Page 67 of Monstrous Serpent

Garrett is alive.

Been five years since I last saw him. He’s shorter than me now. Not by much. Thinner too. A lot thinner. His eyes are tired, face sharper than it should be.

I swallow hard, teeth clenched.

He’s only three fucking years older than me. But he looks forty.

The pressure behind my sternum gets worse.

I should’ve checked. Should’ve—

No.

He made his choice.

Garrett glances at the campus buildings to the left, then over my shoulder to the arena. “You did good for yourself. College. Hockey. All this.” He looks back at me, eyes shining too much. “I’m proud of you.”

“Why did you come here?”

“I told you.”

I fist the front of his jacket and slam him against the tree. “Why now?”

He doesn't fight me. Just looks at my hand twisted in the faded green fabric and sighs. “You're my brother. Thought maybe we could—”

“Not happening.”

A muscle tics near his eye. “You're all I have, Hunt.”

“Should've thought about that when you watched me get beaten.” My grip tightens, and the fabric stretches across his collarbone. “When you watched our father tie me to a tree with barbed wire while I was unconscious.”

Tears gather in the corner of his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“You did nothing.”

He blinks, and the tears streak down the side of his face. “I'm sorry.”

I pull him closer until my mouth is inches from his face, lips peeled back over my teeth. “You went after what was mine.”

Garrett turns away from me, eyes squeezed shut. “That look on your face.” His voice shakes. “It’s just like Dad’s.”

I release him and take a step back.

Then another.

My breathing is loud. Erratic. Forced through my nose while my hands flex at my sides.

Garrett wipes his face with the heel of his hand. “I didn’t mean to hurt Atlas.”

“You fucking stabbed him.”

“I know.” His bottom lip trembles, then his chin. “I know. I know. I know.”

I stand there, unblinking.

“I’m sorry. I am. Just glad you're both okay. He . . .” Garrett swallows, gaze flicking back over my shoulder toward the arena. “He looked good out there.”

Every fiber in my body freezes. Then I launch forward, grab his throat, and squeeze. “Go near Atlas, I put you in the ground.”