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Corey’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in on Brick’s black-and-blue one.
Brick wouldn’t stop Corey if he wanted to make his other eye match the painful one. He deserved it for losing faith in him.
“I’m sorry.”
Brick held out his hand with the ring sitting in his palm. There was no reason to beat around the bush.
Corey’s eyes flashed in surprise.
“You break up with her?”
“Hell, no. I love her.” Brick was shocked Corey hadn’t taken the ring yet, but kept his hand in the air. “She understands why I’m giving it to you. She wanted you to have it. I want you to have it.”
Corey picked up the ring.
“Dad lied to Grandma. He told her you stole the money when he did it himself.”
Corey’s expression hardened. His hand curled around the ring. “And she believed him.”
Brick shrugged. “She always had a soft spot for him. Thinking he’d change.”
How most parents thought of their children when they didn’t go down the right path.
“I’m sorry, Corey. You were always adamant you didn’t steal the money, and I should’ve believed you. I have no excuse. I’ve hated this rift between us. I miss you.”
His brother didn’t look up, his eyes trained to his hand still fisted. Brick knew a few words wouldn’t fix the problems between them. It had been three years of tension and animosity between them. Three years of not speaking. Three years of avoidance. It didn’t make his words mean anything less, but it was a start to making amends.
“Look. I didn’t give you the ring to stop you from signing the papers to the bar over to that old hag. I did it because it’s the right thing to do. If Grandma were alive and knew the truth, she’d want you to have it as she had originally planned. I’m sorry it took me so long to see the truth.”
Corey looked up. His expression was unreadable. No smile, yet no frown. His eyes blank, his brows flat.
“I had no intention of signing that bitch’s papers. You’d never cave to her demands, marrying her daughter anyway, and I’d still be stuck with her as an in-law. Why would I screw myself over, too?” A slow grin grew on Corey’s stoic face. “Bitch doesn’t know who she’s messing with.”
Brick matched his brother’s wily grin. “Hell, no, she doesn’t. Just, don’t call her a bitch in front of Jezebelle, even though it’s the truth.”
They laughed together, the sound foreign. It had been so long since he had laughed with his brother.
“So, I take it you talked to the bastard today.” Corey nodded at his eye.
“Yeah, I had to confirm my theory. He didn’t come right out and confess, but it was pretty clear what he had done. The asshole knocked me on my ass.” Brick shook his head, hating to admit he didn’t see the hit coming.
Corey stepped back and gestured inside. “Wanna have a beer?”
God, yes, he wanted to catch up with his brother.
“I can’t. I promised Jezebelle I wouldn’t be too long. I still need to go buy her a ring.”
A twinge of hurt flashed in Corey’s gaze. “Yeah, of course, I understand.”
“Do you want to meet her? Have a drink at the bar?”
Brick hated to leave his brother hanging, thinking he didn’t want to spend time with him. He came here wanting to mend the bond he had broken; leaving so abruptly didn’t feel right.
“I don’t want to intrude.”
Brick waved a hand between them. “I don’t want this to be awkward. It feels that way. I know it’s going to take a while to get back to the relationship we had, but that’s what I want. I want my brother back. You can’t intrude on my life when I want you there.”
Corey’s gaze fell. “I don’t want her to hate me.” His hand lifted as did his eyes. “Give her the ring back.”
