement. Judging by the look on his face, the three-hour coffee run had done little to cool the heat of his anger.
There was no sign of any coffee, but Brick wasn’t dumb enough to say a word.
