Page 105 of Contentious

“Since we almost lost you,” Griff said. “It’s still raw for the rest of us who didn’t have the benefit of being knocked out for hours.” He was the token blond of the brothers, favoring their mother with his sun-streaked hair and lighter eyes.

“That’s fair.”

“Jules is upset that he didn’t find a way to get rid of Beckett faster,” Griffin said. “He said he’s guilty of a lack of urgency.”

“He did everything he could,” Carson said. “We all did. The cops were involved. I mean… What more could’ve been done but wait for the next available court date as usual?”

“I think having the violence strike close to home is a reminder to all of us that domestic cases are super volatile, and our system doesn’t move fast enough to protect potential victims,” Griff said.

“That’s sadly true,” Carson said. “I don’t want Jules or Cresley or anyone else beating themselves up over this. They aren’t the ones who stabbed me.”

“Gramps says you’re planning to go home with Cresley,” Griffin said in a deceptively casual tone. “What’s up with that?”

“They invited me.”

“They?”

“She and Ty, who’s the coolest kid ever.”

Griff raised his left brow in an expression of disbelief. “Is that right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“So, like, you’re with her now?” Ethan asked.

“Something like that.”

“Weren’t you with me at Jules’s house a couple of weeks ago trying to figure out what the hell he was doing with Isla?” Griffin asked.

“Yeah, that was me.”

“What gives, man?”

“I like her—and her son.”

“Okay…”

“You don’t have to go home with her, Carson,” Ethan said. “We can set you up with help at home, and we can take turns⁠—”

“Thanks, but I’m going with them. I think Cresley needs to do this because she feels responsible for me getting hurt, as silly as that is.”

“Remember when we were screaming at Jules about sliding off a cliff with Isla and not doing anything to stop it?” Ethan asked.

“What about it?”

“That’s what you’re doing with Cresley! You’re over the edge and about to slide into something you can never get out of.”

Carson thought of the sublime pleasure he’d found in her arms and shifted to hide his immediate physical reaction from his brothers. He was thankful that the equipment still worked. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Just like Jules did, right?”

“It’s not like that. I’m not acting a fool over her.”

“Call me crazy, but her being here most of every day sure looks like girlfriend behavior to me,” Ethan said.

“We’re hanging out. Having fun. I’ve already got one federal case going on. Don’t go creating another.”

“Right,” Griffin said, “but with a preponderance of the evidence pointing in one irrefutable direction…”